Choose your policy below:

4a - Attendance Policy for Intro to the Profession

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.

4b - Attendance during the Pre-Clerkship Curriculum (HB&D)

Attendance Requirements

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. 

Personal Days

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.  Some examples of these conflicts include: professional commitments, chronic health care needs of family members, and family weddings. 

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' (word document will download) form to HBD@mednet.ucla.edu.
Approved by Human Biology &Disease Committee June 2016

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:

• If a medical student wishes to be absent from a required activity (i.e., PBL, Doctoring, Clinical Skills, Small Group Sessions, Preceptorship), a Religious Observance Notification form must be submitted to the Human Biology and Disease (HB&D) Curriculum Coordinator HBD@mednet.ucla.edu as early as possible, and no later than seven days in advance of requested absences. Students are required to make up all missed academic and clinical work, and the responsibility of coordinating all of the make-up work belongs to the student. When requesting an absence for a religious observance, the student is required to include a remediation plan for making up all coursework and clinical responsibilities. 
• Should a religious observance fall on the day of a midterm, OSCE, anatomy examination or block examination, please notify the HB&D Coordinator at HBD@mednet.ucla.edu by Friday at 5PM of the first week of the block, so that alternative testing arrangements can be made.
• For students registered with the Center for Accessible Education, once notified of alternative testing dates, students are responsible for scheduling exams directly with the CAE Proctoring Center at least 14 days prior to the examination.

Other Excused Absences

• Personal Emergency

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.

Unexcused Absence

An unexcused absence during the Block may result in automatic failure requiring the student to repeat the Block.

Revised: July 21, 2017

4c - Attendance Policy for Clinical Foundations, College Foundations, and Foundations for Internship

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.

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4d - Attendance and Absence Policies in the Core Clerkships

Attendance Requirements

Attendance and punctuality are expected and considered a critical component of a student’s educational experience and commitment to professionalism. 

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. 

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. 

Other Excused Absences

1. Academic Absence
   

   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.

2. Medical Absence
   

   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 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.  Missed days will be remediated to fulfill course requirements, at the discretion of the Clerkship Chair.

3. Personal Emergency
   

   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.

4. Schedule Requests
   

   It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Clerkship Chair and Site Director at least one month in advance to request an adjustment to his or her 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.

4e - Attendance Policy During 4th Year Electives

Attendance Requirements

1. Attendance and punctuality are expected and considered a critical component of a student’s educational experience and commitment to professionalism. 
2. 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. 

University Holidays

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.

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 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.

Other Excused Absences

1. Academic Absence
   

   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.

2. Medical Absence
   

   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.

3. Personal Emergency
   

   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 Absences

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 

1. For electives scheduled to fulfill the requirements for consecutive weeks of DGSOM Sub-Is (300-level, 400-level, and ICU electives):
   • If missed time during such electives cannot be made up before the elective concludes, then the elective will not count towards fulfilling the graduation requirements for consecutive weeks of DGSOM Sub-Is (300-level, 400-level, and ICU electives). The student may make arrangements (if permitted by the Course Chair, and schedule permitting) to complete the elective at a later date to earn elective credit towards the total number of weeks of elective training to meet graduation requirements, but not towards the 12 weeks of required consecutive 300-level, 400-level and ICU training.
2.  For electives not scheduled to fulfill the requirements for consecutive weeks of DGSOM Sub-Is (300-level, 400-level, and ICU electives).
   • If missed time during such electives cannot be made up before the elective concludes, if permitted by the Course Chair, and schedule permitting, the student may make arrangements to complete the elective at a later date to earn elective credit towards the total number of weeks of elective training to meet 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:

1. The weekend days are considered the scheduled days off.
2. During these electives, students are not permitted to request additional days off between Monday and Friday, except for emergencies as described above.
3. In some cases, if the service does have clinical activities during the weekend, a student may request the approval of the Course Chair and supervising resident and attending to work on the weekend in place of an equivalent number of week days for residency interviews.

For electives in which students have weekend duties:

1. Students will have 1 day off per week averaged over the rotation (e.g. 3 days off for a 3-week elective).
2. Students may request a change to their scheduled days off to accommodate residency interviews, but approval must be obtained from the course chair and supervising resident and attending (when applicable).

Policy for Scheduling Residency Interviews:

1. Interviews for Internship/Residency are not excused absences. 
2. Students may not request days off for interviews during scheduled elective rotations (with the exception of research electives). 
3. Students may use scheduled days off for interview purposes. As noted above, students may request a change to their scheduled day(s) off to accommodate residency interviews, but must obtain approval from the course chair and supervising resident and attending (when applicable).
4. As noted above, students may request approval from the Course Chair and supervising resident and attending for time off during the week for an interview if the rotation is one in which the student may be able to work on a weekend to make up the missed day(s).

Attendance Policy for ICU Requirement

1. For a student’s first ICU elective, students are expected to attend every scheduled day of the three-week rotation, with the exception of the third Friday, which is reserved for assessment. If an observed University holiday falls on the third Friday then the assessment will occur on Thursday.
2. Students may not reschedule or miss the end-of-rotation simulation assessment/written examination.
3. Students may only schedule interviews during their scheduled days off. Students may request a change to their scheduled days off to accommodate residency interviews, but approval must be obtained from the Course Chair and supervising resident and attending (when applicable).

Revised May 2018