/Institutions/University-of-Texas-Rio-Grande-Valley/json/som/policies-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Texas-Rio-Grande-Valley/json/som/policies.json

EAA071 Clinical Year 3 and 4 Attendance Policy

Policy Number: EAA071
Policy Title: Clinical Year 3 and 4 Attendance Policy

A. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for attendance during Clinical Year 3 & 4. These guidelines comply with both University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine and the liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) standards.

B. Persons Affected

This policy applies to all students participating in UTRGV School of Medicine Clinical Years 3 & 4.

C. Policy

Year 3 & 4 medical students are required to attend and participate in all aspects of their assigned clinical rotations. All clinical schedules, rotation orientations, NBME exam days and didactic sessions are mandatory.

Rotation Orientation Day
Students are required to attend orientation sessions for each rotation. Students who do not attend the mandatory orientation session will be prohibited from participating in the clinical rotation as scheduled. A delayed start of a clinical rotation may affect the student’s entire clinical schedule. Students will be required to meet with the Assistant Dean for Medical Education, Clerkships to revise their schedule which may ultimately affect their Year 4 schedule or result in a delay in graduation.

Clinical Rotations & Didactic Lectures
Students are required to attend all scheduled clinical rotations and didactic lectures. Adherence to clinical schedules and didactics are mandatory and take precedence over scheduling of non-rotation events. It is the student's responsibility to ensure clinical rotation requirements will be met before scheduling any non-rotation events (e.g. travel, conference attendance, weddings, etc.).

Students are required to attend all scheduled weekday, on-call and weekend duties as directed by the clerkship director, faculty supervisor, and/ or supervising resident. Students will adhere to the ACGME Work Hour Rules (2017) and UTRGV SOM Clerkship Duty Hours Policy.

Last Day of Rotation and NBME Exam Day
Students are required to attend the last day of each clinical rotation and to sit for the NBME. Excused absences for missing an NBME include illness with substantiating doctor's note and family emergency discussed and approved by the Assistant Dean for Medical Education, Clerkships.

Holidays and Breaks
Winter Break Is the ONLY scheduled time off from the Year 3 clinical rotation schedule. Time off for all other holidays is at the discretion of the Clerkship Director, faculty supervisor, and/ or supervising resident.

D. Procedure

Clerkship Directors, faculty supervisors or their assigned designee (academic coordinators) have the responsibility for keeping and maintaining records of attendance for all mandatory clinical rotation activities. Students found to be in violation of the Clinical Years 3 & 4 Attendance Policy will receive a Professionalism Concern write up as indicated in the Professionalism Policy.

Absences
Students requesting any time off should contact the appropriate Clinical Course Director at least four weeks prior to the time requesting off. Students are required to complete the School of Medicine Excused Absence Form (Appendix B) in order to request time off from a specific rotation. Absences must not be planned during the rotation orientation, NBME exam day, or during any other required element of a clinical rotation. Clinical rotations are scheduled in advance and it is the student's responsibility to arrange any anticipated personal events during breaks in the schedule.

In general, a student is permitted 2 excused absences during a four-week rotation and 4 excused absences during an eight-week rotation.

During Clinical Year 4, students are permitted 4 excused absences during a non Sub-Internship rotation for interviewing. Students will also be permitted 3 excused absences for STEP 2 CK/CS testing with substantiating documentation to support the time away. If a student is invited to a residency interview and the absence will exceed the 4-day limit, students must obtain written approval from the course director. The student may be required to make up missed clinical time or complete a simulation experience.

Unexcused absences will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action, which may include failure in professionalism and requirement to repeat a clinical rotation.

• If one unexcused absence occurs, the student will be immediately reported to Clerkship Director who will complete a Professionalism Concern write up which will be included in the student's final clerkship evaluation. The student will be referred to the Dean for Student Affairs for disciplinary action.
• If a second unexcused absence occurs, the student will be reported immediately to the Clerkship Director who will complete a final Professionalism Concern write up to be included in the student's Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) Letter. The student will be referred to the Medical Student Evaluation and Performance Committee (MSPEC) for disciplinary action

Student Reporting of Absences
If a student plans to be absent from a clinical rotation, the following individuals must be notified before the start of a work shift:

1. Faculty Supervisor
   1. Email and phone call. See individual clerkship syllabi for specific contact requirements
2. Academic Coordinator and Clerkship Director of the specific rotation
   1. See Clerkship syllabi for contact information
3. The Assistant Dean for Medical Education, Clerkships

The following absence types must be reported in the delineated manner:

• Rotation Orientation Day and/or NBME Exam Day
  • If an absence is due to an illness or injury, the student must present a doctor's note on the health care provider's letterhead or prescription paper to the Clerkship Director.
  • If an absence is due to a family or life emergency, the student must speak directly with the Clerkship Director. Confidentiality will be upheld.
• Two or more consecutive missed days due to illness
  • Students must present a doctor's note on the health care provider's letterhead or prescription paper to the Clerkship Director.
• Presentation at a national conference
  • Students must submit copies of the national conference invitation to present, a conference program and travel itinerary to the specific Clerkship Director to substantiate the absence.

Exam Absence and Tardiness Reporting
The testing coordinator is responsible for keeping records of attendance for all exams and will report any student absences and/or tardiness to the Assistant Dean for Medical Education, Clerkships. The Assistant Dean for Medical Education, Clerkships will then address the absence and/or tardiness with the student and if permitted, refer the student to the Office of Assessment for re-scheduling of exam at a later date. All students who miss the original scheduled exam date will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement form before the exam may be rescheduled on an alternative date.

Relevant Federal and/or State Statute(s), Board of Regents' Rule(s), UTS Policy(ies), and/or Coordinating Board Rule(s)

This section includes hyperlinks to any related federal or state laws, Regent's rule s and UT System Policies.