Harvard rethinks media policy
Medical students had bristled at rule
Harvard Medical School is revising a new policy that restricted students’ contacts with the news media amid criticism that it stifled their freedom to discuss issues in medicine or at the medical school, Harvard officials said yesterday.
The policy, which required students to go through the medical school administration when talking to the media, was adopted in February, but students learned of it only last week in an e-mail noting changes in the student handbook for the 2009-10 academic year.
After some students complained, the medical school removed the policy from the online student handbook and said it did not intend to interfere with students’ speech.
“We did not back off the guideline, but took it down temporarily because it was being misconstrued as an infringement on freedom of speech - and that was never the intention,’’ Dr. Nancy Oriol, the medical school’s dean of students, said in an e-mail interview. “The next step will be to work with the students to . . . ensure there is clarity of our intent.’’
The controversy was first reported by The New York Times yesterday in a story that linked the timing of the new guidelines to a Times reporter’s interviews with students who were protesting the influence of drug companies on the school’s curriculum. Oriol said there was no connection between the policy and interviews about the protests.
But medical students yesterday called the policy an attempt to muffle dissent.
“It is hard to imagine that this new policy is not somehow related to the past advocacy efforts of students,’’ David Tian and Kirsten Austad said in a statement e-mailed to the Globe. “In general, the culture of medicine often labels dissent as ‘unprofessional,’ and this is clearly communicated to us during our medical education. Doctors must be free to openly criticize the status quo and advocate for the rights of their patients.’’
The policy states: “All interactions between students and the media should be coordinated with the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Public Affairs. This applies to situations in which students are contacted by the media as well as instances in which students may be seeking publicity about a student-related project or program.’’
Oriol said the policy was intended to help students and protect patients.
“Students are unequivocally free to talk to anyone at any time,’’ she wrote. “Because students have come to me for help over the years when they found themselves in unintended and sometimes uncomfortable positions, the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Communications are here as a resource to help students consider the patient perspective and, of course, respect patient confidentiality.’’
Dr. John Prescott, chief academic officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges, said that while every medical school teaches students to keep patient information private, he was unfamiliar with any other medical schools “that set limits on the ability of students to talk with the media.’’
Benjamin Oldfield, a second-year Harvard medical student and member of the Student Council Advisory Board, said he is concerned about freedom of expression.
“Speaking out has been an essential way for students to advocate for a variety of issues that concern our institution specifically and health care in general,’’ he said in an e-mail interview yesterday. “Students have made themselves heard regarding funding for primary care programs at Harvard Medical School and support for low-wage workers in our school buildings. . . . These are important and urgent problems.’’ 