Requesting and Alternative Site or Team

Requesting An Alternative Site

Initial site assignments are made via an electronic scheduling lottery based on student preferences.

Following this process, students have the ability to formally request an alternative clerkship site. Requests will be reviewed by the clerkship and Dean’s Office leadership, as needed.

Criteria for Consideration of Reassignment

  • Reassignment related to learning environment concerns
  • Reassignment related to a duality of interest
  • Reassignment is based on academic accommodation for a documented disability (upon recommendation by the UCLA Center for Accessible Education).
  • Reassignment related to personal circumstances 
  • Reassignment related to rotating at a Covered Affiliate

Procedure for requesting an alternative clerkship site

  • The student should waitlist the requested alternative site in the scheduling system at least 30 days prior to the start of the clerkship.
  • The Clerkship Scheduling Coordinator in Student Affairs will automatically receive notification of the request which will be indicated on the student’s schedule. 

Procedure for requesting an alternative clerkship site less than 30 days from the start of the clerkship, or during the clerkship

  • Send an email message to the Clerkship Scheduling Coordinator in Student Affairs, and an Assistant/ Associate Dean for Student Affairs with your request.
  • The following information should be included in your communication:
    • Current clerkship and site
    • Proposed clerkship site
    • Justification for the request

All requests for alternative clerkship sites will be considered, although it may not be possible to accommodate all requests.

The Clerkship Coordinator in Student Affairs will evaluate requests submitted 30 days prior to the start of the clerkship while considering each clerkship site’s minimum and maximum enrollment limits.

Requests submitted less than 30 days from the start of the clerkship will be evaluated by one of the Assistant or Associate Deans for Student Affairs before final approval from the Clerkship Chair and the Assistant or Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs.

Note that in addition to considering a change in clerkship site based upon a student’s request, all site assignments are subject to change. The Clerkship Chair, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs, or Assistant Dean for Curricular Affairs may initiate a change in clerkship site assignment in response to student, resident, or faculty feedback, to help ensure that a student has adequate exposure to required clinical experiences for the clerkship, or based on the availability of sites. 

Requesting An Alternative Team

One of the very important skills the students should develop during their clinical rotations is learning to work with diverse teams of people with different personalities and varying problem-solving skills. On services with multiple teams, should there be a significant reason necessitating reassignment to a different team, students have the ability to formally request a reassignment. These requests will be reviewed and considered by the Clerkship Site Director, Clerkship Chair, and Dean’s Office.

Procedure for requesting an alternative team assignment

  • Send an email message to the Clerkship Site Director, Site Coordinator, and Clerkship Chair with a copy to your Assistant and/or Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
  • Include in your message details about your current team assignment, and the reasons for requesting reassignment to another team.