Guidelines for Students Leaders Who Take Time Out of the Curriculum

Purpose

To provide guidance for students who serve in leadership roles and who take a leave of absence (LOA) for personal, health, or research-related reasons (voluntary LOA), or who participate in continuous enrollment, or study leave, as well as students who serve in leadership roles and are put on leave by the school of medicine (involuntary LOA).

Office or person responsible for implementing

The Office of Student Life

Applies to

All UAB Heersink School of Medicine students

Background

• Involvement in extracurricular activities is important for students' sense of well-being; provides important opportunities for leadership development; and can add value to students' residency applications.

• Leadership roles vary in level of commitment and involvement.

• Students take voluntary LOA for varying lengths of time.

• Students on voluntary LOA are not necessarily prohibited from participating in student leadership and may be allowed to maintain their leadership role except when there is concern that continued participation in leadership could interfere with the student’s needs and/or compromise the organization.

• Variation in leadership roles and the types (and amount of time taken) of voluntary LOA require case-by-case determination of the advantages and disadvantages of continued leadership involvement for the student taking leave.

• Students on continuous enrollment, study leave, or who are placed on involuntary leave of absence because there is an academic or professional hurdle so great they cannot be allowed to continue in the curriculum. In these cases, focusing on successfully returning to medical school must take precedence over extracurricular activities.

• It is the responsibility of the Office of Student Life, Medical Student Services (MSS), and the Associate Dean for Students, to make determinations about extracurricular leadership involvement. These decisions will consider what it in the best interest of the student and the organization that the student leads.

Definition of terms

For the purposes of this guideline, the following terms will be understood:

• Voluntary leave of absence, voluntary leave, VL: A student-initiated period of time during which the student is not enrolled in coursework to focus on personal, health, or research.

• Continuous enrollment: A joint school and student-initiated period of time, implemented when a student must recycle all or a portion of the first- or second-year curriculum. During this time, the student may be enrolled in an alternative set of coursework in order to receive financial aid but is not engaged in organ or systems modules.

• Study leave: A joint school and student-initiated period of time, implemented when a student needs extra time to take or re-take Step 1. During this time, the student may be enrolled in an alternative set of coursework but is not engaged in clinical curricular activities.

• Involuntary leave of absence, involuntary leave, IL: A school-initiated period of time during which the student is not enrolled in coursework to focus on personal or health issues.

Guidance

Important Note: For the purposes of this guideline, the procedures for students on voluntary leave of absence will apply to those students who have periods of unscheduled time in order to delay taking Step 1, or to prepare to re-take a Shelf exam.

Guidance for Class Leadership, Learning Community Representatives, Learning Community Executive Board Members and Organization for Student Representatives (Note: This guidance may apply to student leadership outside the purview of MSS, at the discretion of the office which oversees the group).

Involuntary Leave of Absence and Continuous Enrollment

• Students who participate in continuous enrollment or who go on involuntary LOA must vacate their office or position. They will be notified of this by the Director for Student Life Programs. Once the student returns to an active status, they will be eligible to run for leadership positions, as any other student.

Study Leave

• Students who participate in study leave must cease all leadership and extra-curricular activities until such time as they return to active participation in clinical curricular activities. They will be notified of this by the Director for Student Life Programs. Once the student returns to an active status, they will be eligible to return to leadership and extra-curricular positions.

Voluntary Leave of Absence:

• Decisions about extent of leadership and involvement for students taking a voluntary leave of absence will be made by the Office of Student Life, in consultation with the Associate Dean for Students, and the current leadership of each of these organizations. As applicable, the Medical Scientist Training Program and the Office of Access and Engagement will be consulted. Decisions about involvement will be based on (1) the reasons and circumstance surrounding the leave of absence; (2) other members of the leadership team are able to manage leadership responsibilities while the team member is on voluntary leave; (3) continued involvement in leadership upon their return for LOA will not compromise the student’s academic or professional success. This includes leadership positions that bridge the LOA and also acceptance of new positions after their return.

• The following considerations and steps will be taken for students in leadership positions when they go on voluntary leave of absence.

  1. The student will be allowed to stay in office with close monitoring by MSS. No notification will be sent to the student.

  2. The Director of Student Life Programs will have a conversation with the student about the concerns raised and advise the student on the pros and cons of remaining in the office or position. The Office may recommend the student step away from the office or position temporarily or permanently. The Office of Student Life will summarize the conversation via email to the student and Associate Dean for Students, within 24 hours of the meeting. (It’s possible that a student could choose to proceed against the advice of MSS).

  3. The student may be asked to temporarily step aside from duties. The Office of Student Life will summarize the conversation via an email to the student within 24 hours of the meeting.

     • Example #1: A student may go on leave of absence for a health concern and be asked to temporarily step aside from their duties until such time as the health concern has stabilized.

     • Example #2: A student might go on leave due to academic difficulties and be asked to temporarily step aside from their duties until such time as they are on solid academic footing.

  4. The student may be asked to resign from the office completely. When this occurs, the Director of Student Life Programs will notify the student and request to meet with them to discuss rationale and a plan for succession. The Director of Student Life Programs will summarize the conversation via email to the student and Associate Dean for Students, within 24 hours of the meeting.

Appeal: A student may appeal the decision of the Office of Student Life, by notifying the Associate Dean for Students within 24 hours of receiving the written summary from the Director of Student Life Programs. The Associate Dean for Students will make a determination to grant the student’s appeal or uphold the decision by the Office of Student Life.

Additional Information

N/A

Created: November 2018
Implemented: January 2019
Reviewed and updated: February 2026