Unit Policy
Title
School of Medicine: Translational Education at Carolina (TEC) 2.0 Foundation Phase Attendance and Personal Leave Policy
Introduction
Purpose
To outline the Attendance and Personal Leave Policy for the Foundation Phase Translational Education at Carolina (TEC) 2.0 curriculum.
Scope
This Policy is applicable to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (University) School of Medicine (SOM) Medical Doctorate students currently in the Foundation Phase. This Policy does not apply to students in the clinical phases of the curriculum (Application and Individualization Phase).
Policy
Policy Statement
The goal of this Policy is to support students in identifying time needed during the pre-clinical curriculum to take care of personal matters and to attend to life events that require limited time away from class while balancing learning and accountability to classmates. For larger concerns and need for time away (i.e., more than four (4) days away from class), please consult directly with Student Affairs as early as possible by emailing SALeadership@listserv.med.unc.edu.
The TEC 2.0 curriculum has multiple open afternoons each week. Students should plan appointments such as doctor visits, therapy, regular home and car maintenance, and other business during free, non-curricular afternoons.
In the event of an unanticipated need to be absent from class or planned, fixed-date need (e.g., family wedding), students may use an absence day. Below is detailed information about how absence days may be used and how students should request them. Students who do not follow the appropriate steps to notify the Office of Medical Student Education that they will be absent (e.g., communicate only with faculty/instructors instead of filling out the form) may be referred for professionalism concerns.
Regardless of whether the absence is planned or due to illness, crisis, or conference, students are responsible for making up the work they miss, including exam make-ups. A student who is away from the curriculum for an extended period of time may benefit from an informal stepping away until the next course starts or a more formal leave of absence. Student Affairs can advise students on appropriate steps.
Students who receive a notice or summons for jury duty (in any jurisdiction) or who are assigned to report for military duty on dates that conflict with scheduled curricular time are encouraged to email SALeadership@listserv.med.unc.edu as early as possible with a copy of the notice.
Use of Absence Days
- Students are allotted four (4) absence days per semester for planned or unplanned health/wellbeing needs or personal/family matters.
- An absence day will be used when a student reports they will miss one or more classes on any given school day.
- An absence day will be used regardless of whether the student misses one or all classes on a given day.
- Attendance at all Orientation events is mandatory unless otherwise indicated.
- A student cannot use more than two (2) absences during any course (including six (6)-week medical sciences courses, the semester-long Patient Centered Care (PCC) course, and the semester-long Social and Health Systems (SHS) course).
- A student cannot use an absence during an exam or major assignment in any course or during resource-intensive sessions such as patient encounters, clinical skills examinations (CSEs) and labs. The only exception to this rule is for Peer Accelerated Learning (PALS) quizzes, which may be made up if they are missed during an absence day. Students may not request absences during resource-intensive sessions.
- Resource-intensive sessions will be scheduled on the Canvas calendar three (3) or more months in advance.
- Clinical Skills Exams (CSEs) in the Patient Centered Care course are scheduled at the beginning of each semester and are also considered highly resource intensive; absences will not be permitted. Students are requested to hold the entire week until the date of their exam is confirmed. Students may only swap exam times with other members of their tutor group. A student who misses the CSE at the appointed time will garner an absence and will be required to schedule a makeup.
- A student who misses an exam (other than a PALS quiz) will have an absence deducted from their “bank.”
- Absences do not carry over to the next semester.
Definitions
Foundation Phase: The first eighteen (18) months of the medical school curriculum comprised of:
- Nine (9) Medical Science courses (three per semester)
- Three (3) semesters of Patient Centered Care (PCC)
- Three (3) semesters of Social and Health Systems (SHS)
Absence Days: Absence days are intended to allow a student to miss scheduled class time for illness, delay of transportation (such as car breakdowns), family emergencies, urgent medical care (i.e., not routine doctor’s appointments) or other similar needs. Students are not required to submit documentation, doctor’s notes, or other justification for taking an absence day.
Related Requirements
External Regulations
Unit Policies, Standards, and Procedures
Contact Information
Primary Contact
Name: Alice Chuang, MD, Med, FACOG, Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Email: alice_chuang@med.unc.edu