Dismissal Advice

[Niko123]

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I am an M1 in a US medical school. I failed one block during the M1 year due to medical issues that I have worked on straightening out and I opted to remediate the class during a summer block. There were three exams during the remediation I passed the first and the second. About 30 minutes prior to start of exam 3 I ate and roughly 10 minutes later began to have an allergic reaction. I have anaphylaxis reactions to peanuts but this reaction wasn't quite an anaphylactic reaction and there was so little time until I was supposed to start the exam. I emailed both the proctor for the exam and the block director about 10 minutes before the exam. I didn't hear from either and so I tried to take the exam. During the exam my symptoms worsened and it severely impacted my ability to take the exam,. The hives worsened and because the exam is proctored through Examplify I didn't want to reach out the proctor during the exam, I was afraid I would be flagged for cheating. I kept trying to answer the questions but ultimately it timed out before I could finish.

I failed that exam and my cumulative score for the remediation will be just shy of a passing grade if I have done my math correctly. I reached out the proctor and they said that I would not be able to get a retake because I opened the exam and it had a grade. I looked at the policies and it does say that failing a remediation causes an automatic dismissal and that there are no retakes for a remediation. I ended up being less than 3% or about 5 questions away from passing. I was seen for the allergies after the exam and prescribed medication. I have note from the doctor stating that I was having an allergic reaction and that the medication (Benadryl) took to help with the reaction impaired my ability to complete the exam.I heard back from the block director who confirmed that I will not have a retake. I have drafted an appeal and looked into talking to a lawyer in order to have the best chance at appealing the dismissal.

I doubt that any of my documentation will matter and I am operating under the assumption that I will be dismissed. I'm just wondering if anyone has successfully appealed a dismissal due to an unforeseen interruption like a medical event.
If so how did it turn out?

Is there any chance my dismissal will be overturned on the basis of extenuating circumstances?

 

[Goro]

You need to appeal to your Dean and then up the chain of command to University CEO, Provost, Chancellor, President, etc.

I'm at my school dismissals had been reversed by the dean. Our Dean is very Pro student.

Hindsight is 20/20, but not wanting to call your of course director and Proctor before the exam was near self-sabotage. You were getting sick! Why did you try and bulldoze ahead when you were having a severe reaction!!?

Unfortunately, failing the exam by 3% or 30% is the same thing. You failed to show minimal competency that was required.

At this point also if you have any trusted faculty advisors with whom you have a good relationship ask if they could speak on your behalf in your appeal.

 

[Niko123]

You need to appeal to your Dean and then up the chain of command to University CEO, Provost, Chancellor, President, etc.

I'm at my school dismissals had been reversed by the dean. Our Dean is very Pro student.

Hindsight is 20/20, but not wanting to call your of course director and Proctor before the exam was near self-sabotage. You were getting sick! Why did you try and bulldoze ahead when you were having a severe reaction!!?

Unfortunately, failing the exam by 3% or 30% is the same thing. You failed to show minimal competency that was required.

At this point also if you have any trusted faculty advisors with whom you have a good relationship ask if they could speak on your behalf in your appeal.

Thanks, yeah I plan to appeal, but I'm not extremely hopeful that it will work out in my favor. I made a really bad judgement call in the heat of the moment. I emailed both the proctor and the block director prior to the exam. It didn't even cross my mind to call when they didn't email back, and honestly I was panicking. I absolutely know that I made a mistake starting the exam and trying to finish while my reaction continued to get worse.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Is there any chance my dismissal will be overturned on the basis of extenuating circumstances?

I don't know. What is your student handbook's policy on remediating an exam?

 

[DogRescuer]

Not to make you feel bad but as a life rule, i treat all critical exams like i trained for and am running a marathon. No new foods, no new clothes, no new exercise regimes, no new medication, limit people contact so not to catch a cold. Only tried and true everything, too much at stake to introduce risk! Good luck, hope you win your appeal!!

 

[GoSpursGo]

I think you made a mistake, but it was an understandable one you made in the heat of the moment. With <10 minutes to decide on. A course of action I think you tried to make a reasonable decision and it isn’t clear to me that if you didn’t attempt the exam you would be in a better position.

As others have said, you need to reach out to your dean and explain the situation. They are the only person who can help you. Be highly professional (and patient) in your communication. It may or may not work out for you, but all you can do is put yourself in the best position to get a sympathetic outcome.