Fitness to Study Policy

RCSI Bahrain Fitness to Study Policy AY2022-23 Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Coláiste Ríoga na Máinleá in Éirinn

Fitness to Study Policy 2 | P a g e Policy / Regulation History Document Title Fitness to Study Policy Review Status Author(s) Reviewed By Approved By Issue Date Origin 1 Final RCSI Dublin Academic Council Academic Council June 2018 RCSI Dublin 2 Final Dr Wendy Maddison Dr Jean Hughes EXCO September 2019 RCSI Dublin (Localised for Bahrain) 3 Reviewed with no changes Dr Wendy Maddison Dr Wendy Maddison EXCO May 2020 RCSI Dublin (Localised for Bahrain) 4 Reviewed with no changes Dr Wendy Maddison Dr Wendy Maddison EXCO September 2021 RCSI Bahrain 5 Reviewed with no changes Dr Wendy Maddison Dr Wendy Maddison EXCO September 2022 RCSI Bahrain

Fitness to Study Policy 4 | P a g e 1. Introduction RCSI is committed to supporting its students and assisting them to participate fully and safely in their chosen professional healthcare training programme. The University accepts its duty of care towards all students to facilitate them in achieving their academic, clinical and professional goals. This includes providing the necessary supports, resources and opportunity to demonstrate competence and to enable students to effectively manage their personal well-being and maintain the required professional standards linked to their status as healthcare professionals in training. RCSI acknowledges its equal duty of care to the public and, in particular, the patients and clients RCSI students will come in contact with as part of their training. For the vast majority of students, progression to graduation is relatively uneventful. Sometimes this may not be the case, and some students will require additional support and assistance. In certain circumstances, students may experience significant difficulties and/or distress in the course of their studies requiring a formalised co-ordinated response to their needs. Occasionally, despite additional support, the progression of a student is so adversely affected as to make continuation impossible. This may be because it is detrimental to the individual; presents a risk to their own or others ’ safety, or because it is likely to interfere unreasonably with the learning, working or living experiences of others. These Fitness to Study regulations are expressly intended to be supportive of students who cannot meet the core academic, clinical and/or professional practice requirements of their programme, including clinical placements, due to personal circumstances, having been provided with reasonable opportunity to do so. 2 . Fitness to Study A student is deemed ‘ fit to study ’ if they are progressively developing the necessary skills, knowledge, behaviour and character and maintaining the necessary personal health and well-being to allow them to complete their chosen programme safely and effectively. Fitness to study is more than the ability of a student to pass examinations and progress academically, clinically and professionally in terms of their chosen programme of training. It includes also a student ’ s fitness to participate and to function effectively in University life. This means being able to function independently, competently and safely within the academic, residential, community, clinical and professional contexts of their programme of training, including placements, and not causing undue disruption to the learning, working or living experience of others.

Fitness to Study Policy 5 | P a g e This Fitness to Study policy sits under the umbrella of the RCSI Bahrain Code of Conduct and should be viewed in conjunction with all other student policies and procedures. Fitness to Study regulations ensure that, in addition to having achieved the required academic and clinical standard to undertake a programme that permits graduates to practice in a profession, students also: i. Have the capacity to develop and demonstrate the core competencies of their programme of study; ii. Conduct and behave themselves so as not to harm their patients/clients or put their patients/clients at risk; iii. Conduct and behave themselves in a manner likely not to harm the reputation of their profession; iv. Be free from any health problems that would prevent them from being able to pursue their studies safely and practice their profession competently. 3. Core Competencies Core competencies are developed progressively and are specific to each individual RCSI educational programme. Core competencies include academic, clinical and professional competencies and behaviours associated with the specific programme of professional healthcare training being pursued. At all times, students are expected to demonstrate the competencies and behaviours appropriate to their stage of study and meet associated programme requirements. A failure to demonstrate these core competencies and meet requirements safely and effectively or where there are reasonable grounds to assume a student may be unable to do so, may give rise to a fitness to study concern. 4. Purpose These regulations are in place to: 4.1. identify and support students whose progression, behaviour, well-being or welfare are of concern to themselves or others to such an extent as to give rise to concerns as to their fitness to continue in study or on clinical placement; AND 4.2. to ensure appropriate supports and procedures are put in place to enable and assist students to remain on the programme or, where advisable, to take a voluntary leave of absence; OR

Fitness to Study Policy 7 | P a g e • Whilst having the personal right to do so, a student has against medical advice unilaterally withdrawn from, or fails or refuses to engage with, prescribed or recommended treatment, including medication, counselling and/or psychiatric treatment, and where withdrawal or non-engagement gives rise to a concern for their safety or well-being, or that of others • A student failing to adhere to or engage with other assessments or services intended to assure the success, well-being and/or the safety of the student and others • Where the student fails to engage with or respond to University services and staff and their communications, or to meet the requirements of a previously agreed personal progression plan, including conditions specified in any return to University agreement. 7. Fitness to Study Concern Responses The RCSI Fitness to Study regulation operates on three response levels: RESPONSE LEVELS FORUM Level 1 Student Development & Wellbeing Department in the first instance, through an assessment/remediation support/remediation pla Remediation/support plan support plan. Level 2 FTS (Fitness to Study) Committee through a Fitness to Study Review Study Review. Level 3 VP Academic Affairs or nominee, Head of School & FTS Committee. In certain cases where it is determined that a significant and immediate risk may potentially exist to the well-being of a student or to the well-being of others, including patients or clients, the University reserves the right to escalate immediately to a Level 3 response. This may also involve acute intervention actions. 8. Exclusions This Policy generally shall not be invoked: 8.1. For circumstances where it is considered that a breach of the Student Code of Conduct and/or associated academic or disciplinary regulations has occurred

Fitness to Study Policy 8 | P a g e 8.2. Isolated cases of non-attendance and/or academic or clinical or professional incompetence or insufficiency or failure to progress 8.3. Student circumstances deemed normally to fall within the scope of the RCSI Reasonable Accommodation Policy and associated procedures. Notwithstanding 8.3, however, where such students are in receipt of Reasonable Accommodation and fail to demonstrate the core required academic, clinical and professional competencies of their programme or elect not to engage with supports provided by the University, they may be referred for a fitness to study review under this policy. 9. Key Associated Policies and Regulations 9.1. Leave of Absence The actions taken under these regulations shall be consistent with the requirements and procedures of the RCSI Bahrain Student Leave of Absence Policy. 9.2. Academic Appeals Where a Fitness to Study issue arises in the context of an academic appeal, the Academic Appeals Committee shall have the discretion to notify that issue through these regulations. 10. Review of this Policy This RCSI Fitness to Study Policy shall be reviewed at least once every two years and any recommendations of this review to be considered for approval by the Academic Council. 11. RELATED DOCUMENTS Student Code of Conduct Leave of Absence policy Appeals policy