Medical Student Leave of Absence

Leave of Absence Policy:

An approved Leave of Absence (LOA) is defined by an approved absence from the curriculum of more than six consecutive weeks.  Students on an approved Leave of Absence for any reasons other than an Academic Leave of Absence do not pay registration fees, are not permitted to enroll in medical school coursework, and will not receive credit for any completed coursework.

The maximum period for most approved Leaves of Absence is one academic year, which may be extended for one additional academic year upon review on an individual basis by the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion (CASPP).  If the student is not ready to return after two years, the student may be administratively withdrawn from DGSOM by CASPP.  

The student requesting a Leave of Absence must provide the reasons for the leave and a plan to return in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, who will then present the request to CASPP.  CASPP is responsible for reviewing and determining whether to approve a student's request for a Leave of Absence. 

A Leave of Absence may be for academic, medical, personal, and/or administrative reasons:

1. Academic Leave of Absence

   An approved Academic Leave of Absence is generated by the student, and provides students with the necessary time to complete an academic pursuit and is not subject to the two year maximum leave interval as indicated above.  Examples of an approved Academic Leave of Absence include but are not limited to:

   1. Participating in the Ph.D. phase of the UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Students participating in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) will require an approved Academic Leave of Absencegreater than two years in order to complete the requirements of the MSTP program, and are not subject to the two year maximum leave interval as indicated above.
   2. Pursuit of an additional degree, such as MBA, MPH, MPP, Ph.D., either at UCLA or another institution.
   3. Research, including working with a research mentor at UCLA or another institution, or participating in a formal research program (such as the Medical Research Scholars Program at the NIH).
   4. Global Health Fellowships (such as GloCal and SAPHIR Fellowships). 

2. Medical Leave of Absence

   An approved Medical Leave of Absence may be generated by the student, by the Dean's Office, or the institution and must be accompanied by documentation from the student's health care provider and/or an independent evaluator must attest to the student's inability to participate in the curriculum due to a medical condition.

3. Personal Leave of Absence

   An approved Personal Leave of Absence is generated by the student in order to attend to family, economic, or other personal factors that affect the student’s ability to participate in the curriculum, or to pursue an opportunity outside of medicine.  Examples of reasons for a Personal Leave of Absence include but are not limited to:

   1. Loss of a loved one or family member.
   2. Need to care for a loved one or family member.
   3. Any personal situation preventing participation in the curriculum.
   4. An extracurricular opportunity such as employment.
4. Administrative Leave of Absence

   An Administrative Leave of Absence may be generated by several institutional entities including an Academic Performance Committee (APC), the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion (CASPP), Associate Dean for Student Affairs; and the Dean's Office. Examples of reasons for an Administrative Leave of Absence include but are not limited to: 

   1. Noncompliance with health clearance or other compliance requirements.
   2. Nonpayment of registration fees.
   3. Violations of the DGSOM Honor Code, UCLA Student Conduct Code, DGSOM's Non-Academic Technical Standards. 
   4. Remediation plans as determined by the identified APC and/or CASPP.
   5. Not meeting deadline requirements for USMLE Step 1 and/or Step 2.
   6. Students experiencing academic and/or professional difficulty.       

Leave of Absence Forms:

After meeting with your advisors and school administration, please complete the appropriate Leave of Absence Request Form that you can find on the DGSOM Forms web site.  

Returning from Leave of Absence:

With the exception of students participating in MSTP, the maximum period for an approved Leave of Absence is one academic year, which may be extended for one additional academic year upon review on an individual basis by the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion (CASPP).  If the student is not ready to return after two years of an approved LOA, the student may elect to withdraw from DGSOM, the student may petition CASPP for an extension of their LOA, or based on individual circumstances may be dismissed from DGSOM by CASPP.  

1. REINSTATEMENT FROM AN APPROVED ACADEMIC LEAVE OF ABSENCE
   • Students intending to return to the DGSOM curriculum from an approved Academic Leave of Absence must complete and submit the required forms to the Registrar by January of the year in which they plan to return to the curriculum (i.e., students returning in summer or fall semesters must submit the required paperwork no later than the previous January).
   • Note that failure to follow the Leave of Absence guidelines and procedures outlined by the DGSOM Registrar may result in the student's administrative withdrawal from DGSOM by CASPP.
2. REINSTATEMENT FROM AN APPROVED MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE
   • When students are ready to return from an approved Medical Leave of Absence, they must submit clearance to return from their health care provider and/or an independent evaluator attesting to their ability to resume their studies and participate fully in the curriculum.  
   • Students intending to return to the DGSOM curriculum from an approved Medical Leave of Absence must complete and submit the required forms to the Registrar no later than three (3) months prior to their return to the curriculum.
   • Note that failure to follow the Leave of Absence guidelines and procedures outlined by the DGSOM Registrar may result in the student's dismissal from DGSOM by CASPP.
   • CASPP will determine whether the student is eligible to return to medical school, based on the student’s previous academic/professional performance and medical documentation. 
3. REINSTATEMENT FROM AN APPROVED PERSONAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE
   • Students intending to return to the DGSOM curriculum from an approved Personal Leave of Absence must complete and submit the required forms to the Registrar by January of the year in which they plan to return (i.e., students returning in summer or fall semesters must submit the required paperwork no later than the previous January).
   • Note that failure to follow the Leave of Absence guidelines and procedures outlined by the DGSOM Registrar may result in the student's administrative withdrawal from DGSOM by CASPP.
4. REINSTATEMENT FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE OF ABSENCE
   • Students intending to return from an Administrative Leave of Absence must first be approved by the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion (CASPP).  A student's return from an approved Administrative Leave of Absence must be in accordance with prior remediation plans, if available, as developed by the Academic Performance Committee and/or CASPP.
   • Students intending to return to the DGSOM curriculum from an Administrative Leave of Absence must complete and submit the required forms to the Registrar by January of the year in which they plan to return (i.e., students returning in summer or fall semesters must submit the required paperwork no later than the previous January).
   • Note that failure to follow the Leave of Absence guidelines and procedures outlined by the DGSOM Registrar may result in the student's dismissal from DGSOM by CASPP.

Frequently Asked Questions:

For comprehensive information shared in the form of Frequently Asked Questions, to provide as much support and information for students considering a leave of absence, for those currently on a leave of absence, and for those preparing to return to the medical school curriculum, please click here.