Each third year student is assigned an individual confidential access code permitting access to clinical data, as well as library resources and administrative information, from work stations throughout the hospital and medical school.

Third year students have complete, although audited, access to all clinical data. Students’ ability to access this confidential information is a privilege granted to them in order to provide good patient care in the least intrusive, most effective manner. Utilization of this privilege to access this information for any other reason is a breach of ethical conduct and is illegal.

This is true of all patient information whether or not the patient has a special relationship to the institution, as often indicated on computer screens, and regardless of the source of the patient information, e.g., charts, x-rays, lab data, computer prints, etc.

There is a specific computer screen which appears when an individual attempts to access information of an individual who has a special relationship to the institution. That screen must be overridden to continue in the quest of information. If an individual overrides that screen without the need to know, they have breached the privilege granted them.

When a student is provided with an access code for the patient information system, they sign a legal document that states they will use this information only to provide patient care and in the context of the need to know. Any attempt to access patient information without the need to know will be dealt with severely, including termination of matriculation at the College of Physicians and Surgeons.