Medical, Family and Personal Leave of Absence

Policy 590.10

Policy Statement

Students can request a leave of absence (LOA) for medical, family (includes parental leave) or personal reasons. In addition, a student may be placed on administrative leave for various reasons. Please refer to Medical Student Handbook Policy 590.20 - Administrative Leave of Absence.

Policy Elaboration

A medical, family or personal leave of absence may be granted with the following provisions:

  1. Any leave of absence must be requested in writing and include a finite duration of the requested leave of absence. The request must include the reason, proposed duration, emergency contact information for the time away, and in the case of medical leave, must include sufficient documentation to support the request. Students must follow the established request process using the LCOM Leave of Absence Request and Approval Form.
  2. Students planning a leave of absence must meet with an Assistant/Associate Dean for Students to discuss the LOA request. They are also encouraged to discuss their LOA with their academic advisor (PCR mentor and/or specialty).
  3. In compliance with the Medical Student Handbook Policy 560.00 Satisfactory Academic Progress, students must complete all graduation requirements within six years.
  4. Students are subject to changes in their financial aid eligibility during a leave of absence. Students planning a leave of absence must meet with a member of Student Financial Services prior to taking the leave to ascertain how the leave will affect their financial aid status unless they have no scholarships, current or prior loans, or grants.
    1. Title IV of the Higher Education Act stipulates that for Federal Student Aid purposes, a leave of absence, together with any additional leave of absence, must not exceed a total of 180 days in any 12-month period. Only an enrollment interruption that meets Title IV guidelines is reported as a “leave of absence” to the National Clearinghouse by the UVM Registrar’s Office. Any enrollment interruptions that do not meet the federal definition are recorded as inactive or withdrawn periods.
    2. Student loans will enter the grace/automatic deferment period when a student takes a leave of absence (LOA). For Federal Loans, this is a six-month period. For other UVM Loans, this is a nine-month grace period. Other loans with private lenders may offer a grace period; however, the length of the grace period can vary depending on the loan type/lender. Students should check their promissory note or contact the lender or servicer of the loan to find out if a grace/deferment period is associated with the loan.

      During the grace/deferment period, students are not required to make payments on the loans (though unsubsidized loans will continue to accrue interest). If the LOA exceeds the grace period, then repayment of the loans will begin. Additionally, if the LOA exceeds the grace period, then any federal loans disbursed prior to the LOA will not be eligible for an additional deferment (e.g., upon graduation from medical school). Students on leave of absence are not eligible for financial aid.
  5. This policy does not prohibit students on LOA from taking an exam to address an incomplete course requirement.
  6. Students on any type of leave of absence may not participate in curricular or co-curricular activities sponsored by the Larner College of Medicine (LCOM) or the university.
  7. In accordance with the Medical Student Handbook Policy 310.00 - Support for Disabilities: Technical Standards and Provision of Americans with Disabilities Act Accommodations, a Larner College of Medicine student may contact the Student Accessibility Services at the University of Vermont at any time to initiate the process of requesting reasonable accommodations.
  8. Students are subject to certain requirements with respect to their liability and health insurance status during a leave of absence.
    1. Students on leave of absence are not covered by the University of Vermont general liability policy and are not covered to participate in any clinical activities unless they have liability insurance from a different source during the activity.
    2. Students on leave of absence must continue their coverage by the Larner College of Medicine disability insurance policy and will be charged the standard fee for this coverage. Please refer to Medical Student Handbook Policy 840.00 – Disability Insurance.
    3. Students on leave of absence are not eligible for health insurance under the UVM student plan. However, insurance purchased prior to the onset of the leave provides coverage through the end of the semester following the time the leave was initiated.
    4. Students on leave of absence may continue to be covered by the Student Health Prepayment Plan provided they are compliant with the plan’s requirements.
  9. Students on leave of absence must return the LCOM provided laptop to the Service Center as defined in their Laptop Agreement Form completed during Orientation Week. All LCOM owned equipment, such as loaners, tablets, or accessories in the student’s possession must be returned in accordance with the Agreement to avoid related fees. A copy of the form was emailed to each student upon completion of the agreement, and is available for review, upon request.
  10. Students on leave of absence will not be charged other fees.
  11. Students on leave of absence will not have access to CATcard privileges. Student status for those on a leave of absence is noted as “inactive” in the Registrar’s Office (Banner). Only students whose student status is “active” have access to the athletic and transportation services. A student wishing access to the UVM Campus Recreation facilities while on a leave of absence may purchase a pass from UVM Campus Rec. Bus passes may be purchased from Green Mountain Transit (GMT) directly.
Returning from Leave

All students on a leave of absence must schedule a meeting with Assistant/Associate Dean for Students at least four weeks prior to returning to the curriculum to review the stipulations and requirements for return and assure these have been met.

  1. The LCOM Office of Medical Education may stipulate conditions to be met to return from a leave of absence. In the case of medical leave, this includes supporting documentation from the student’s medical provider that the student is ready to return. In the case of a leave granted to pursue additional advanced degrees (e.g., master’s degree or PhD program), evidence that the student has completed or is no longer enrolled in the additional degree program is required before the student’s enrollment status will be changed to active in the M.D. program.
  2. Students returning from a leave of absence during clinical rotations will be assigned to the next available placement to continue their education. Such placements may be in a different location and later than the student’s desired return date. Inability to schedule a return to the curriculum may result in a delay in graduation.
  3. Students returning from a leave of absence should contact the UVMMC IS Service Center (802-847-1414) to have their passwords reset and their accounts re-enabled.
  4. Students returning from a leave of six months or longer must complete clinical skills training in the Clinical Simulation Laboratory prior to returning to clerkship rotations.
  5. If students returning from a leave of absence during clinical rotations need to be refitted for their N-95 respirator, they will be responsible for associated mask-fitting charges assessed by the company contracted by LCOM for providing this service outside of established class-wide fitting opportunities.
  6. Students who fail to return to active student status or fail to request an extension to their leave of absence by the approved expected return date will be:
    1. Reviewed by the Advancement Committee to determine if dismissal is appropriate if such review was stipulated as a condition to the student’s return from the leave. The student will be informed about the date of the Committee’s review and of the outcomes of such review by the Committee support staff in accordance with Policy 565.10- Advancement Committee Procedures and Review of Academic Performance.
    2. Reviewed by the Fitness Committee to determine if dismissal is appropriate due to professionalism concerns (e.g., unresponsiveness, accountability). The student will be informed about the date of the Committee’s review and of the outcomes of such review by the Committee support staff in accordance with Policy 690.10- Fitness Committee and Review of Professional Performance.

Early Advanced Integration Level Enrollment

Larner College of Medicine students considering a medical, family, or parental leave during their clerkship year may take up to twelve weeks of Advanced Integration elective credit prior to completion of their Clerkship Year. To be eligible, students must be in good academic standing. Students may not take Advanced Integrations courses if the prerequisite clerkship rotations have not been completed. Cases will be reviewed on an individual basis by the Associate/Assistant Dean for Students and may be referred to the Advancement Committee for further consideration.

To initiate the  for requesting Advanced Integration level credit in the clerkship year, upload the Advanced Integration Credit Exemption Request Form to your OASIS “Exemptions” Academic History tab. The Associate/Assistant Dean for Students (or designee) will then upload the completed form approving or denying the request.

Applicability of the Policy

All Medical Students

Related Larner College of Medicine Policies

Related University of Vermont Policies

Not Applicable

Related Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) Standard(s)

  • 12.1 Financial Aid/Debt Management Counseling/Student Educational Debt
  • 12.2 Tuition Refund Policy
  • 12.3 Personal Counseling/Well-Being Programs

History

  • 5/20/2014 Policy Adopted/Affirmed [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 7/21/2015 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 5/24/2016 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 6/20/2017 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 5/15/2018 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 9/18/2018 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 6/18/2019 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 1/21/2020 Reformatted [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 8/24/2021 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 9/18/2023 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 12/19/2023 Policy Edit [Medical Curriculum Committee]
  • 1/21/2025 Policy Revised [Medical Curriculum Committee]

Policy Oversight

Associate/Assistant Dean for Students (Larner College of Medicine Registrar)

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