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Clerkship Attendance Policy

Students' presence, participation, and engagement are cornerstones of clinical clerkships. All clerkship activities are mandatory and include all educational activities and clinical shifts. Clinical shifts may include nights, holidays, and weekend duties.

LATENESS: Being on time is an essential component of professionalism in the clinical environment. Timeliness affects the efficiency and efficacy of the team in delivering patient care, and also impacts the learning experience for students.

  • Students are expected to arrive on time for ALL scheduled clerkship activities.

  • Students anticipating any degree of lateness for clerkship activities must notify their clinical team as soon as possible.

  • Any lateness exceeding thirty (30) minutes must also be reported by the student via an email sent to the Clerkship Site Director, the CUNY and Site Clerkship Coordinators, and absence@med.cuny.edu.

  • Makeup time for significant, repeated, or unreported lateness will be determined on a case-by-case basis, with input from clerkship site leadership, the Department of Medical Education, and the Office of Student Affairs.

  • Unreported or repeated lateness may be deemed an unapproved absence. Policies regarding unapproved absences are outlined below.

ABSENSES: Determination of an absence as approved, or unapproved is described in the CUNY SOM policy. The Absence policy requires students to report their absences to the Clerkship Sire Director, CUNY and Site Clerkship Coordinators, and absence@med.cuny.edu.

Approved absences must be made up. The clerkship site director will determine how missed days are made up. Missed days can be made up during or after the clerkship. Unapproved absences cannot be made up. Students must meet with the clerkship site director after one unapproved absence. Students will be referred to the SAPC for 2 unapproved absences.

Competence in clinical work requires a student to be present, therefore all absences including excused absences may affect a student’s grade. For all types of absences (approved or unapproved), if a student misses more than 20% of the clerkship or the equivalent of 1 day per clerkship week, the student will need to repeat the clerkship.