Leaves of Absence

Leaves of absence fall into three categories: academic leave of absence, personal leave of absence, and administrative leave of absence. Each type of leave is described below.

Academic Leave of Absence: Students request leaves of absence from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. A student who has passed all required licensing exams and is in Good Academic Standing may request an Academic Leave of Absence for academic enrichment, such as research, for a period of up to one year.

Personal Leave of Absence: Students request personal leaves of absence from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Administrative Leave of Absence: Students who have failed to complete certain academic or non-academic requirements may be placed on an Administrative Leave of Absence by the Student Academic Progress Committee for a specified period to complete these requirements. This involuntary leave of absence may be imposed under circumstances such as:

● failure to meet the academic standards, failure to pay tuition or fees,
● failure to submit proof of insurance,
● failure to submit mandatory medical clearance documents

The length of an administrative leave and the conditions for reentry to the school will be determined by the Student Academic Progress Committee.

Applying for Academic or Personal Leave.

The request must be in writing and must set out the dates, the reasons and, the proposed use of Leave of Absence. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee may grant the request or refer the request to the SAPC for action.

Approval Process for Academic or Personal Leave.

If a Leave of Absence is granted, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will communicate, in writing, to the student any conditions which must be met during the leave and upon return. Associate Dean for Student Affairs will also notify the Registrar, Financial Aid, and SAPC Chair. If the request is referred to the SAPC for action, the SAPC will evaluate the request and make a determination. If requests for leaves are reviewed and approved by the SAPC, a letter from the SAPC Chair will be sent to the student.

Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to take more than 8 years from the time of matriculation to complete the requirements for the MD degree, including leaves of absence. Student should also consider the ramification of Leave on their Financial Aid eligibility.