The Office for Respectful Environments (ORE) is committed to a safe, supportive and stimulating learning environment that promotes learner vitality and recognizes excellence in teaching. Mistreatment of learners, colleagues or patients, whether intentional or unintentional, is not acceptable. Learn more about the ORE mandate.
A learner may use an online form to report to the ORE concerns regarding mistreatment in the Faculty’s learning environments, as recipient or bystander. Third party witnesses of mistreatment may also submit a report. Reports may be submitted by undergraduate medical students, postgraduate residents/fellows, and other clinical trainees. In all instances, the ORE will respond by email within 72 hours to reports that provide contact information and will offer a consultation with an ORE Advisor. ORE Advisors are faculty members who have no role in the UGME office and are assigned reports outside their own Departments and Units.
You submit a report to the Office for Respectful Environments (ORE).
NOTE:
In the event of sexual misconduct,
the ORE will direct the incident to the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education.
The ORE responds within 72 hours and offers a consultation with an ORE Advisor.
The ORE Advisor consults with you in a meeting and guides, supports and/or refers you to other services, as needed.
Where appropriate, mediation and/or a formal inquiry may follow, provided you and the person who is the subject of your report agree.
Learn more about the UGME mistreatment reporting process and each step in this process.
Triage and Follow-up
When mistreatment is reported, the primary goals are to provide information, support and to stop the behaviour that is negatively affecting you or disrupting the learning environment. You will be asked to provide as much detail as you can about your concerns or experience. This will help to assess your options and determine the best way to respond to your situation.
Reporting a concern does not mean that you have to take any further action. You are not required to file a formal complaint or participate further in any steps the Faculty will take to address your concern, although a decision not to have any further involvement may limit the responses available to deal with your concern.
Information you provide is only disclosed to those within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences who have a responsibility to address the concern or complaint, or as required to meet obligations imposed on the Faculty by University policy or legislation. In many cases, addressing reported concerns can be accomplished through informal discussions with the individual who is reported to be engaging in the unprofessional or disrespectful behaviour.
Individuals engaging in mistreatment may be required to participate in educational and remedial activities. In some cases, discipline may be appropriate. Where permitted, learners will be advised of the steps taken to address their concerns. However, due to restrictions imposed by privacy legislation, learners may not be advised of all outcomes related to their reported concerns.
Concerns about Reprisal and Retaliation
Reporting concerns when they arise facilitates timely identification of systemic and individual issues and allows the Faculty to intervene to maintain a supportive and respectful working and learning environment. The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences recognizes that learners are vulnerable members of the Faculty community who may fear negative consequences for bringing forward a concern. In particular, learners may fear retaliation due to power differences in their relationships with others.
The fear of retaliation can result in legitimate concerns going unaddressed and can mean that learners will continue to be subjected to unacceptable conduct that is damaging and disruptive, and interferes with their learning. The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences will not tolerate any retaliation, directly or indirectly, against anyone who reports mistreatment, provides information about an allegation of mistreatment, or otherwise participates in the processes to address mistreatment.
Learners who are apprehensive about retaliation, or other potential negative consequences arising from bringing a concern or complaint forward, should discuss their fears when they report their concerns so that appropriate steps can be taken to support the learner. Retaliation should be reported immediately to the Office for Respectful Environments.
Ways to Report
Choose one of these 2 reporting methods:
- Online to the Office for Respectful Environments
- Contact the Office for Respectful Environments by email
In either case, you will receive a response within 72 hours of reporting.
You may report on behalf of yourself, someone else or as part of a group concerned about mistreatment or unprofessional conduct in their learning environment.
A person who submits a report, will not be subject to any negative consequences if the report is made in good faith, even if you were mistaken about the conduct. It is unprofessional to make a false report or to report a concern with ill intent.
Reporting an Emergency
If you are concerned about safety or need assistance, contact security or call 911.
About Anonymous Reporting
If you wish to remain anonymous when submitting a report, please note the actions that can be taken will be limited, and you will not be able to receive feedback on the handling of the file. The more information you provide, the better we can work with you and your program to find a resolution to the issue.
Your report may be kept confidential whether or not you choose to report anonymously, unless the law or University policy requires that confidentiality be waived (for example, if there is a danger to an individual's health and safety).
In the event you choose to submit an anonymous report, the ORE will monitor for recurring incidents and take action, where the data you entered are sufficient to do so, without requiring your additional involvement.
ORE Annual Reporting
The Office for Respectful Environments maintains a database of all reports of learner mistreatment and learning environment concerns within all programs. Find out more on the ORE Annual Reports page.
