Clinical Studies Attendance

General Attendance Policy

Attendance and punctuality during all aspects of clinical clerkships are expected and considered an important part of a student's evaluation. Students, like house staff, are expected to fulfill their educational responsibilities and their patient care responsibilities; they are accorded real roles and form an integral part of the hospital team.

A student must take the following steps to request an excused absence from a clinical clerkship: first, the student should consult directly with his/her respective clerkship director. If further discussion is necessary, the student should consult with the OCA. Ideally this should be done well in advance to avoid disappointment if the request is not granted. The OCA will keep track of a student's requests over time, and will provide feedback and advice if the requests become excessive. If a student experiences an unexpected emergency s/he must immediately notify his/her Clerkship Director and the OCA.

Ordinarily no more than one (1) excused absence is allowed in 4 weeks of clinical clerkship; a student will not receive credit for the clerkship if s/he misses more than 1 day in 4 weeks. In some cases, in consultation with the Clerkship Director and with the OCA, a plan to "make up" missed days may be devised. Unexcused absences during a clerkship can result in an automatic failure, requiring repeat of the clerkship.

Vacation Policy

Students have eight weeks of free "block time" that can be used as vacation in the third and fourth years. These eight weeks are in addition to the regularly scheduled academic vacation between fall and winter quarters. On top of these two blocks of vacation time, students who take electives during their first and second years may substitute up to six units credit from these electives for one clinical block, resulting in a maximum of 12 weeks of vacation during the clinical years (JMP students automatically receive this extra 4 weeks of vacation).

Vacation may not be taken during the scheduled time for the Clinical Performance Exam (CPX), May/June of your third year.

PLEASE NOTE: The only holiday time that is automatically granted is for Thanksgiving. You are released from your clerkship at 8pm the day before Thanksgiving and must return by 8am the day after. Unlike core clerkships, you are not guaranteed to be off the last weekend of the 4th-year rotation -- depends on the service. No other holiday leave is guaranteed, and the site director must approve all such vacation requests in advance.