Attendance Requirements
Attendance and punctuality are expected and considered a critical component of a student’s educational experience and commitment to professionalism. Students must participate actively in all small group sessions and must be on time for all sessions. Being late to lectures and sessions is disruptive to faculty, staff and other students.
Personal Days
Students may not take Personal Days during these courses. As such, there are no excused absences for non-emergent events (i.e. academic conferences, weddings, etc.). Students are expected to review the academic calendar to be aware of the dates of these courses.
Unexcused Absence
An unexcused absence during the course may result in automatic failure, requiring the student to repeat the course. Since this course is offered only once per year, this will result in a delay in graduation.
Medical Absences
It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Course Chairs and Coordinator for an absence of an urgent nature (i.e., illness). If a student is absent for illness, the student must submit to the Student Affairs Office a note from a healthcare provider, attesting to the student’s illness and ability to resume participation in the curriculum. At the discretion of the Course Chairs, missed days must be remediated to fulfill course requirements.
Personal Emergency
It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Course Chairs and Coordinator for an absence due to a personal emergency (i.e., significant illness of a family member, etc.), in addition to an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and/or the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The Course Chairs will determine how missed time will be made up in order to fulfill course requirements.
Professionalism Concerns
Students will receive feedback and may be disciplined for disruptive or unprofessional behavior during lectures or teaching sessions, as well as absence or significant tardiness. This may result in referral to the identified Academic Performance Committee (APC), and/or the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion (CASPP)
Note that the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) format was revised in 2017 to reflect recommendations from the AAMC, including feedback on the six ACGME competencies, one of which is professionalism. Demonstrations of exemplary or poor performance in professionalism in these courses may be reflected in the MSPE.
Attendance and punctuality are expected and considered a critical component of a student’s educational experience and commitment to professionalism. Students must actively participate in all mandatory labs and small group sessions and must be on time for all required sessions. Being late to lectures and sessions can be disruptive to faculty and other students.
NOTE: Faculty, staff or peers (through a faculty member) may initiate the professionalism feedback process which includes direct communication with the student about their attendance and punctuality. Students may be disciplined (including referral to the identified Academic Performance Committee and/or Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion) for unprofessional behavior, including repetitive absences or egregious tardiness.
As medical students and future physicians, you are expected to regularly attend class sessions. We do, however, recognize that on occasion, circumstances will arise that will create a conflict between your professional and personal responsibilities.
In order to allow for these circumstances, you may request up to four personal days per academic year, which are restricted to non-examination days. A maximum of two personal days may be taken per block. A maximum of two Doctoring sessions may be missed for personal days during an academic year. A maximum of two PBL sessions may be missed for personal days during an academic year. Notification Forms must be submitted to the Human Biology and Disease (HB&D) Curriculum Coordinator as early as possible, and absolutely no later than seven days in advance of the requested absence(s). Students are required to make up all missed academic and clinical work. The responsibility of coordinating all of the make-up work belongs to the student. When requesting a personal day, you are required to include your remediation plan for making up all coursework and clinical responsibilities.
Please submit your completed 'Personal Day Notification' (download PDF) form to HBD@mednet.ucla.edu.
Professional Development Days
Medical students are expected to prioritize formal curricular activities during the HB&D curriculum. During the first and second years of medical school, students may desire to supplement their learning with professional development activities outside of the classroom. DGSOM is committed to supporting students who wish to enrich their medical education studies with such professional endeavors. In order to account for these events, students may request up to two professional development days per academic year, which are restricted to non-examination days.
A maximum of two professional development days may be taken per block. A maximum of one Doctoring session and one PBL session may be missed for professional development days during an academic year.
Professional development days include the following:
All other professional development activities which do not fall under the aforementioned categories require special approval by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
Permission for professional development days is not guaranteed and takes into consideration a student’s current academic standing and attendance record. Request Forms must be submitted to your Society Dean or Dr. Calmes as early as possible, and absolutely no later than 30 days in advance of the requested absence(s). Students are required to make up all missed academic and clinical work. It is the student’s responsibility to coordinate all of the make-up work. When requesting a professional development day, students are required to include their remediation plan for making up all coursework and clinical responsibilities.
Please submit your completed 'Professional Development Day Request' (Word document will download) form to HBD@mednet.ucla.edu.
Religious Observances
Faculty and staff are committed to fostering an environment that supports our diversity at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. It is the policy of the DGSOM at UCLA to allow the observance of religious holidays by medical students with the following requirements:
Other Excused Absences
Medical Absence
It is the student’s responsibility to notify the HB&D Curriculum Coordinator (hbd@mednet.ucla.edu) for an absence of an urgent nature (i.e., illness). If a student is absent for three (3) days or longer, the student must submit a doctor’s note or the Clearance to Return to the Curriculum Form to the Student Affairs Office (dgsomsao@mednet.ucla.edu) attesting to the student’s ability to resume his or her studies and participate in the curriculum. Students are required to make up all missed academic and clinical work. The Block Chairs and Thread Chairs will determine the remediation requirements and how the coursework will be made up.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify their Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (Society Dean) and the HB&D Curriculum Coordinator (hbd@mednet.ucla.edu) for an absence due to a personal matter (i.e., death of a family member, financial problems, etc.). Students are required to make up all missed academic and clinical work. The Block Chairs and Thread Chairs will determine how missed time will be made up to fulfill course requirements.
An unexcused absence during the Block may result in automatic failure requiring the student to repeat the Block.
Revised: July 21, 2017
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Attendance and punctuality are expected and considered a critical component of a student’s educational experience and commitment to professionalism.
Days Off
As per the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA Duty Hours Policy, students must have 1 day off per week, averaged over the course of the clerkship. Systems-Based Health Care and Preceptorship days are not counted towards days off.
University Holidays
All medical students on core clerkships are excused from clinical duties on Thanksgiving Day and the Friday following Thanksgiving. Students are required to be present on all other holidays and holiday observations if the clinical service is operational.
Vacation
All medical students on core clerkships are excused from clinical responsibilities during Winter Break and Summer Break (See Academic Calendar at http://medschool.ucla.edu/current-calendars).
Religious Holidays and Observances
Medical students are professionals with a responsibility for patient care that may require them to work on religious holidays. The DGSOM at UCLA allows for the observance of religious holidays; however, students are required to make up missed time. Students must request approval from the Clerkship Chair one month prior to the start of the clerkship. Attempts will be made to adjust the student’s schedule to allow for the use of a day off for the requested religious holiday(s). It is the responsibility of the Clerkship Chair to notify the Site Director and Clerkship Coordinator of the approved absence(s). Should the requested number of religious holidays exceed the maximum days off for the clerkship (1 day per week averaged over the course of the clerkship), requests for time off for religious holidays and observances must be discussed with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to ensure that clerkship requirements are fulfilled.
Students must request approval from the Clerkship Chair and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for any academic absence(s) at least one month in advance (i.e., presenting at a professional meeting). This must not exceed more than 1 day for every 2 weeks, averaged over the duration of the clerkship. The student is responsible for making up the missed time and the Clerkship Chair will determine how this time will be made up.
Urgent health issues: Students may take absences as needed from clinical responsibilities to address urgent personal health issues (e.g., general or mental health). Students should notify the clerkship site director and clerkship chair as soon as possible, ideally in advance of the healthcare appointment. Students can also reach out to their Associate/Assistant Dean(s) of Student Affairs for additional support. The clinical team should be notified of the absence as well. This can be communicated by either the student or one of the aforementioned individuals. Health maintenance issues: Students may take absences as needed from clinical responsibilities for health maintenance issues. Students should try to schedule these health maintenance appointments prudently to not significantly impact their educational experience. These appointments should be scheduled as far in advance as possible. Students who need to see health care providers regularly during a clerkship may contact their Associate/Assistant Dean(s) of Student Affairs for guidance and to identify the best possible times to make these appointments in concert with the appropriate clerkship chair. The clinical team should be notified of the absence as well. This can be communicated by either the student or the clerkship site director, coordinator, clerkship chair, or Dean(s) of Student Affairs. If a student is absent for three (3) days or longer for illness, the student must submit either a note from a healthcare provider, or a completed Clearance to Return to Curriculum/Clerkship Form to the Student Affairs Office, attesting to the student’s ability to resume their clinical duties and participate in the curriculum. Time missed will need to be remediated to fulfill course requirements, at the discretion of the Clerkship Chair.
Urgent health issues:
Students may take absences as needed from clinical responsibilities to address urgent personal health issues (e.g., general or mental health).
Students should notify the clerkship site director and clerkship chair as soon as possible, ideally in advance of the healthcare appointment. Students can also reach out to their Associate/Assistant Dean(s) of Student Affairs for additional support.
The clinical team should be notified of the absence as well. This can be communicated by either the student or one of the aforementioned individuals.
Health maintenance issues:
Students may take absences as needed from clinical responsibilities for health maintenance issues.
Students should try to schedule these health maintenance appointments prudently to not significantly impact their educational experience. These appointments should be scheduled as far in advance as possible.
Students who need to see health care providers regularly during a clerkship may contact their Associate/Assistant Dean(s) of Student Affairs for guidance and to identify the best possible times to make these appointments in concert with the appropriate clerkship chair.
The clinical team should be notified of the absence as well. This can be communicated by either the student or the clerkship site director, coordinator, clerkship chair, or Dean(s) of Student Affairs.
If a student is absent for three (3) days or longer for illness, the student must submit either a note from a healthcare provider, or a completed Clearance to Return to Curriculum/Clerkship Form to the Student Affairs Office, attesting to the student’s ability to resume their clinical duties and participate in the curriculum.
Time missed will need to be remediated to fulfill course requirements, at the discretion of the Clerkship Chair.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the student’s clinical team, and the Clerkship Chair and Coordinator for an absence due to a personal matter (i.e., death of a family member, financial problems, etc.). The Clerkship Chair will determine how missed time will be made up in order to fulfill course requirements.
It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Clerkship Chair and Site Director at least one month in advance of the clerkship to request an adjustment to scheduled days off.
Unexcused Absences
Unexcused absence(s) during the clerkship may result in automatic failure requiring the student to repeat the course.
Taking time off from clerkships to sit for US medical licensing examinations (USMLE) is not permitted.
All medical students are excused from clinical duties on Thanksgiving Day. Students are required to be present on all other holidays and holiday observances if the clinical service is operational.
Medical Students are professionals with a responsibility for patient care that may require them to work on religious holidays. The DGSOM at UCLA allows the observance of religious holidays; however, students are required to make up missed time. Students must request approval from the Course Chair at least one month prior to the start of the elective. Attempts will be made to adjust the student’s schedule to allow for the use of a day off for the requested religious holiday(s). Should the requested number of religious holidays exceed the maximum days off for the elective rotation (1 day per week averaged over the course of the elective), requests for time off for religious holidays and observances must be discussed with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to ensure that elective requirements are fulfilled.
Students must request approval from the Course Chair and an Assistant or Associate Dean for Student Affairs for any academic absence(s) at least one month in advance (i.e., presenting at a professional meeting). No more than one (1) excused absence is allowed during a 3-week elective. The Course Chair will determine how missed time will be made up in order to fulfill course requirements.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify an Assistant or Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the student’s clinical team, and the Course Chair and Coordinator for an absence of an urgent nature (i.e., illness). If a student is absent for three (3) days or longer for illness, the student must submit a doctor’s note or the Clearance to Return to Curriculum/Clerkship Form to the Student Affairs Office, attesting to the student’s ability to resume their clinical duties and participate in the curriculum. The Course Chair will determine how missed time will be made up in order to fulfill course requirements.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify an Assistant or Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the student’s clinical team, and the Course Chair and Coordinator for an absence due to a personal matter (i.e., death of a family member, etc.). The Course Chair will determine how missed time will be made up in order to fulfill course requirements.
Unexcused absence(s) during the elective rotation may result in automatic failure of the course.
Taking time off from elective rotations to sit for US medical licensing examinations (USMLE) is not permitted.
Impact of Absences on fulfilling graduation requirements
Days Off Policy for the MS-4 Year:
According to the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) Duty Hours Policy, students must have 1 day off per week, averaged over the course of the elective.
For electives in which students have no duties scheduled on weekends:
For electives in which students have weekend duties:
Policy for Scheduling Residency Interviews:
Attendance Policy for ICU Requirement
Revised May 2018
