Procedure for Institutional Policy E-09: DO Attendance

1. Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to implement and clarify Institutional Policy E-09: Attendance for the D.O. Program.

2. Applicability

2.1

This procedure applies to all West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) students enrolled in the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program.

2.2

WVSOM reserves the right to amend this procedure at any time.

3. Definitions

3.1

“Appropriate Associate Dean” means the Associate Dean of Preclerkship Education for Year 1 and Year 2 students and the Associate Dean of Clinical Education for Year 3 and Year 4 students.

3.2

"SWC" means Statewide Campus. 

4. Excuse and Unexcused Absences

4.1 Excused Absences

4.1.1 Year 1 and Year 2 Student Absences

a.

Students must submit an excused absence request via e-mail to the Associate Dean of Preclerkship Education (preclerkship@osteo.wvsom.edu). The Associate Dean of Preclerkship or designee will determine if the student may be excused and will notify the student and relevant course staff.

b.

The student must refer to the course syllabus for makeup instructions. In the event that the mandatory activity is an exam, the Associate Dean of Preclerkship Education will determine the make-up date for the exam in conjunction with the Testing Center.

4.1.2 Year 3 and Year 4 Student Absences

a. 

The student must contact their clinical preceptor and their regional SWC staff in the event of an absence and may be required to submit an exception request form.

b.

The student must follow up with the preceptor to make up missed clinical time. In the event that the mandatory activity is an exam, the Regional Assistant Dean, in conjunction with the Office of National Boards when relevant, will determine the make-up date for the exam.  For any other mandatory activity or assignment, the Regional Assistant Dean will determine the make-up assignment and due date.

4.1.3 

A limited number of excuses may be granted for certain occurrences, such as the following:

a.

Illness: A student illness and illness in the immediate family that prevent the student from attending any mandatory activity including clinical rotations. If the student misses a mandatory activity for medical reasons, the student may subsequently be required to present to the Associate Dean of Preclerkship Education, Regional Assistant Dean, or Associate Dean of Clinical Education a written confirmation of their illness from a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner, none of whom may be in a familial relationship with the student, stating that the student was “too ill to attend on the day of the activity” and specifying the date that the student is to return to class or rotations. 

b.

Transportation Problems: A student may be excused if they physically cannot be present due to a documented transportation problem; ex. car broke down, interstate closed down, flight delayed.

c.

Weather Problems: A student who is unable to make it to campus because of a documented weather condition, ex. ice or snowstorm, may be excused at the discretion of the Appropriate Associate Dean. Year 3 and Year 4 students may also be excused by their clinical preceptor and regional SWC staff.

d.

Weddings: A student participating in a wedding is expected to make every reasonable effort to attend classes as scheduled. However, a student who has an immediate family member being married may be excused at the discretion of the Appropriate Associate Dean or regional SWC staff. Documentation of the wedding is required for excused absences. Students in Year 3 and Year 4 may also use vacation time to attend a wedding.

e.

Funerals: A student may be excused for funerals of a family member or close friend. Documentation of the services may be requested.

f.

Religious Observance: A student may be excused for observance of religious holy days. Students in Year 3 and Year 4 should consult their regional SWC staff regarding being excused for the observance of religious holidays.

g.

Off Campus Professional Meetings: A student may be excused for attending an off campus professional meeting if they meet academic criteria. Students must submit a conference leave request form to the Appropriate Associate Dean or Regional Assistant Dean. 

h.

D.O. Day on the Hill: Year 1 and Year 2 students who are not academically-at-risk are eligible to be excused for D.O. Day on the Hill in Washington, D.C. Year 1 and Year 2 students should submit this request using the conference leave request form. Year 3 and Year 4 students may be excused from rotations,  and will need to submit an exception request form to their Regional Assistant Dean for approval.

4.2 Unexcused Absences

4.2.1

Year 1 and Year 2 students with an unexcused absence for a mandatory activity will receive grade penalties described in the course syllabi.

4.2.2

Students who miss a mandatory activity will be required to make up the activity whether the absence is excused or unexcused. For Year 1 and Year 2 students, the course director or designee will determine the makeup activity. All courses are required to develop a mechanism for documenting attendance at mandatory activities. Students who do not complete all course assignments, including makeup activities, according to the due date on the syllabus will receive a grade penalty unless there are extenuating circumstances in the judgment of the Associate Dean of Preclerkship Education that prevented the student from completing all course work. Students with documented and approved extenuating circumstances will receive an Incomplete (I) until the course assignment(s) has been completed within the time frame determined by the course director and Associate Dean of Preclerkship Education.

4.2.3

An absence from any rotation without approval will be regarded as an unexcused absence. In the event of an unexcused absence, a written explanation from the student must be sent to their Regional Assistant Dean, who will address the absence. A student who leaves a rotation site without authorization from their clinical preceptor and regional SWC staff may receive a failing grade.

4.3 Chronic Lateness

4.3.1

Documented chronic lateness is considered unprofessional behavior. Progressive discipline will be used to address students who are late to mandatory activities, which includes all Year 3 and Year 4 rotations. Verbal feedback will initially occur followed by a written warning. Chronic lateness will be reported to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs as unprofessional behavior and may result in further action in accordance with Institutional Policy DO-01: Academic and Professional Standards and applicable procedures.

5. Off-Campus Meeting Attendance

5.1

The following procedure pertains to all student leave from classes/rotations to attend off-campus meetings even if no mandatory class sessions  or rotations will be missed. It recognizes that the medical student’s major responsibility should be to participate in designated course activities in order to gain the mastery of skills and knowledge that is necessary to practice medicine. Students will be required to adhere to the following procedure whether or not they would be missing a required class or exam, unless the meeting and all associated travel occurs during a school break or holiday. This approval process must also be used if a student is requesting WVSOM support, such as travel funding or poster printing, even if the conference occurs during a school break.

5.2 Criteria for Meeting Leave Approval

5.2.1

Students must meet the appropriate Class Eligibility Requirements noted below.

5.2.2

Students must be in good academic standing (not academically-at-risk).

5.2.3

Year 1 and Year 2 students must have a cumulative overall grade point average of 83 or greater.

5.2.4

The meeting leave must first be approved by the student’s Regional Assistant Dean, if applicable, and the Appropriate Associate Dean.

5.2.5

Depending on the nature of the meeting attended, the student may be required to provide an oral report on the meeting to an appropriate constituent group.

5.3 Process for Applying for Meeting Leave

5.3.1

Students must initiate the process by filling out the Conference leave request form Request Form, which is available electronically. Approval must be obtained at least three weeks prior to the commencement of the trip. Forms must be filled out by each individual student. Students must fill out this form whether or not they are missing any required course work. Failure to fill out this form will result in revoking permission to go to other meetings during student years and may result in other academic sanctions, including the mention of this unprofessional behavior in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation.

5.3.2

For Year 1 and Year 2 students, upon approval of leave by the Associate Dean of Preclerkship Education ,the course staff will be notified of any excused absences from mandatory activities by the Office of Preclerkship Education. It is the student’s responsibility to consult the relevant course syllabi for instructions on how to make up the missed activities. 

5.3.3

If mandatory assignments such as formative quizzes, reflections, or other activities have a due date during the time of conference leave, students are expected to complete and submit the assignments in advance of the trip unless the assignment is not available in advance.

5.3.4

Extensions will not be granted for summative assessments or assignments occurring after the leave period.  If the student must miss a summative assessment scheduled during the conference leave period, the Office of Preclerkship Education will notify the student of a non-negotiable makeup time and date.

5.3.5

Year 3 and Year 4 students must next seek approval for the trip from the appropriate Regional Assistant Dean and then from the Associate Dean of Clinical Education by obtaining their signature on the form.

5.3.6

After receiving the required signatures, Year 3 and Year 4 students must return the form to their Statewide Campus office at least three weeks prior to the commencement of the trip. The Associate Dean of Clinical Education will then give final approval.

5.4 Class Eligibility Requirements

5.4.1

Year 1 Students: No Year 1 student may be permitted to attend state and/or national meetings from August through December of the first year. Year 1 students will be allowed to attend one national meeting from January through May, provided they meet the criteria set forth above. All required academic activities missed must be made up per the instructions provided in the course syllabi. A Year 1 student will not be allowed to miss exams to attend a meeting, unless their attendance is required by a national organization.

5.4.2

Year 2 Students: Year 2 students may be allowed to attend one meeting per year provided they meet the criteria set forth above. All required activities missed must be made up per the instructions provided in the course syllabi.  The Office of Preclerkship Education will notify the student of a non-negotiable makeup time and date.

5.4.3 Year 3 and Year 4 Students

a.

Year 3 students may be allowed to attend one meeting during their third year. Students may not attend meetings during any two-week rotation.

b.

Year 4 students may attend one meeting during their fourth year. Students may not attend meetings during any two-week rotation.

c.

The make-up for all Year 3 and Year 4 required activities must be arranged with the clinical preceptor and the Regional Assistant Dean. Students must still meet the criteria listed in this Section 5.4.3. No student should buy a nonrefundable ticket or pay a nonrefundable conference fee before receiving final approval from the Associate Dean of Clinical Education.

5.5 Exceptions for Student Officers

5.5.1

Students who hold an office in a WVSOM-supported club or organization and are required to attend national meetings because of that office may be allowed to attend more than one meeting per year in order to fulfill this obligation. For example, students may still attend one meeting of their choice as well as the meetings they are required to attend by virtue of their office. Student officers must still meet all of the criteria listed above. Officers must document the necessity for their attendance.

5.5.2

Proxies attending required organization meetings will be permitted under unusual circumstances if permission is sought and obtained from the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. The proxy must also meet all of the criteria listed above.

5.6 Other Exceptions

5.6.1

An additional meeting each year can be attended for the purpose of presentation of scholarly activity such as papers or posters. This exception will be considered for primary authors or presenters only. The total time away from clinical rotations cannot exceed two (2) days. Students must provide documentation confirming that they are the primary author of an accepted presentation.

5.6.2

Students are sometimes invited to attend local meetings occurring on campus or at the Greenbrier Resort (for example, the WV Osteopathic Medical Association annual meeting).  Year 1 and Year 2 students may attend sessions occurring outside of scheduled curricular time without submitting a formal leave request unless they are requesting financial support.  Students choosing to attend extracurricular sessions at a local meeting are expected to keep up with all course material and assignments. On occasion, meetings will be held back-to-back in the same place (e.g., SOMA and AOA). When this occurs, students may petition to attend both or parts of both meetings where appropriate, but must show a valid purpose for their attendance.

5.6.3

Exceptions to this procedure can be made by the Appropriate Associate Dean 

5.6.4

The Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean has the authority to deny any student request for meeting leave based on the circumstances, or grant other exceptions when appropriate.