Attendance is required at all scheduled instructional periods and all scheduled assessments, reassessments, and extended learning periods.
Absence from Instructional Periods
Attendance and promptness are expected for all scheduled classes. A student is responsible for all covered material and should notify the Didactic Education Director and Course Instructor, if he/she is unable to attend. Classroom activities and participation are considered an important part of the teaching-learning process. The faculty is not obligated to make-up missed activities.
Leaving an open laptop at your seat for an extended period, giving the appearance of being in attendance while not actually in attendance, is a violation of the attendance policy. Such violations may be reported to the Progress and Promotion Committee.
The UMES Physician Assistant Program has adopted a ‘no fault’ absentee policy. ‘No fault’ means that normally all absences are equal regardless of the reason, no questions asked. Tardiness is considered an absence. A student cannot have more than five (5) absences in the Didactic Year and three (3) absences in the Clinical Year. Attendance can be taken at any time during the day and may also be taken multiple times during a day. If an extended illness requires a student to be absent for more than three (3) days, a doctor’s note must be provided specifying the reason for the absence for all days out, including the initial three (3) days. Any other absences that might cause a student to miss more than five days ([see bullets below] a personal emergency or emergency in the student’s immediate family, attendance at a professional meeting, jury duty, military duty) must be approved by the Didactic Education Director or Clinical Education Director in writing two weeks in advance for a scheduled event or prior to the fourth absence for an emergency event.
Absence documentation forms will be submitted to the Didactic Education Director or the Clinical Education Director as soon as the student knows he/she will need to be absent, if possible, but no later than two weeks before the requested date of absence. The DED or CED will then sign the absence documentation form and keep it on file in the student’s records. If able, the student should also contact the course instructor. If the request is not received, the absence will not be honored and considered unexcused. Unexcused absences are violations our Professional Policy and if repetitive can result in a professional citation.
Special Cases for Absences
- A personal emergency or emergency in the student’s immediate family (i.e., parent, guardian, spouse, child, or sibling of the student) such as death, hospitalization, extended illness, or another emergency situation.
- Attendance at a professional meeting provided that the absence has been pre-approved by the CED or DED at least two weeks in advance. Each student must individually submit a request. If an excused absence is granted, the student must submit a copy of an accepted registration.
- Jury duty. The student must submit official documentation of the duty.
- Military duty. The student must submit official documentation of the duty.
Students with prolonged illnesses or other personal issues that result in multiple absences should consult with the Didactic Education Director or the Clinical Education Director regarding taking a leave of absence.
Absence from Assessment, Reassessment, and Remediation Periods
A student who must miss an exam due to illness must contact the course instructor and DED or CED by email and/or phone (preferably before the exam or as soon as possible); seek treatment from a health-care provider, and provide documentation of the illness from the health care provider. By starting an exam, a student affirms that he/she is well enough to take the exam, and the exam will count in the student’s grading. Requests for make-up exams for reasons other than illness must be approved by the course instructor in writing, prior to the original exam date.
If an absence from a scheduled assessment or reassessment is documented with a doctor’s note, the student will be assessed by the Didactic Education Director. If the student is unable to participate in a team assessment, the student will not be entitled to receive team points on any makeup assessment.
Working with the student, the Didactic Education Director should arrange for the student to take the assessment as soon as possible following the student’s return to school. Every effort should be made to schedule the makeup assessment so that it does not jeopardize the student’s performance on other scheduled assessments. The date and time of the makeup assessment will be communicated to the Program Director and student; and can be scheduled for outside of regular school hours. Failure to adhere to the approved makeup date and time will result in a zero for the exam and no further make up accommodations will be given for any reason unless approved by the Program Director. Exam “No Shows” are violations of our Professional Policy and if repetitive can result in a professional citation.
Attendance at Clinical Mentorships and SCPEs
Attendance is required at all clinical rotations. Students are required to abide by the attendance policies outlined in the program manual.
Absence due to a Religious or Faith Based Observance Policy
In accordance with the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, this policy is available to all qualified students who have been admitted to the UMES PA Program regardless of their sincerely held faith-based or religious beliefs. Students shall be given reasonable accommodation, including excused absences, to observe faith-based or religious holidays or participate in organized religious activities. If a student’s request for a specific accommodation is denied, the PA Program will consider alternate accommodations that the student may request consistent with University and Program policy and procedures.
An accommodation requested under this policy shall be considered reasonable if it is required for the student to practice a sincerely held faith-based or religious belief and it does not impose an undue hardship upon the University/Program or fundamentally alter the essential nature of the course or program (a “Reasonable Accommodation”). A student shall be provided reasonable alternative accommodations for missing an examination or other academic requirements due to an excused absence for sincerely held faith-based or religious belief or practice. Absences excused by any Reasonable Accommodation granted pursuant to this policy and institution policy and procedures should be counted toward the maximum number of excused absences permitted by the Program but cannot impact participation grades or other measures of course assessment. There may be circumstances under which it may be a Reasonable Accommodation to increase the number of maximum allowed absences to accommodate sincerely held faith-based or religious beliefs or practices. Unless prohibited by program-specific attendance requirements, the PA Program may consider whether increasing the maximum allowed absences would be a reasonable accommodation for sincerely held faith-based or religious beliefs or practices.
The UMES PA Program will follow all religious observance days by the University.
