Should D-School Cheaters be Kicked Out?

[trypmo]

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If someone is caught cheating in dental school, should they be tossed out?

 

[HBomb]

Toss 'em

 

[grtuck]

I am very much against cheating, but it seems harsh to kick someone out of school with all that debt. Maybe have them go to a panel to look over the situation and make a case by case decision.

grtuck

 

[texas_dds]

our school just axed a guy for this: but he had a chronic problem w/cheating and became such a stigma to our class that we are all glad he is gone and all that junk is behind us
he was kicked out in the first week of 4th year - ouch (debt)
but you cant be called doctor if you have no clue whats going on!!!

 

[DrTacoElf]

I think a person should get one second chance, but no more. People make mistakes and life is about learning from these. Getting kicked out instantly is pretty harsh and it also sets a tone for the class. For instance if i was in a school with zero tolerance for cheating and i saw a group of 3 students cheating i might be somewhat reluctant to turn them in b/c it would turn into 3 against 1. Not a good sitiuation to be in if expulsion rests on the verdict. 😱

However a second instance carries no excuse with it -- boot em'~

 

[DDS2BE]

How can one actually cheat in dental school? And even if you do cheat, there is no way you can play the same game on the boards.

 

[coodoo]

our school just axed a guy for this: but he had a chronic problem w/cheating and became such a stigma to our class that we are all glad he is gone and all that junk is behind us
he was kicked out in the first week of 4th year - ouch (debt)
but you cant be called doctor if you have no clue whats going on!!!

How the heck did he get to 4th year!

 

[hockeydentist]

If you cheat, you're gonna get caught, simple as that. If you don't get caught at first, something in the end will get yah!

So earn that F and be proud that you didn't have to cheat to earn that F. 😀

 

[Biogirl361]

i am in favor of instant expulsion if it can be completely proven that they were cheating. if someone cheated in dental school then chances are they cheated in undergrad too. i know people make mistakes and all that, but by the time you're in dental school you should have already learned your lesson, if you are going to. besides, patients are too important to be jeopardized by a "doctor" that cheated his way through school.

 

[HBomb]

I think a person should get one second chance, but no more. People make mistakes and life is about learning from these. Getting kicked out instantly is pretty harsh and it also sets a tone for the class. For instance if i was in a school with zero tolerance for cheating and i saw a group of 3 students cheating i might be somewhat reluctant to turn them in b/c it would turn into 3 against 1. Not a good sitiuation to be in if expulsion rests on the verdict. 😱

However a second instance carries no excuse with it -- boot em'~

Yes, it would set the tone for the class...and IMO, the right tone, that cheating is not tolerated. I think group work is not cheating (and there's a lot of group work I think), but plagiarism, cheating during exams would be. Usually, cheating is outlined somewhere in the school policy and deserves adherence.

 

[NYCDentGrl]

I agree that cheaters should get the boot! 👍 Apparently, many people think that people who are not allowed to return to my school (NYU) for a 2nd year simply "failed out" (we sort of have a reputation for that 😛 )...the fact of the matter is that several of the people who are gone this year got kicked out for being caught cheating. And I truly believe that these people deserved what they got.

NYCDentGrl
NYUCD '07

 

[Dr.SpongeBobDDS]

I agree with the majority - boot 'em! A second chance may be in order, but would vary by situation. If they are cheating in school you know they are going to cheat their patients as well. Our profession needs to enforce ethical requirements with the same fervor as we do technical requirements.

 

[ItsGavinC]

How can one actually cheat in dental school? And even if you do cheat, there is no way you can play the same game on the boards.

The same way people cheat in any class. Plus, it becomes even somewhat easier in pre-clinical labwork--you can just steal somebody else's work and claim it as your own.

 

[texas_dds]

how did he make it to 4th year: (no offense to anyone, BUT) its cause of lawyers.

 

[coodoo]

how did he make it to 4th year: (no offense to anyone, BUT) its cause of lawyers. he had a damn good one after being caught in THREE 'questionable situations' during 2nd year. his own personal Jonnie Cochran dug up some administrative red tape that was not handled exactly properly relative to his case - so he was allowed to continue until the evidence just kept piling up and they brought the case up again w/new incidences. in the end, he got what he deserved - but a legal team like he had sure strung it out!

good lord. This was at SA you said? 😕

 

[badaboom]

less than 4 years away from being a doc, better know that cheating is not right, it's not like nobody knows cheating is bad, comeon, before dental school is like what, 16 years of schooling, better know it before school starts
i say the instant they're caught cheating, rip their paper and throw them out of the room, tell them to pack and not to return to campus. the classmates should be ashamed that there's cheater in their class, and try not to admit the fact, while attempting a coverup like assassinate the cheater and make it look like death by accident.

 

[texas_dds]

eeek ive said too much
my apologies for being a bad gossip tonite!

but i do have to say that the most bright, friendly and honorable people i have ever met are dental students at SA - its unfortuate that every big group will have just that one person that doesnt want to play by the rules

 

[Eddie830]

The same way people cheat in any class. Plus, it becomes even somewhat easier in pre-clinical labwork--you can just steal somebody else's work and claim it as your own.

If some dingus stole my labwork (something I put tons of hours into) and got caught, he wouldn't have a chance to be kicked out...I'd break his arms. 👍

👎 with cheaters

 

[jpollei]

Make sure you have the facts before you act. At times a second chance may be in order...balancing the mercy and justice issue. I think as grtuck said, a case-by-case basis is most appropriate. That's how state boards react to complaints lodged against practicing dentists. But the belief or even the thought that cheating or any other dishonesty is acceptable in any way should be quelched. And if that means giving the boot - even with $100K+ in debt - to illustrate the seriousness of the issue, well, maybe a hard price to pay, but maybe it needs paying.