Students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment during medical school. Under appropriate circumstances, students may be permitted to take a leave of absence from the MD program. A leave of absence (LOA) may be granted for the following reasons:

Academic Leave: An Academic LOA will be granted to students who are leaving to pursue a dual degree or enter into a full-time degree-granting course of study. In order to be approved for this leave, students must be in good academic standing and successfully complete USMLE Step requirements according to the Exam Administration and Procedures policy prior to beginning their leave.

Administrative Leave: An Administrative LOA will be assigned to students per the guidelines outlined in the Due Process and Academic Standing polices.

Medical Leave: A Medical LOA will be granted upon a student's request when a student experiences a serious physical and/or psychological injury, illness or condition. Physician documentation may be required during the Medical LOA. Upon return from a Medical LOA, a student must provide written recommendation by a licensed treating physician that shows satisfaction of technical standard requirements with reasonable accommodations for re-entry into the medical school curriculum.

Personal Leave: A Personal LOA may be granted for extenuating circumstances requiring interruption of enrollment. Various kinds of personal leave include parental leaves for childbearing and/or adoption.

Research Leave: A Research LOA may be granted for students who are leaving to pursue research opportunities. In order to be approved for this leave, students must be in good academic standing and successfully complete USMLE Step requirements according to the Exam Administration and Procedures policy prior to beginning their leave. Additionally, students must complete an additional application to be approved for this leave.

	Time on leave counts towards six-academic year limit	Requires P&H approval for LOAs greater than 90 days	Requires petition to re-enroll in coursework	Requires additional approval to re-enroll
Academic		x	x	x
Administrative	x	x	x	x
Medical	x	x	x	x
Personal	x	x	x	x
Research	x	x	x	x

*All leaves are subject to approval. A leave of absence cannot be approved retroactively. A student can only be on one category of leaves of absence at a time.

Leave of Absence Petition

Students must complete a formal Leave of Absence Petition including an approved plan for return from a leave when a break requires an interruption in coursework, disrupts progress through the MD degree, or exceeds four weeks during periods of enrollment in clerkships or electives in the clinical years.
Students pursuing an Academic or Research leave of absence are required to be in good academic standing and adhere to the USMLE Step requirements according to the Exam Administration and Procedures policy prior to beginning their leave.
Students should consult the following offices prior to submitting the leave of absence petition to ensure that they understand the ramifications of going on a leave:
1. - Associate Dean for Students
  - Associate Dean for Basic Science Education or Clinical Science Education, as appropriate
  - Financial Aid
Students must continue participating in all class activities, including examinations, until a Leave of Absence petition has been approved. If a student enters a leave while a course is in progress, they will contact and inform the Course Director who will determine the requirements for completing the course.
Leaves that are longer than 90 days must also be approved by the Committee on Promotions and Honors. The Office of Medical Education grants a leave upon reviewing the completed and approved petition.

No course credit can be received for periods while a student is on leave, which may jeopardize the student’s ability to graduate on time and commence residency training.

Returning from a Leave

Students are required to complete the Petition to Re-Enroll in Course Work form in order to officially return to the MD program. Students will not be officially enrolled into coursework, billed tuition and fees, or receive financial aid funds until the petition has been completed and approved by the required parties. Students are advised to complete the petition at least 2 months before their anticipated return date or as soon as possible for shorter leaves.

Students on a Medical LOA must also complete the Return from Medical LOA form prior to their return. This form must include signed verification of the School of Medicine’s Technical Standards by the licensed physician who has treated the illness, injury or condition associated with that leave in order for a student to be eligible for return.

Incomplete Grades

If a student has been issued a grade of “Incomplete” in a course prior to taking a leave, the 12-month deadline for completing the course is not changed by a LOA. Refer to the Grading Policy for further information.

Leave and Degree Limitations

Leaves exceeding 12-months will require additional approval by the Committee on Promotion and Honors.

Any cumulative leaves, excluding those associated with an Academic LOA, are not to exceed two years. Exceeding this limit will result in the student being eligible for dismissal and will require readmission to the School of Medicine.

Students must complete all degree requirements under the timeline described in the “Requirements for the MD Degree” policy. Time associated with an Academic LOA will not count towards the six-year limit.

RELATED POLICIES, FORMS AND LINKS

Revised on 05/07/24. Approved by SOM Committee on Promotions and Honors.