How to request an approved absence from a mandatory curricular activity

Students should not schedule personal events that would result in an absence from a mandatory curricular activity or assessment. We recognize that students may experience planned or unplanned life events that may impact learning, however, and have designated the following circumstances as acceptable reasons for being absent from a mandatory curricular activity:

1. Acute illness
2. Urgent health care needs
3. Personal crisis (for example, death in the family)
4. Religious holiday observances (as described in the Columbia University Regulation on Religious Holidays)
5. Participation in a scientific conference where the student is the lead author/presenter and directly participating in the conference presentation
6. Significant life event not otherwise specified

If a student anticipates missing a mandatory session or assessment, they must request an approved absence at least 4 weeks in advance of the event via this request form through a Qualtrics(link is external and opens in a new window) form. The student will be notified that the absence is approved within 1-2 weeks of the request.

In cases of unanticipated absences involving illness and unexpected emergencies, students must notify the Office of Medical Education through a Qualtrics(link is external and opens in a new window) form as soon as is feasible and must also notify their course directors by email of their absence.

Students wishing to discuss additional reasons for absences may contact the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Support and Services.

Course directors will be notified of approved absences and will provide opportunities for make-up examinations as appropriate, but in most cases missed curricular activities cannot be rescheduled. Students may be required to make up any missed required material.  

Procedure when student misses or fails to record attendance to a mandatory curricular activity without an approved absence

Throughout the Fundamentals phase, neglecting to record attendance will be considered equivalent to an unapproved absence to a mandatory curricular activity. Repeated incidents of unapproved absences may indicate that a student is struggling, and as such, the intent of tracking attendance is to provide students with feedback on expectations and access to resources as early as possible so that issues that may impact performance may be addressed effectively. 

Attendance will be tracked longitudinally, and students will be notified when they have an unapproved absence.

After the first unapproved absence, the student will receive an email from the course director that notifies the student of their unapproved absence. The student will be given a reminder about the attendance policy and process and encouragement to seek support if needed.  

When a student has a second unapproved absence, they will receive an email from the course director that notifies them that this is the second missed activity. The student’s Advisory Dean and coach will also be notified and may arrange a meeting with the student.

With a third unapproved absence, the student will receive an email that indicates the student has missed three mandatory sessions, and that the student’s performance, including their attendance record, will be reviewed by the Fundamentals Faculty Committee (FFC). The members of the FFC will review the missed sessions in the context of the student's record of academic progress and professional conduct to date and will make recommendations intended to help the student address and successfully remediate concerns that are identified. Unapproved absences will also be noted in the relevant course's final student performance evaluation and will contribute to assessment of MEPO (Medical Education Program Objective) 5.2. The FFC will review the performance of students who miss more than 10% of mandatory sessions in any given course, whether or not the absences are approved. The consequences of crossing that threshold could be a failing grade or an incomplete since attainment of the knowledge and skills needed to care for patients in MCY (Major Clinical Year) may be lacking.

Failure to present or complete a required assessment without satisfying the above requirements will result in a failing grade for that assessment attempt and submission of a professionalism concern report.