Office of Professional Oversight

Listen. Assist. Empower. Partner.

The Office of Professional Oversight, was established in 2018, as a joint venture between the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and SSM Saint Louis University Hospital as it pertains to the Learning Environment. At the core of its mission, the Office of Professional Oversight is responsible for providing all stakeholders (students, trainees, faculty and physicians) a fair and neutral environment to seek assistance and support, file a grievance, or report acts of unprofessional behavior or concerns. In addition, the Director of the Office of Professional Oversight also serves as the Ombudsperson for Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

The Office of Professional Oversight can assist all members of the School of Medicine community with issues related to conflict resolution, interpersonal communication, academic, professional, or administrative concerns. The goal is to provide each of these services in an environment that is built upon trust, confidentiality and neutrality.

Our Key Tenets

Trust

We understand that in order for someone to feel comfortable sharing information, trust must first be established. Staff within the Office of Professional Oversight will listen with intent and empathy in an attempt to build trust with all visitors seeking out services. The objective is to create a level of rapport so that individuals feel comfortable sharing concerns, gaining feedback and applying solutions to the personal issues that they are experiencing.

Neutral

The Office of Professional Oversight serves the Saint Louis University School of Medicine community as an unbiased designee that assists in an impartial capacity. Visitors can feel that they have a neutral place to which they can go to share grievances and concerns without the fear of retaliation and/or bias. The staff attempt to promote a just and fair process, while not advocating for an individual on the basis of status, position, or affiliation.

Confidential

Confidentiality is one of the core principles within the Office of Professional Oversight. In most cases, the identity of visitors and the content of their conversations remain private. With permission, staff in the Office of Professional Oversight will share information regarding the visit to assist in resolution or acquisition of available resources. If any information must be released, visitors to the office will be notified. Below are a couple of situations where information must be released:

• Situations posing imminent risk to reporting party and other identified individuals
• Unprofessional behavior reported against a resident and/or fellow must be communicated as part of their evaluative process

Each visitor to the Office of Professional Oversight has the right to experience a respectful and welcoming environment that will help address their concerns, identify strategies and goals towards problem resolution, offer assistance with coaching, skill development and mediation, along with providing resources and referrals as necessary.