Principle

Overview

The decisions of the Admissions Committee and Interview Committee regarding applicants to the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program in the Faculty of Medicine (FoM) at Memorial University of Newfoundland (Memorial) must be free from intimidation and not influenced by any political or financial factors. Committee members must report any real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest immediately to the Assistant Dean, Admissions, or the Admissions Officer.

The Admissions Office in the FoM is guided by the Memorial Conflict of Interest Policy which states the following: “It is the ethical responsibility for everyone who acts on behalf of the University to ensure that decisions and actions that affect the University are taken in the best interests of the University and are not influenced by personal interests.”

Purpose

To set out the Admissions office position on real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest regarding members of the Admissions Committee and Interview Committee and to provide processes and mechanisms to address such conflicts.

Scope

Members of the Admissions Committee and the Interview Committee in the FoM at Memorial.

Policy

1.0 The Admissions office in the FoM takes the view that a conflict of interest exists, without limitation, in situations where an Admissions Committee member or Interview Committee member is:

1.1  Related by blood or adoption to the applicant or legal guardian of the applicant;

1.2  Is or has been related by marriage or common-law marriage to the applicant;

1.3  In or has been in a significant teaching or social relationship with the applicant;

1.4  In a significant social relationship with a colleague who is related to the applicant; or

1.5  In conflict with the applicant and the conflict of interest has been previously identified.

2.0 Conditions to Manage Conflicts of Interest

2.1  For committee members who fit category 1.1 or 1.2, the following procedures apply:

2.1.1  Admissions Committee members must withdraw from the Admissions Committee for that admissions cycle.

2.1.2  Interview Committee members must withdraw from the Interview Committee for that admissions cycle, including participating in interviews.

2.2 For committee members who fit category 1.3, 1.4, or 1.5, the following procedure applies:

2.2.1 Committee members must refrain from ranking the applicant, and leave the meeting during discussion of the file.

Procedures:

There are no procedures associated with this policy.