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Code of Conduct

The shared standard that protects the rooms we build.

Last updated: May 23, 2026

Friends of Medicine is a curated community of healthcare professionals, founders, operators, and aligned individuals. The atmosphere in our rooms - whether in-person or in The Portal - is built by everyone in them. This Code of Conduct describes the standard we hold ourselves and each other to, and the conduct we expect from anyone who participates in Friends of Medicine in any capacity.

This Code applies to all events, all communications channels, all member-facing platforms, and all interactions that happen because of a connection made through Friends of Medicine.

1. Our promise

The rooms we build are intentional. They exist to give healthcare professionals and the people who serve them a space to be themselves, to be heard, and to be in proximity with people who understand the weight of what they carry. We promise that everyone who enters is welcomed with the same standard: presence, restraint, respect, and care for the room.

This Code is not a legal document. The legal terms governing your participation are in our Terms of Service. This Code is something else - a statement of the culture we choose to protect.

2. Expected conduct

Everyone in the room - Members, Inner Circle, sponsors, partners, guests, hosts, and staff - is expected to:

  • Show up present. Eye contact, attention, conversation that matters.
  • Listen more than you speak, especially with people you have just met.
  • Be generous with introductions, time, and credit.
  • Respect the time and energy of others - arrive on time, leave when it is time, follow up when you say you will.
  • Be honest about who you are, what you do, and what you are looking for.
  • Treat hosts, venue staff, and event partners with the same respect you would treat any peer.

3. Confidentiality

What is said in Friends of Medicine spaces stays in those spaces. Conversations within The Network are private and candid by design. Do not republish, record, quote, or attribute anything shared by another participant - in person, in The Portal, in group communications, or in private exchanges - without their explicit permission.

This is the foundation of the trust that makes the rest of this Code possible.

4. Unacceptable conduct

The following will not be tolerated in any Friends of Medicine space:

  • Harassment, intimidation, or abuse of any kind
  • Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic
  • Unwanted sexual attention, contact, or advances
  • Threats of violence or harm
  • Doxxing, sharing of personal information, or attempts to identify another participant against their wishes
  • Deliberate disruption of events or conversations
  • Misrepresentation of credentials, role, intent, or affiliation
  • Retaliation against anyone who reports a violation of this Code

5. Inclusion and respect

Friends of Medicine exists because medicine and the businesses around it are built by people from every background, every discipline, and every path. Some have arrived through traditional routes. Some have not. All belong in these rooms.

Differences in opinion, training, specialty, geography, or career stage are welcome and expected. Disagreement is fine. Disrespect is not.

6. Solicitation and self-promotion

Friends of Medicine is not a sales floor. Our events and platforms exist for connection and conversation, not for cold pitching, MLM recruitment, mass distribution of business cards, or unsolicited investment opportunities.

If a connection naturally leads to business, that is welcome - but the initiative should come from the other person, not from you. Pursuing every introduction as a lead violates the spirit of the room and is grounds for removal.

Sponsors and partners have their own context-appropriate ways to engage. If you are not a sponsor, please respect the boundary.

7. Photography and recording

Friends of Medicine events are routinely photographed and filmed for marketing and editorial purposes (see our Privacy Policy). When you attend, please:

  • Respect the personal photography wishes of other attendees - if someone has indicated they do not want to be photographed, do not photograph them
  • Do not record private conversations without consent
  • Do not photograph or record other attendees for the purpose of public commentary, identification, or sharing without their permission
  • Do not post identifying photos of other attendees on social media without their consent

8. Alcohol and substances

Some Friends of Medicine events involve alcohol. If you choose to drink, please do so responsibly. Intoxication that disrupts the event, endangers you or others, or leads to behavior that violates this Code will result in your removal from the event and may affect your participation in future events.

Illegal substances are not permitted at any Friends of Medicine event.

9. Reporting concerns

If you experience or witness a violation of this Code, please report it. We take every report seriously, and we will handle it with discretion and care for everyone involved.

You can report concerns in any of the following ways:

  • Speak directly to a Friends of Medicine host or staff member at the event
  • Contact Dr. André Coombs or another member of the leadership team
  • Email conduct@friendsofmed.com at any time

You may report anonymously if you prefer, though it may limit what we can do to follow up. We will not retaliate against anyone who reports a concern in good faith.

10. Consequences

Violations of this Code may result in any of the following, depending on the severity of the conduct and the circumstances:

  • A private conversation and an opportunity to course-correct
  • A warning, with notice that further violations will result in further action
  • Removal from a specific event
  • Suspension of participation in Friends of Medicine for a defined period
  • Permanent revocation of membership, Inner Circle participation, and access to Friends of Medicine events and platforms
  • Reporting to appropriate authorities in cases involving illegal conduct

Friends of Medicine reserves the right to take whatever action we deem appropriate, in our sole discretion, to protect the integrity of the community and the safety of its participants.