MS1 Preclerkship Attendance

Attendance Policy and Procedures for  Foundations of Medical Science (FoMS)

1. FoMS Attendance Policy for Required Education Activities 

   1. (1a) Students must attend a minimum of 90% of required sessions to achieve the objectives of each course and thread in any given academic year.
      1. (1a.1) For concurrent courses in MS1 - Foundations of Medical Sciences, including Foundations of Practice (FoP), Scientific Foundations of Medicine (SFM) and required thread sessions, the standard is attending 90% of required sessions per respective course/thread (i.e. attending 90% of required sessions in FoP AND 90% of required sessions in SFM and so on).
   2. (1b) Required Classroom Education Activities
      1. (1b.1) Required learning activities are designated as such on student course calendars or in communication from course chairs, curriculum specialists, or other course leadership.
      2. (1b.2) Attendance is required for all active learning sessions due to the intentionally collaborative and highly participatory nature of the courses. Therefore, it is expected that each student will apply knowledge and practice skills with peers and faculty during these activities. The interactive nature and group dynamics depends upon the attendance and participation of all students. Social accountability is critical to students’ professional identity formation and the practice of medicine. 
      3. (1b.3) For required sessions, students are expected to attend on their scheduled assigned date. For required sessions, students are expected to attend for the entire duration of the session. Students seeking to attend on a date other than their originally assigned one must submit an absence request form.
      4. (1b.4) Students must inform the Curricular Affairs Office if they anticipate the rare event of arriving late and/or leaving a required session early. 
      5. (1b.5) Students who arrive late and/or students who leave the required session early who do not inform the Curricular Affairs Office beforehand will be marked absent to required sessions. 
      6. (1b.6) Attendance, including arrival time, will be recorded for all required learning activities.
      7. (1b.7) Students are considered in attendance at a required session when they are in the classroom and their attendance is accounted for by the means determined by the Curricular Affairs Office and course leadership. No other proof of attendance will be accepted.
         1. (1b.7a) If attendance is taken utilizing badge scanners, students are expected to attempt scanning their badge twice if the first attempt fails. If the student still cannot badge in, the student must immediately email Curricular Affairs at CA@mednet.ucla.edu to alert them of the technical issue and of their attendance at the session. 
      8. (1b.8) Attendance at required activities will be tracked and reviewed by the Academic Performance Committee. 
   3. (1c) Other FoMS Education Activities
      1. (1c.1) Attendance is strongly encouraged at all formal educational activities. Although some sessions may be designated as optional or supplemental, attendance is encouraged as they are designed to provide foundational information that is augmented by a variety of required educational opportunities.  

2. FoMS Absence Policy  

   It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they do not exceed absence limits as defined in herein policy and/or in the course syllabus. Students whose number of absences exceed attendance thresholds for any reason (anticipated, unanticipated, or otherwise) will be required to complete make-up work to receive a passing grade and will be referred to the Academic Performance Committee.

   1. (2a) Anticipated Absence for FoMS Education Activities
      1. (2a.1) In the rare case that a student anticipates the need to miss a required session, they must complete the Absence Notification Form at least 7 days prior to the absence.  
      2. (2a.2) Failure to notify the Curricular Affairs Office at least 7 days prior to missing a required session for any reason other than a medical need or personal emergency will result in an unexcused absence and a Professionalism Concern Report will be issued.
      3. (2a.3) The Curricular Affairs Office and course leadership may deny anticipated absences for required sessions that would fundamentally alter the education of the student. 
      4. (2a.4) If a course specifies all activities within the course as required, absences will not be excused unless they are of an urgent nature specified in the Universal Absence Policy (Illness, Health Care for appointments that cannot be rescheduled, or Personal Emergency)  
   2. (2b) Unanticipated Absence for FoMS Education Activities
      1. (2b.1) In the event a student requires an absence of an urgent nature, the student must submit the 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.
   3. (2c) Make-up Work for FoMS Education Activities
      1. (2c.1) For any absence, the Course Chair(s) 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. (2c.2) Faculty are not required to contact a student who has missed a required attendance session and who are under the 10% absence threshold, but makeup work will be assigned at the discretion of FoMS leadership. Should a student miss a session with required attendance, it is their responsibility to learn the content covered in that session. 
      3. (2c.3) Students who miss 10% to 20% of required course activities will be required to attend scheduled in-person make-up sessions to pass the course. 
   4. (2d) EACE Absence Policy 
      1. (2d.1) In the rare instance a student expects an absence during EACE, please complete the Absence Request Form at least 7 days in advance of the session and alert the EACE Site Director as soon as possible. 
      2. (2d.2) EACE Site Directors cannot approve a change in date for required sessions or approve absences. 
      3. (2d.3) If a student has an unexpected absence for EACE, contact ca@mednet.ucla.edu immediately and include the EACE Site Director(s).  
      4. (2d.4) Students who miss one EACE session will be required to participate in the designated make-up EACE session scheduled at the end of the academic year.  
      5. (2d.5) Students who miss an EACE session will have an “incomplete” self-assessment, which they must complete after attending the make-up session. 
         For students outside of the Tuesday/Wednesday footprint, please reference the schedules provided by the Site Director(s) for designated make-up session dates. 
      6. (2d.6) In the event that a student is absent to more than one EACE session during the year, they are responsible for arranging additional make-up session dates in coordination with their Site Director(s) and must promptly inform the Curricular Affairs Office once the makeup session dates have been finalized. 
      7. (2d.7) All 12 site-visits must be completed by the conclusion of the last makeup session in order to pass the EACE course. 

3. FoMS Procedures

   All absences require submission of the 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. 

   1. (3a) Permission for an excused absence from a FoMS required educational activity is granted at the discretion of the Curricular Affairs Office. Refer to the course syllabus or thread guide for specific attendance policies as applicable.
   2. (3b) FoMS Anticipated Absence Request Procedure 
   3. In the rare case that a student needs to miss one of these required sessions for personal reasons, they must complete the Absence Request Form at least 7 days prior to the absence.
      1. (3b.1) Student fills out absence request form and submits form for approval. Permission for an anticipated absence is granted at the discretion of Curricular Affairs and the course chair.
      2. (3b.2) In submitting the notification, students are responsible in ensuring they have not exceeded the excessive absence limit for their course.
      3. (3b.3) If the anticipated absence is approved, the Course chair/Coordinator outlines any consequences and/or make-up work for missed activities to the student.
      4. (3b.4) To ensure all students receive continuity of learning and achievement of required objectives for the curriculum, anticipated absences will be tracked to ensure the student does not exceed the attendance threshold.
      5. (3b.5) The Curricular Affairs Office and course leadership may deny anticipated absences for required sessions that would fundamentally alter the education of the student.
      6. (3b.6) Requests for an excused absence submitted less than 7 days in advance will not be considered (except for acute illness and emergencies)
   4. (3d) FoMS Anticipated Absence Denial Procedure
      1. (3d.1) ) If a student is not approved for a requested absence that they believe meets the requirements for an excused absence, the student may appeal the decision in writing directly to the Associate Dean and/or Administrative Director for Curricular Affairs within 72 hours of receiving the denial notification.
      2. (3d.2) The Associate Dean and/or Administrative Director for Curricular Affairs makes the final decision about the absence request and may consult with the Curricular Affairs Office as needed.
   5. (3e) FoMS Unanticipated Absence Procedure
      Students must submit a notification of an absence due to illness or personal emergency using the Absence Request Form.
      1. (3e.1) Unanticipated absences due to illness or personal emergencies are excused absences.
      2. (3e.2) To ensure all students receive continuity of learning and achievement of required objectives for the curriculum, unanticipated absences will be tracked to ensure the student does not exceed the attendance threshold. 
   6. (3f) FoMS Absence due to Health Care Appointment Procedures
      All medical students have the right to be excused from course work to attend health care appointments.
      1. (3f.1) Students do not need to disclose the reason for the medical appointment.
      2. (3f.2) If a student will miss a required classroom education activity, the student must submit the Absence Request Form.
      3. (3f.3) Students are responsible for exercising professional judgment when scheduling appointments to minimize time away from classroom education, and whenever possible, to schedule appointments that do not conflict with required education activities. 
      4. (3f.4) Students may be asked to make-up course work for any absence(s) due to health care
   7. (3g) FoMS Excessive Absence, Unexcused Absence, and Habitual Tardiness Procedures
      It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they do not exceed absence limits as defined in herein policy and/or in the course syllabus. Students whose number of absences exceed attendance thresholds for any reason (anticipated, unanticipated, or otherwise) will be required to complete make-up work to receive a passing grade and will be referred to the Academic Performance Committee.
      1. (3g.1) Absences will be continuously documented and monitored by the Curricular Affairs Office.
      2. (3g.2) Exceeding Absence Threshold Procedure
         1. (3g.2a) Students who have exceeded or are near exceeding the absence threshold for any course, clerkship, or threads will be referred to their Society Dean and discussed by the Academic Performance Committee per the Excessive Absence policy under Universal Attendance and Absence Policies. 
         2. (3g.2b) Excessive absences may be grounds for receipt of an incomplete and may require retaking a course, regardless of final exam scores or performance ratings.
      3. (3g.3) Unexcused Absences and Habitual Tardiness Procedure
         1. (3g.3a) Students who have unexcused absences and/or habitual tardiness will be referred to the Academic Performance Committee per the Unexcused Absence and Habitual Tardiness policy under Universal Attendance and Absence Policies.
      4. (3g.4) Unexcused Absence Procedures
         1. (3g.4a) It is the students’ professional responsibility to notify the appropriate party of an absence. For students with an emergency, this notification ought to occur as soon as this is feasible in the setting of the underlying circumstances.
         2. (3g.4b) The Curricular Affairs Office and course leadership will give students a 48-hour grace period to send notification of an absence if one has not otherwise been received.
         3. (3g.4c) If the student does not notify the appropriate party within 48-hours, the student will receive an Unexcused Absence Notification that will require their signature.
         4. (3g.4d) Unexcused absences are discussed at the Academic Performance Committee via the policy specified under Universal Attendance and Absence Policies. 
      5. (3g.5) Habitual Tardiness Procedure
         1. (3g.5a) Attendance, including arrival time, will be recorded for all required learning activities. 
         2. (3g.5b) It is the students’ professional responsibility to notify the appropriate party if they anticipate the rare event of arriving late and/or leaving a session early.
         3. (3g.5c) Students who arrive late and/or who leave the session early who do not inform the appropriate party will receive an unexcused absence to required sessions. 
         4. (3g.5d) Students who are habitually tardy will be discussed at the Academic Performance Committee via the policy specified under Universal Attendance and Absence Policies. 
   8. (3h) FoMS Required Make-up Work 
      1. (3h.1) Make-up work is required for absences from some required classroom education sessions, as determined by course chairs. For those sessions, students must complete required make-up work by the assigned deadline, without reminders from course staff or faculty.
      2. (3h.2) For sessions without required make-up work, students must independently ensure they can meet the objectives of the missed session.
      3. (3h.3) Any student who is absent from more than 10% of the required sessions in a course will be required to attend a scheduled in-person make-up session with content appropriate to the objectives or competencies for the set of missed sessions.
      4. (3h.4) Students who do not satisfactorily meet the objectives or competencies for the set of missed sessions will be referred to the Academic Performance Committee and may be required to repeat the course. 

Approved by Medical Education Committee August 2024