The Ombuds Office

ABOUT

The Ombuds Office

The Ombuds Office for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is a confidential, informal, neutral, and independent resource where students, faculty, residents, and fellows can freely discuss any issue of concern. We are dedicated to promoting fair and equitable conflict resolutions for individuals—as well as groups—who have identified challenges in their workplace or studies. Matters up for discussion can be personal or professional, and may include:

Conflicts with coworkers, mentors, supervisors, or other interpersonal issues
Academic or career concerns
Issues involving authorship or intellectual property
Harassment, discrimination, mistreatment, or any other unfair treatment
Uncertainty about or unfair application of a policy

How Can We Help You?

We represent a neutral party that is here to listen. We explore various options for conflict resolution, and support you in resolving conflict before problems escalate.

Our Approach

Our aim is to resolve conflict to the mutual satisfaction of all parties involved by adhering to the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of the International Ombudsman Association.

We encourage any Icahn Mount Sinai student, faculty member, resident, or fellow to reach out to us. While we cannot impose solutions or conduct formal investigations (nor participate in any formal hearing or grievance process), we have an effective approach that has helped many people resolve challenges and conflicts. We offer advice, facilitate meetings, and can provide information for referral or additional institutional resources—including appropriate channels for grievance or appeal. Please note that use of our office is completely voluntary, and communication with the Ombuds Office does not constitute notice to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai or the Mount Sinai Health System.

The Ombuds maintain confidentiality concerning matters that are brought to their attention, unless given permission to contact others on your behalf. The only exception is when there appears to be an imminent risk of serious harm. To uphold privacy and confidentiality, we do not keep minutes of meetings or discussions. We report broad and anonymous statistical information to to Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai of the Icahn School of Medicine, annually. We do not report names or identify specific cases.

Finally, to avoid any potential conflicts, an Ombuds will not serve in that role in the department to which they belong. If there is a potential conflict of interest, we will identify an Ombuds who can help you.

Educational Sessions

Beyond assisting individuals, we are here to provide group educational sessions on conflict resolution. Our skilled staff will help your team navigate the appropriate next steps when personal or professional challenges arise. To schedule an educational session with Ombuds, please contact Vilma Prieto, our Program Coordinator.