Learning Environment and Professionalism (LEAP) Committee
The Learning Environment and Professionalism Committee is composed of faculty, residents, students and staff from the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine and from the University of Vermont Medical Center. The LEAP Committee is charged with reviewing and recommending initiatives and policies to support professional behavior across the academic medical center and its affiliate training site.
When a student expresses a concern of mistreatment, it is brought to the LEAP Committee in a blinded fashion so that the student (and educator if named) remain(s) anonymous.
The LEAP Committee’s response depends on the severity of the allegation and on whether the source of the mistreatment is identified.
If the source is named, action is taken according to the Mistreatment Response Pyramid. If the source is not named, the Chair of the LEAP Committee informs the relevant department Clerkship Director or Residency Program Director who in turn informs department faculty about the reported mistreatment so that learning climate improvements can be initiated. In order to guard against the potential for retaliatory behavior, all concerns (except those requiring immediate intervention due to safety concerns) are addressed only once final grades have been submitted.
Levels 2, 3 and 4 of the pyramid apply when an educator has been named more than one time.
For complete LEAP Committee Charter and process, please review the LEAP Charter.