Unit Policy
Title
School of Medicine: Policy on Translational Education at Carolina (TEC) 2.0 Clinical Phases Attendance and Personal Leave Policy
Introduction
Purpose
To outline the Attendance and Personal Leave Policy for the Clinical Phases of the TEC 2.0 curriculum (“Curriculum”).
Scope
This Policy is applicable to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ("University") School of Medicine (SOM) Medical Doctorate (MD) degree program students (“Students”), faculty, and staff in the Application and Individualization Phases. This Policy does not apply to students in the Foundation Phase of the Curriculum.
Policy
Policy Statement
The goal of this Policy is to support Students in (i) identifying time needed during the 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 and (ii) finding balance between the nature of the learning environment and the demands of the physician profession. For larger concerns and need for time away (i.e., more than two (2) days away from class), Students should consult directly with their Campus/Site Designee as early as possible via email.
The Curriculum offers varying schedules among courses, many of which may allow for noncurricular time during business days. Students should plan appointments such as doctor visits, therapy, regular home and car maintenance, and other personal matters during free, non-curricular time.
In the event of an unanticipated need to be absent from class or a planned, fixed-date need (e.g., family wedding), Students may use an “Absence Day”. Absence Days may be used and requested in accordance with this Policy. Students who do not follow the Procedure for TEC 2.0 Clinical Phases Attendance and Personal Leave steps to notify the Offices of Medical Student Education of an absence may be referred to the Committee on Professionalism Education or Student Progress Committee for professionalism concerns.
Regardless of whether an absence is planned or unplanned, urgent or not (including but not limited to illness, crisis, wedding, accidentally misreading one’s schedule or attending a conference), Students are responsible for making up the work they miss. This may include standardized patient encounters, clinical work hours, quizzes, didactics, and/or exam make-ups. A Student who is away from the Curriculum for an extended period of time may benefit from withdrawing from their then-current course and rejoining the Curriculum when their next course starts or from a leave of absence. The Office of 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 their Campus/Site Designee as early as possible with a copy of the notice.
Use of Absence Days
- Students are allotted six (6) Absence Days per academic year for planned or unplanned health/wellbeing needs or personal/family matters.
- A Student cannot use more than two (2) Absence Days:
- Per block in either Application Phase or Individualization Phase.
- Per academic year Social and Health Systems (SHS) days.
- An Absence Day will be used when a Student reports they will miss class or clinic on any given day regardless of whether the Student misses one or all classes or clinics on a given day.
- Attendance at all course orientation events is mandatory unless otherwise indicated.
- A Student cannot use an Absence Day on the following Blackout Days:
- Transition to Application Phase
- Shelf exams (Application Phase)
- Observed Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) (Application Phase)
- Career Day
- Class Meetings (Application Phase)
- Transition to Individualization Phase
- Transition to Residency
- Days on which the Student has signed up to take the Conclusion of Application Phase (CAP) requirements
- No more than one (1) Absence Day can be used adjacent to conference absences.
- Absences do not carry over from the Application Phase to the Individualization Phase.
- If a Student needs to take time off beyond their allotted Absence Days, the Student must email their Campus/Site Designee as soon as they become aware of the need for time away from class.
Dissemination of Policy
- The Policy will be reviewed with Students during the Transition to Application Phase and Transition to Individualization Phase courses. Students must attest to having read and agreed to this Policy during each transition course.
- Students may email their Campus/Site Designee at any point with questions about this Policy.
Definitions
Campus/Site Designee: The primary contact for attendance matters at each of the six (6) campuses or sites. A Student’s Campus/Site Designee will be identified to the Student during the Transition Courses.
Application Phase: The twelve (12)-month clinical phase of the medical school curriculum dedicated to core clinical experiences, beginning in March and ending in February of the following, year consisting of:
- Six (6) clinical courses:
- Community Based Primary Care
- Pediatrics
- Medicine
- Surgery
- Psychiatry
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- One (1) longitudinal course
- Social and Health Systems 4
Individualization Phase: The final fourteen (14) month clinical phase of the medical school curriculum dedicated to the completion of graduation requirements and electives tailored to a Student’s career interest, beginning in March and ending in May of the following year consisting of:
- Two (2) Acting Internships
- One (1) Critical Care Selective
- One (1) Advanced Clinical Selective
- Four (4) Electives
- Two (2) longitudinal courses:
- Science of Medicine
- Social and Health Systems 5
- Transition to Residency (to be completed at the end of the phase)
Absence Day: Absence Days are intended to allow a Student to miss scheduled clinical time for illness (including time needed for mental health), 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, doctors’ notes, or other justification for taking an Absence Day.
Blackout Days: Days during which students may not use a planned 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