Unit Procedure
Title
Offices of Medical Student Education: Procedure on Adverse Events
Introduction
Purpose
This Procedure establishes protocols for Adverse Events.
Scope
This Procedure applies to:
- Students (“Student”) in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (“University”) School of Medicine’s (“SOM”) Medical Doctorate (“MD”) degree program in all phases of the curriculum and at all campuses and sites; and
- Offices of Medical Student Education (OMSE) staff who are responsible for its implementation.
Procedure
The SOM generally follows University guidance regarding closures or delays due to inclement weather or other emergencies. However, there may be occasions when SOM operations or scheduled activities are delayed, canceled, or moved to remote format even if the University remains open. Such decisions are made in consideration of multiple factors including Student and staff safety, travel conditions, clinical responsibilities, and the timing of scheduled events.
Any changes to SOM operations will be communicated as efficiently as possible via email and/or text message. Students are responsible for staying on top of such communications. Though the SOM strives to provide advance notice, some decisions regarding operations may necessarily be made in real time based on evolving circumstances.
Students should follow the instructions of their Campus Location. During inclement weather, Students should use their best judgement, taking into account local weather and road conditions, and should not travel if they do not feel safe. In instances where Students are transitioning between rotations, Students should follow the most relevant guidance for their geographical location.
Central Campus Procedures
Central Campus – Foundation Phase
- For Condition 1 (Reduced Operations), Students should use their best judgment in determining whether it is safe to travel to class. Students who report to class should use caution in doing so. Students who feel unsafe to travel and do not report to class should submit an absence form so that they are accounted for and then email SALeadership@listserv.med.unc.edu to request that the absence day not be subtracted from their allotted amount. Such requests must be approved by the Student Support Committee.
- For Condition 2 (Suspended Operations) or Condition 3 (Closure), Students should not report to class.
- If the University cancels classes, the OMSE will also notify Students of the cancellation via email and text message, regardless of Condition.
Central Campus – Application and Individualization Phases
- For Condition 1 (Reduced Operations), Students should use caution when reporting to class or clinical rotations and may be excused if local conditions prevent safe travel.
- For Condition 2 (Suspended Operations) or Condition 3 (Closure), Students should not report to class or to clinical rotations. Although third- and fourth-year Students are involved in patient care, they are not considered Mandatory Employees by the UNC Health Care System, or by the various Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).
- Local weather conditions at clinical sites within Central Campus may vary, preventing Students from traveling even when the University is not under an Adverse Weather Condition. In such instances, Students should contact their preceptor or site coordinator to inquire about local weather conditions. If operations are closed at these sites or travel to the site is hazardous, Students should not report to clinical rotations.
- If the University cancels classes, the OMSE will also instruct Students via email and text message to not report to or leave clinical sites, regardless of Condition.
If the University’s operating status changes:
- Campus communications will include -
- An email, website post and, if conditions warrant, a text message from Alert Carolina. Students must be signed up to receive an Alert Carolina text message. Alert Carolina will send text messages about the University’s decisions to activate or deactivate Condition 2 or Condition 3 and/or cancellation of classes.
- Posts on the University homepage, which are amplified via official University social media accounts including @UNC and @UNC_HR on X (formerly known as ‘Twitter’).
- Students can access additional information via:
- The University’s Adverse Weather and Emergency Phone Line: 919-843-1234. You may call this number to hear recorded announcements about campus operations.
- University's Traveler’s Information System Radio, 1610 AM, near campus.
- University's Transportation and Parking website for information regarding transportation, traffic, and parking lot conditions.
- Area news media websites and news reports.
- Official University unit / UNC Health Care websites and social media accounts, on which they often post news and updates about the status of their specific operations
- Chapel Hill Transit posts for news and information about adverse weather and transit routes and schedules.
Regional Campus Procedures – Application and Individualization Phases
Students at Regional Campuses are to follow instructions provided by campus leadership.
Asheville Campus
Students should follow delays and closures according to Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). Students can call 828-257-4400 to hear a recording with instructions or check the website to determine whether there is a delay or if the site is closed. Asheville campus administration will also notify Students by text/email as soon as information is made available. Students are responsible for notifying their preceptors if they will not be attending clinical activities due to a delay or closure. Students are not considered Mandatory Employees for clinical activities.
Charlotte Campus
If an Adverse Event, such as inclement weather, changes the healthcare system operating status, campus communications will occur via email and/or group text (GroupMe). Students are asked to make personal safety a priority. Students can address questions or concerns directly with the Campus Director, Dr. Kelley Lawrence (klawrence@novanthealth.org), or student affairs liaison Ashley Hagler (ahagler@novanthealth.org).
Wilmington Campus
The Wilmington campus works in conjunction with the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Command Center. Announcements concerning changes in operations or weather events and their effects on operations are sent via email and communicated on the medical center's website. Any Students with concerns or questions should first reach out to the campus’s student affairs liaison(s) (Meredith Hughes at Meredith.hughes@seahec.net or Tiffany Conway tiffany.conway@seahec.net).
Definitions
Adverse event/s: Any event that disrupts normal University and educational operations. Adverse Events include inclement weather.
Mandatory Employees: Employees whose presence is required for the operation of the University during adverse weather or emergency conditions, and who are therefore required to report to or remain at work unless excused by a supervisor. See the University's "Adverse Weather and Emergency Closing" webpage for more information on requirements of Mandatory Employees.
Campus Location: Refers to each of the six main sites/campuses of the MD program and their associated clinical sites
Central Campus: The main campus of the SOM comprised of UNC Hospitals, UNC Hillsborough, and surrounding clinical sites in the Triangle area.
Adverse Weather Condition: A change in the normal operating status of the University due to a weather event, as determined by the University.
Conditions 1, 2, and 3: Information on each Condition can be found on the University's "Adverse Weather and Emergency Closing" webpage.
Related Requirements
External Regulations
Unit Policies, Standards, and Procedures
Contact Information
Primary Contact
Name: Valerie Glassman, Senior Director for Student Affairs
Email: Valerie_Glassman@med.unc.edu
Publication Details
Issuing Officer: Alice Chuang, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, alice_chuang@med.unc.edu
Effective Date: December 1, 2025
Review Cycle: The Office of Student Affairs will review this Policy in even-numbered years and the Education Committee will review and approve it.
Next Review Date: December 31, 2026