The following are letters received from students at rotation sites:
“I received a forwarded copy of your letter from Marian Hendricks.
I agree with your letter and have written a letter to Dr. Bragg and Dr. Jackson to let them know how I feel. As a fourth year student I have dealt with KCOM's lack of integrity for four years now. The problem is that not enough students are willing to take a stand. KCOM divides and conquers. The students need to get together (all classes) and communicate their complaints to the administration, clicincal staff, board of trustees, ... or whoever will listen. My problem has been finding someone that will listen.”
“Travis,
Your letter makes me glad that I graduate soon. It sounds as if a battle is being fought for the soul of KCOM; will it be a cutting edge medical school, or will it be a cutting edge manipulation school?
I hope that the answer is a medical school. Had I wanted to purely manipulate, I would have gone to a chiropractic school..
Regardless of the outcome of this battle, good people, with well-meaning intentions will leave. Students will lose either way ---- I am certain that first and second year students are already distracted greatly by this.
The Board of Trustees needs to address this issue without delay.”
“Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 00:08:45
Dear Fellow KCOM Students: I SUPPORT OSTEOPATHIC EXCELLENCE
I have been involved in providing health care services to patients since 1983. When deciding upon a Medical Education, I felt that if I wanted to become the best physician, then I would need to be trained by the best. It is only by striving to become the very best that excellent results may be achieved. This is never more true than in medicine.
I truly felt that KCOM offered that educational opportunity for me because it was deemed to be a center for Academic Osteopathic Excellence. At one time, KCOM was listed in the top 1/3 of ALL medical schools in the country, but now it is not even in the top 1/2, and not even in the top 1/3 of Osteopathic Medical Schools (and there are only 18-19 of them). This shows that the INTEGRITY (and Reputation) of KCOM has suffered (or failed to continue to excell) in the past 10 years.
The MAJOR TRAIT an individual physician has that sets him/her apart from any other physician of the same specialty is INTEGRITY (ie. honesty and high moral values). In the past 9 years, I have seen four (4) outstanding physicians lose everything (family, careers, licenses, income etc.) because of lapses in their INTEGRITY. In fact, most states have laws whereby physicians may lose their licenses for "Moral Turpitude." This is defined as anything that is deemed of "low moral character." In other words,
driving drunk, breaking laws, lying to patients, abusing prescription drugs, or falsifying medicare bills can cause loss of a medical license. INTEGRITY is the very key value by which physicians are judged. In fact, almost every Gallup poll in the past 10 years has supported the fact that Physicians are one of the most respected professions in the United States. The reason for this is clear.
During the meeting on May 3rd, I was acutely aware of this lack of INTEGRITY on the part of KCOM's leaders. Dr. McGovern started the meeting by discussing the merits of ETHICS and then falsified the actual numbers of clinical faculty involved in this episide and told us several more half-truths (thus half-lies). Dr. Michael Kuchera was dishonest (outright lied) about the reasons two of our clinical faculty are leaving and many more apparent lies were evident in his further discussions (at least those that were not clouded by political mumble that only he probably understood).
If we allow any person of LOW INTEGRITY to remain an example and leader to us, we are condoning their set of values THAT ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE LEVEL WE WILL EACH BE EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN DURING OUR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS. Our own leaders failed to maintain the INTEGRITY expected by individuals in leadership positions. By lowering our own standards, we start to lose our INTEGRITY. The fear is that their example may influence our own actions and that is not acceptable. If a physician can lose their careers because of a LAPSE OF INTEGRITY then why should we compromise those standards for KCOM's leadership who have obviously SHOWN A GROSS LAPSE OF INTEGRITY during the May 3rd meeting.
Our clinical faculty have shown the SELF-LESS †INTEGRITY that exemplifies what we will be expected to uphold as physicians. They have come to bat for us because they believe that the future of KCOM is in trouble. We are in a classroom all day and do not see any of the things they have had to deal with over the past decade, but I have seen only the HIGHEST INTEGRITY from our CLINICAL FACUTY (and a majority of the basic sciences faculty as well) and gladly hope to have the same integrity throughout my career. I hope that I can selflessly risk all to fight battles for my patients, their families, and even my future students if I believe that action is required.
I expect that the INTEGRITY and excellence expected of KCOM students be upheld by ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY, STAFF, and CONTRACT PERSONNEL while working in any capacity here at KCOM. If leaders lead by example then I demand new examples for KCOM. Having been around teaching medical centers and medical students, interns, and residents since 1992 I must state a simple fact: The highest standards of personal conduct are demanded of physicians and physicians in training (if any 3rd or 4th year student wants to comment on this, please do to). I know that the clinical faculty have upheld high INTEGRITY and moral standards during the past 12-months that I have worked at Northeast Regional Medical Center.
I believe EXAMPLES win over WORDS. My request for each of those who have read this far is to ask yourself one question before you vote tomorrow: If the ENDS really do justify the MEANS, is it better to lie or slander others to achieve a goal or is it better rush into a board meeting demanding excellence and INTEGRITY at a fallen Center for Academic Osteopathic Excellence ??
AS FOR ME - I SUPPORT OSTEOPATHIC †EXCELLENCE
Sincerely Your Colleague,
Michael D. Johnson, Pharm.D.
KCOM Class of 2002
NOTE: The above is purely my opinion based on a 17-year career in
Healthcare, Pharmacy and Academic Medicine.”
