Attendance Universal Policy

DGSOM Universal Attendance and Absence Policy

The DGSOM Learning Environment is based upon the interactive engagement of students and faculty who have a shared interest in promoting a respectful and collaborative learning environment. Professional behavior is demonstrated through attendance, preparedness, and respectful participation in learning events. 
 
The Curricular Affairs Office (CAO) records and reviews all absences and arrival time for required educational activities. 

1. Excused Absences

   • (1a) In the event of an urgent absence, students are required to submit the Absence Notification Form. For students with an emergency, the Absence Form should be submitted as soon as this is feasible in the setting of the underlying circumstances. Acceptable reasons for excused absences encompass the following scenarios: 
     1. Illness affecting one's ability to report to the scheduled session. If a student is absent for three or more consecutive days, the student must submit a note from a healthcare provider or the Clearance to Return to the Curriculum Form (PDF) to the Student Affairs Office (dgsomsao@mednet.ucla.edu) attesting to the student’s ability to resume participation in the curriculum.  
     2. Students seeking health care for which health care appointments cannot be rescheduled. Please note it is the student's responsibility to inform Curricular Affairs and their course director/clinical team of health care appointments that require student absence from required educational activities.
     3. Personal Emergency (for example, illness of a loved one or loss of a loved one). Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to also notify their Society Dean for absences related to a personal emergency. 
     4. Professional Activities. Requests for an absence to attend professional meetings will be considered for approval if a student is presenting their research or is serving as a delegate representing DGSOM at UCLA. The request should be made as soon as the student is aware of the need to attend the professional meeting and at least 30 days prior to the meeting. 
        1. For Clerkships, students are expected to submit the request 30 days prior to the Clerkship start date. 
     5. Jury Duty. For information regarding Jury Duty, please visit the Registrar page.
     6. Religious Observances. Faculty and staff are committed to supporting diversity at DGSOM. Religious holidays are excused absences and students are required to submit a form to the Curricular Affairs Office to document their absence in request and may be required to make-up missed time. 

2. Excessive Absences

   • (2a) If a student has or anticipates non-disability related circumstances necessitating unique, unusual, or excessive requests for time away, they should speak with an Assistant and/or Associate Dean for Student Affairs as soon as possible after becoming aware of the circumstance and prior to the course(s) which will be affected by time away.
     1. (2a.1) If a student has a chronic health or other disability-related conditions potentially requiring the need for additional absences, they should speak with the Director of Disability Services as soon as possible.
   • (2b) Excessive absences, defined in each course syllabus, may be grounds for receipt of an incomplete and may require retaking a course, regardless of final exam scores or clinical performance ratings, per the discretion of the Academic Performance Committee and the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion.
     1. (2b.1) The Office of Student Affairs in conjunction with the Office of Curricular Affairs may waive minimum attendance requirements for classroom activities in extenuating circumstances, contingent on leave policies and procedures.
     2. (2b.2) The Office of Student Affairs in conjunction with the Office of Curricular Affairs cannot waive the minimum attendance threshold beyond 80% of required classroom activities. 
     3. (2b.3) The minimum attendance threshold for clinical education activities cannot be waived. 
   • (2c) Students who do not meet minimal attendance requirements and/or exceptions listed above will be referred to the Academic Performance Committee and the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion. These committees have the authority to require students remediate parts or all of courses up to and including repeating the entire year of curriculum if it is determined that a student has not engaged in the curriculum in a way to ensure minimal competence to progress.

3. Unexcused Absences

   • (3a) Unexcused Absences and Habitual Tardiness

     1. (3a.1) Unexcused absences and habitual tardiness are considered unprofessional behavior and will result in issuance of a Professionalism Concern Report (PCR) (reference DGSOM professionalism policy).  
     2. (3a.1) Consequences for unexcused absences or habitual tardiness may include changes in student academic standing by the Academic Performance Committee (APC), an incomplete course grade, and/or may require repeating the course.  
     3. (3a.2) Demonstration of poor professionalism, such as habitual unexcused absences and/or habitual tardiness, may also be reflected in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), per recommendations by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). 
     4. (3a.3) If a student does not notify the Curricular Affairs Office and/or their team, the Dean’s Office may reach out to their emergency contact to check on the students’ well-being. 

   • (3b) Attendance and Professionalism

     1. (3b.1) Breaches of professionalism, including misrepresentation or dishonesty about information in absence notification forms, signing in for others, signing in without physically attending, or signing in and leaving before completion of a required education activity are considered a violation of the UCLA student professional code of conduct and will result in a professionalism concern report (PCR).

   • (3c) Make-up Work

     1. (3c.1) For any absence, the Course Chair(s) and/or Course Specialist will determine how missed coursework can be remediated to fulfill course requirements. Students are responsible for material they miss due to an excused absence.  
     2. (3c.2) Missed required sessions will not be rescheduled or reoffered, though they may be remediated. Students are responsible for submitting all assignments on the original due date, except in cases of emergency or extenuating circumstances. 
     3. (3c.3) Students missing optional educational activities are responsible for their own remediation of missed material. Faculty are not required to provide compensatory educational experiences. 

4. Procedures

   • (4a) All absence forms are found in the Helpful Links dashboard on Gryphon and on the DGSOM Handbook webpage; they include submission and approval or acknowledgement of the absence. All absences will require submission of an Absence Request Form. For students with an emergency, the Absence Request Form should be submitted as soon as this is feasible in the setting of the underlying circumstances.

Approved by Medical Education Committee August 2024.