IUSM Core Values and Guiding Principles

IUSM Core Values
Excellence that is reflected in the innovative conduct and advancement of education, research, and patient care.
Respect for individuals who are affiliated with, or come in contact with, Indiana University School of Medicine: students, residents, fellows, faculty, staff, employees, partners, communities, patients and families.
Integrity that embraces the very highest standards of ethical behavior and exemplary moral character.
Diversity that is reflected in actions that appreciate all individuals.
Cooperation that is manifested by collegial communication and collaboration.

IUSM Guiding Principles
IUSM is committed to maintaining an academic and clinical environment in which faculty, fellows, residents, students and employees can work together to further education and research and provide the highest level of patient care, whether in the classroom, the laboratory or the clinics. The School's goal is to train men and women to meet the highest standards of professionalism and work in an environment where effective, ethical and compassionate patient care is both expected and provided. To this end, the School recognizes that each member of the medical school community must be accepted as an individual and treated with respect and civility.

Diversity in background, outlook and interest is inherent in the practice of medicine, and appreciation and understanding of such diversity is an important aspect of health care and scientific training. As part of that training, the School strives to inculcate values of professional and collegial attitudes and behaviors in interactions among members of the School community and among School members and patients, their families and community members at-large, that accommodate difference, whether in age, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, social, cultural, religious or ethnic values.

Certain behaviors are inherently destructive to any educational or professional relationship. Behaviors such as violence, sexual harassment or inappropriate discrimination based on personal characteristics must never be tolerated. Other behavior can also be inappropriate if the effect interferes with professional development. Behavior patterns such as making demeaning or derogatory remarks, belittling comments and destructive criticism fall into this category. On the behavioral level, abuse may be operationally defined as behavior by medical school faculty, residents, students or employees that is consensually disapproved by society and by the academic community as inappropriate, exploitative or punishing. Examples of such behaviors are physical punishment or physical threats, sexual harassment, discrimination of any type, episodes of psychological punishment (e.g., public humiliation, threats and intimidation, removal of privileges), grading used to punish rather than to evaluate objective performance, assigning tasks for punishment rather than to evaluate objective performance, requiring the performance of personal services, and intentional neglect or intentional lack of communication. Such behaviors are not tolerated at IUSM.