Letter to Students

August 9, 2019

Dear USC Students,

Many in our community have expressed concerns about the article published yesterday in BuzzFeed News regarding a former physician. We recognize that reading upsetting descriptions has an effect on our campus community, and we will do all we can to answer questions to the degree possible, and provide support as this matter moves through a legal process.

The university is committed to providing all patients, students, faculty, and staff with a culture of respect and trust. We care deeply about our entire Trojan family, and the concerns of the LGBTQ+ community are especially of importance to us in this matter.

With pending litigation, the university must balance communicating to our community while preserving the integrity of the legal process. These lawsuits are in the early stages, and court hearings have not yet taken place.

We share concern for any member of our community who feels they have been treated with anything less than compassion and respect. We encourage students to reach out to support and resource offices on campus, https://studentaffairs.usc.edu/campus-resources/. For former student health center patients who need support, we are also providing the option of free counseling with a provider of their choosing, which can be accessed through a third party and without further contact with the university at (888) 961-9273 or helpline@praesidiuminc.com. These resources are also open for current USC students who wish to utilize them.

Feedback related to patient care at USC Student Health, which falls under the oversight of Keck Medicine of USC, may be submitted online, via email, or by telephone to (213) 740-9355 (WELL). Patient feedback is reviewed by health service leadership and dedicated staff at Keck Medicine. Concerns also may be brought to the Office of Professionalism and Ethics. OPE serves as a centralized clearinghouse for filing and tracking complaints and assigns them to the appropriate investigative office, such as the Office of Equity and Diversity. Complaints may be directed to OPE online at report.usc.edu, by emailing ope@usc.edu or by calling (213) 740-5755.

We are continuing to build and improve services for all students. We are committed to bringing high-quality professionalism, compassion, and positive outcomes for our student community with every step forward.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Graddy
Interim Provost

Sarah Van Orman, M.D.
Chief Health Officer