Drug and Alcohol Policies

It is the policy of PCOM to maintain an environment that is free of substance abuse by students, faculty and employees.

The policy includes the following:

Prohibition against unlawful presence of controlled substances on campus.
Prohibition against the unauthorized presence of alcoholic beverages on campus.
Prohibition against being under the influence of any controlled substance at off-campus classes, seminars or off-campus clerkships or internships.

When a student is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, that student will be reported to Student Affairs and appropriate actions will be taken. This may include referral to counseling support programs, suspension or termination of enrollment at PCOM.

Support Available

Graduate and professional education can be a time of great stress. A student may be unable to successfully adapt to these stresses and engage in potentially harmful coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drug abuse. The College policy on drug and alcohol abuse represents the intent of the College to enable students to resolve substance abuse problems by requesting and receiving compassionate, confidential professional assistance.

In an effort to help our students and to protect patients and others from the harm that an impaired student may cause, PCOM's goals include:

Providing effective and compassionate assistance to the impaired student before irreversible harm is done to his/her health, educational process, eligibility for licensure, or ability to function competently upon graduation.
Providing a means by which the impaired student may request and receive confidential professional assistance without stigma or penalty, and thereby encourage self-reporting
and personal responsibility.
Enabling the impaired student to confront his/her problem and, where feasible, receive effective therapy with minimal disruption of the student's education.
Establishing a process that focuses on counseling and therapy as a front-line approach before disciplinary action is necessary.

Seeking Help

Students at the Philadelphia campus concerned about their own potential substance abuse should contact the Office of Student Affairs.

Students on the Georgia campuses concerned about their own potential substance abuse should contact the campus Student Affairs Office or the Talbot Recovery Center at 800-445-4232 or 770-994-0185.

Reports by Concerned Individuals

If a student suspects impairment of another student, Philadelphia campus students should seek guidance from Student Affairs. Students on the Georgia campuses should seek guidance from the campus Student Affairs office.

General Detection of the Impaired Student

At the discretion of the Provost, a student may be required to submit to psychological assessment and/or a urine and/or blood screening to detect alcohol abuse or the presence of illegal drugs based on reasonable suspicion of impairment. Medical professionals will perform such assessments and toxicology tests, with reports sent in confidence to the Provost at no cost to the student.

If such screening measures detect impairment, the Provost may remand the matter to the Student Professional Conduct Committee. Students who have declined an assessment and/or recovery plan will automatically be remanded to the Student Professional Conduct Committee for dismissal proceedings.

In accordance with the College disciplinary policy, any student found guilty of the use, sale or distribution of illegal drugs, either on-campus or off-campus will be subject to permanent termination of enrollment.

Legal Sanctions

PCOM is in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local drug and alcohol laws, and vehicle codes. Any student convicted of a drug-related offense will be suspended which includes immediate termination of all forms of financial aid.

All students should be aware of the legal sanctions under state, local, and federal law for the unlawful possession or distribution of prescription or illicit drugs and alcohol, as well as the health risks associated with abuse of controlled substances or alcohol.