GW Medical School must address problems

The GW medical school’s response to its probationary status by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education is unsatisfying (“Accrediting body puts Medical School on probation,” Oct. 17, online).

If nothing else, the students at the school deserve an apology from the administration. Instead of downplaying the severity of the probation, the administration should admit that it has acted irresponsibly. Clearly, if the other 130 or so medical schools in the country can satisfy the explicit and basic standards set forth by the LCME, GW – with its unprecedented price tag – ought to be able to not only meet the standards, but exceed them.

Last year, as a first-year medical student at GW, I brought several issues to the attention of the faculty and administration, such as inadequate classroom space, disorganized curriculum and faulty administrative procedures that were ignored or dismissed by the University.

The University cannot ignore the LCME’s decision to place it on probation. I took a leave of absence from the medical school in June after observing the school’s failure to correct its problems. Where is the accountability? The administration should be ashamed.

Bradley Honigman, medical student

Students share Writing Center responsibilities

Thank you to Virginia Wei for raising the concerns about the Writing Center hours at the Mount Vernon Campus (“Editing the Writing Center,” Oct. 20, p. 4).

Let me state the situation as I see it. There are 24 to 26 Sundays an academic year with two assigned tutors each holding three sessions. While it might be true that only 14 of these many sessions were reserved, our understanding is that most students attend on a walk-in basis. If, as you say, there is the pent-up need for the Writing Center help, students must make – and keep – appointments, especially here at MVC.

We at the Mount Vernon Campus will work with the Writing Center to establish easier appointment procedures and maybe an improved or varied schedule. We are working with the International Services Office to ensure that the services we provide are responsive to the needs of the international student body, but students also share a responsibility for advanced planning to avoid “overwhelming panic.”

My door is always open. Please consider coming by to continue the Writing Center discussion or other concerns directly with me.

Shelly Heller, Associate dean for academic affairs, MVC