• Gryphon Login
  • MyCourses
  • Alumni
  • UCLA Health
  • Contact Us
Current Medical Students

Current Medical Students

Current Medical Students
  • Current Students
    • COVID-19 Information for MD Students
    • Committee on Academic Standing Progress and Promotion (CASPP)
    • Equity and Diversity Inclusion
    • Forms
    • Global Health Program
    • Help Lines & Emergency
    • IT Connect
    • Onboarding & Compliance
    • Policies
    • Registrar
    • Schedule an Advising Appointment
    • Societies
    • Specialty Advisors for Career Exploration
    • Student Directories
    • Visiting Students
  • Degrees & Programs
    M.D. Education Programs
    • Graduation Competencies
    • Curriculum & Degree Requirements
    • Curriculum Phase I: Human Biology & Disease
    • Curriculum Phase II: Core Clinical Clerkships
    • Curriculum Phase III: 4th Year Colleges
    • Optional Pathways
    • 1st & 2nd Year Selectives
    • Partner Programs

    Pre-M.D. Programs
    • UCLA PREP
    • UCLA RAP
    • UCLA SHPEP
    Ph.D. Education Programs
    • Graduate Program in Bioscience (Umbrella Department)
    • Neuroscience
    • Neurobiology
    • Biomedical Physics
    • Molecular & Medical Pharmacology
    • Biomathematics
    • Molecular, Cellular, & Integrative Physiology
    • Molecular Toxicology
    Articulated & Concurrent Degree Programs
    Overview
    • M.D. - Ph.D. (MSTP)
    • M.D. - OMS
    • PRIME-LA
    • M.D. - M.B.A.
    • M.D. - M.P.H.
    • M.D. - M.P.P.

    Post-M.D. Graduate Programs
    • Subspecialty Training & Advanced Research
    • Master of Science in Clinical Research
    • Continuing Medical Education
    • Articulated/Concurrent Degree Programs
    • Curriculum
    • Graduation Competencies & Degree Requirements
    • Optional Pathways
    • Partner Programs
    • Master of Science in Clinical Research
  • Financial Aid & Scholarships
    General Information
    • Student Budget/Cost of Attendance
    • How to Receive Aid
    • Maintain Eligibility
    • Debt Management Counseling and Financial Literacy
    • Forms & Publications
    • Additional Resources
    Types of Financial Aid
    • Funding Sources
    • David Geffen Medical Scholarships
    • UCLA Scholarships
    • Outside Scholarships
    • UCOP Private Loan Lenders
    Application Process
    • Apply for Financial Aid
    • Check the Status of your Application
    • Understanding Need Analysis
    • Financial Aid Calendar
    • Financial Aid Application Process
    • Student Budget/Cost of Attendance
    • Forms & Publications
    • How to Receive Aid
    • Maintain Eligibility
    • Scholarships
    • Resources
    • Debt Management Counseling and Financial Literacy
    • Upload Documents
  • Research Opportunities
    • Summer Research Opportunities
    • Articulated/Concurrent Degree Programs
    • Optional Pathways
    • 1st & 2nd Year Selectives
    • Options After Third Year (Additional)
    • Research Electives
    • Research Conference Funding
    • Contacts
    • Summer Research Opportunities
    • Articulated/Concurrent Degree Programs
    • Optional Pathways
    • External Opportunities
    • 1st & 2nd Year Selectives
    • Options After Third Year (Additional)
    • Research Electives
    • Research Conference Funding
    • Contacts
  • Student Life
    Student Life
    • Career Development
    • Well-Being
    • Student Organizations
    • Student Spotlights
    • Peer Mentoring
    • Accessibility & Accommodations
    Campus Life
    • Geffy Guide
    • Student Housing
    • Medical Student Council
    • Community Outreach
    • Main Campus Life
    • The UCLA Beat
    • Alpha Omega Alpha, DGSOM Chapter
    • Gold Humanism Honor Society, DGSOM Chapter
    Annual Events
    • White Coat Ceremony
    • Medical Student Banquets
    • Service of Gratitude
    • Talent Show
    • Senior Scholarship Day
    • Match Day
    • Commencement
    • Career Development
    • Well-Being
    • Peer Mentoring
    • Annual Events
    • Student Housing
    • Student Spotlights
    • Main Campus Life
    • Geffy Guide
    • The UCLA Beat
    • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, David Geffen School of Medicine Chapter
    • Gold Humanism Honor Society, David Geffen School of Medicine Chapter
  • Leadership & Staff Directories
    • Dean's Office
    • Admissions
    • Career Development & Well-Being
    • Curriculum
    • Outreach & Pipeline Programs
    • Educational Measurement
    • Faculty Executive Committee
    • Financial Aid & Scholarships
    • Medical Education Committee
    • Medical Student Research & Scholarship
    • Simulation Center
    • Student Affairs
    • Admissions
    • Curricular Affairs
    • Educational Measurement Unit
    • Faculty Professional Development
    • Financial Aid & Scholarships
    • Medical Student Research & Scholarship
    • Office of Career Development & Well-Being
    • Outreach & Pipeline Programs Staff
    • Student Affairs
    • Simulation Center
    • UCLA PRIME
  • Resources
    DGSOM Resources
    • COVID-19 Information for MD Students
    • Accessibility & Accommodations
    • Articulated & Concurrent Degree Programs
    • Diversity, Inclusion & Outreach
    • Global Health
    • Academic Support Office
    • IT Support
    • Disability Insurance
    • Registrar
    • Research Opportunities
    • Residency Application & Information
    • Room Reservations
    • Writing Center

    Academic Resources
    • My Courses
    • Clinical Curriculum
    • Course Evaluation
    • Gryphon
    • Calendars
    Additional Resources
    • UCLA Campus Resources
    • Behavioral Wellness Center
    • Counseling & Psychological Services
    • Student Health Services
    • Help Lines & Emergency
    • Center for Accessible Education
    • National Board of Medical Examiners
    • MD Alumni
    • Graduate Reading Room, Biomedical Library
    • UCLA Title IX Office/Sexual Harassment Prevention
    • UCLA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Accessibility & Accommodations
    • Academic Support Office
    • Behavioral Wellness Center
    • Committee on Learning Environment Oversight
    • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
    • Graduate Reading Room, Biomedical Library
    • Disability Insurance
    • IT Support
    • Residency Application & Information
    • Room Reservations
    • Geffy Guide
    • Alumni
  • Gryphon Login
  • MyCourses
  • Alumni
  • UCLA Health
  • Contact Us

Current Medical Students

Current Students

Current Students

Current Students

  • COVID-19 Information for MD Students
  • Committee on Academic Standing Progress and Promotion (CASPP)
  • Equity and Diversity Inclusion
  • Forms
  • Global Health Program
  • Help Lines & Emergency
  • IT Connect
  • Onboarding & Compliance
    • Affiliate Requirements
  • Policies
    • 1 - Academic/Professional Standing
    • 2 - Evaluation & Grading
    • 3 - USMLE
    • 4 - Attendance
    • 5 - Examination
    • 6 - Duty Hours
    • 7 - Transportation
    • 8 - Communication
    • 9 - Student Conduct, Professionalism, and Honor Code
    • 10 - Technical Non-Academic Standards
    • 11 - FERPA
    • 12 - Confidentiality
    • 13 - Copyright
    • 14 - Clinical Supervision
    • 15 - Medical Student Mistreatment
    • 16 - Pre-Clerkship Workload
    • 17 - Core Clinical Experiences
    • 18 - Duality of Interest
    • 19 - Narrative Assessment
  • Registrar
    • Medical Student Leave of Absence
  • Schedule an Advising Appointment
  • Societies
  • Specialty Advisors for Career Exploration
  • Student Directories
  • Visiting Students
    • Affiliated Hospital Addresses
    • Site Specific Requirements
      • Elective Information: UCLA Medical Centers
    • US Students
  • COVID-19 Information for MD Students
  • Committee on Academic Standing Progress and Promotion (CASPP)
  • Equity and Diversity Inclusion
  • Forms
  • Global Health Program
  • Help Lines & Emergency
  • IT Connect
  • Onboarding & Compliance
  • Policies
  • Registrar
  • Schedule an Advising Appointment
  • Societies
  • Specialty Advisors for Career Exploration
  • Student Directories
  • Visiting Students
  • Medical Student Leave of Absence
  1. Home
  2. Current Medical Students
  3. Current Students
  4. Registrar
  5. Medical Student Leave of Absence

Medical Student Leave of Absence

Share this

Due to the partial University closure, the DGSOM Student Affairs Office staff are currently working remotely. Staff are available via email addresses found on the Student Affairs Contact Information Page. For general non-urgent inquiries during business hours, please call (310)206-0434. 

LOA PolicyForms
Return From LOAFAQs

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.

    Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Flickr Follow us on Sharecare
    Top 10 U.S. Medical Schools
    • Giving
    • Publications
    • Newsroom
    • Weekly Digest
    • Directory
    • Contact Us
    • Report Misconduct
    • Diversity
    • Emergency
    • Maps & Directions
    • UC Regents
    • Abuse Free
    • Volunteer
    • Biomed Library
    • Disability Resources
    • UCLA Health
    • Smoke-Free
    • Sitemap
    • Terms of Use
    • MD Student Emergency Line: 310-825-6281
    • Behavioral Wellness Center Phone: 310-825-9605  BWC@mednet.ucla.edu
    • Report Broken Links
    Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Flickr Follow us on Sharecare