COM Leave of Absence Policy - Revised

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This policy has been revised effective 12/04/2025.

The purpose of the CHSU-COM Leave of Absence (hereinafter referred to as “LOA”) Policy is to describe the temporary interruption of a student’s academic progress due to various reasons. Justifications for a LOA may include, but are not limited to, academic performance, board exam readiness, COMLEX exam failures, medical, or personal reasons.

This policy applies to all students enrolled at CHSU-COM.

DEFINITIONS

There are three (3) types of LOAs: Voluntary, Involuntary and Unapproved.

Voluntary LOA (Initiated by the Student) – A student may voluntarily request to take a LOA for bereavement, jury duty, research/scholarly opportunities, maternity leave, medical reasons, military duty, or other personal reasons. 

Involuntary LOA (Initiated by the College) – A student may be placed on an involuntary LOA for academic, medical, or administrative reasons, such as professionalism. 

Unapproved LOA – when a student has greater than one consecutive week of unexcused absences, or 2 unexcused absences of any length within the same semester. This may result in consequences for the student, up to and including dismissal and/or administrative withdrawal from the University. Students failing to return to the CHSU-COM following the approved timeframe for an approved LOA will be considered to be on an Unapproved LOA and may be dismissed from the CHSU-COM.

LOAs are only approved if granted by the Dean. Voluntary LOAs require pre-approval, and students must follow the CHSU-COM request process as described below.

A student whose attendance may be interrupted for a period greater than seven (7) consecutive days up to 180 calendar days may apply for a voluntary LOA. Any student whose LOA exceeds a cumulative total of 180 calendar days will be withdrawn from CHSU-COM and must apply for reinstatement to the program within one year of the withdrawal. Time spent on a LOA is counted toward the limit of six years to complete the requirements for the DO degree. 

A student who takes a LOA that, at a minimum, extends through the end of the semester shall be considered withdrawn from courses, but not withdrawn from the University. Any courses in progress at the time of the LOA will be recorded with a “W” withdrawn grade on the official transcript. Students who take a LOA may be entitled to a refund of tuition and fees for the semester based on the refund policy listed in the University Catalog. 

For LOAs that are six (6) months or longer, a student will be required to complete a drug screen prior to returning to instructional courses and/or clinical rotations in their own expenses. A student on a LOA is not permitted to participate in any educational activities, work for the University, and is ineligible to run for or hold student organization/club/class offices. 

Any student in violation of the LOA policy is deemed to be on an Unapproved LOA and may result in consequences for the student, up to and including dismissal from the University.

An LOA must meet the criteria described below to be considered an approved LOA for Title IV:

  • The school must have a formal written LOA policy that requires all LOA requests to be submitted in writing; and the student must include the reason for their LOA request.
  • The student must request, and the school must approve, the LOA in accordance with the school’s policy.
  • There must be a reasonable expectation that the student will return from the LOA.
  • The school may not assess the student any additional institutional charges, the student’s need may not increase, and, therefore, the student is not eligible for any additional Title IV aid.
  • The LOA, together with any additional leaves of absence, must not exceed a total of 180 days in a 12-month period.
  • If the student has a Title IV loan, the school must explain to them, PRIOR to granting the LOA, the effects that their failure to return from an LOA may have on the loan repayment terms, including the expiration of the grace period.

An LOA not meeting these criteria will be considered a withdrawal for Title IV purposes and reported as such to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

Voluntary LOA Requests

Whenever possible students should submit their written requests for a Voluntary LOA at least thirty (60) calendars days in advance of the start of the upcoming semester or thirty (60) calendar days before the end of the current semester. Non-attendance in classes does not constitute notification of intent to apply for an LOA. 

Students in the College of Osteopathic Medicine program requesting a Voluntary LOA must comply with the following: 

  1. Make an appointment with the Dean of Student Affairs to discuss the LOA. During this meeting, the student will be informed of their requirement to comply with the graduation requirements within the maximum time allowed of 6 years to earn the DO 3 degree as well as any conditions which must be met during the LOA and upon return.  
  2. A student requesting to take a LOA must understand the impact of missing curricular elements of the cohort will likely result in restarting the entire academic year at with required enrollment in all courses (whether previously passed or not) , along with the next cohort and will be charged for the year at the new cohort tuition rates.  
  3. In addition to the above, an OMS III or OMS IV student requesting to take a LOA must also consult with the Office of Community Clinical Education before requesting an LOA.
  4. A student must provide a signed LOA Request Form and supporting documentation, if applicable, to the Assistant/Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment stating the reason for the LOA. The LOA Request Form must include the start date and end date of the LOA. If extenuating circumstances prevent a student from providing a prior written request, the Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment may make exceptions to this process.
  5. The request is provided to the Dean of the College to approve or deny.
  6. If approved, the student must meet with the Financial Aid Office and/or Business Office to understand any financial implications of the LOA in relation to tuition, account balances, and private or federal loans.
  7. The approved LOA form is routed to the Office of the Registrar for processing.  
  8. The Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment in conjunction with the Dean of Academic Affairs will provide an official letter to the student granting the LOA and state the requirements that are to be met upon return to CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine

Types of Voluntary LOAs

Personal LOA

A Personal LOA, if granted by the Dean, may not last longer than 180 calendar days. A Personal LOA is available to address situations such as a death of a immediate family member or such other circumstance that would interrupt a student's education.

Medical LOA 

A Medical LOA may be granted to students who provide acceptable supporting documentation indicating a valid medical reason requiring a leave of less than 180 calendar days and an anticipated date of return. In order to return from an approved medical leave, the student must provide the Dean with documentation from a healthcare professional approving/releasing the student to return as a full-time student in the curriculum.

Maternity LOA

A Maternity LOA may be granted to students who provide acceptable supporting documentation indicating a need to take a LOA because of their pregnancy. The required period of leave may include time before the delivery, after delivery, or both. This documentation must include an estimated date of delivery or, if a leave must be continued beyond delivery, the date delivery occurred. The length of maternity LOA may vary based on maternal clinical condition and as advised by the attending physician.

Parental LOA

CHSU-COM may grant leave for students who become parents (whether by childbirth or adoption) while enrolled in the curriculum. A Parental LOA may be granted on a case-by-case basis. Students requesting a parental LOA must provide appropriate documentation. Additionally, students requesting a Parental LOA must meet with the Office of Student Affairs at the earliest available time to discuss the anticipated Parental Leave. A Parental LOA may be up to four (4) weeks following the birth or adoption of a child, unless otherwise warranted. Following the birth or adoption, the student will provide the Office of Student Affairs with an anticipated return-to-school date, not to exceed 4-weeks from the beginning of the leave. 

Students unable to return from a Parental LOA within four (4) weeks following the birth, or adoption, of a child will be required to request a Personal LOA.

Involuntary LOAs

A student can be recommended by the Student Progress Committee (SPC) or an Administrator of the College to be placed on an involuntary LOA for: 

  • Failure to progress academically, including but not limited to inability to pass COMLEX, courses, or multiple exams.
  • Disciplinary action for violating Student Conduct and Professionalism policy or other school policies in situations where regular SPC proceedings will not best serve the situation.
  • Personal or medical circumstances but refusal to request a voluntary LOA, or, nonresponsive to communications. The Deans of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs may determine it is in the student’s best interest to go on leave, which is finalized upon approval by the Dean. Upon return, the student may be required to complete a Fitness Assessment prior to returning to the CHSU-COM.
  • A determination that the student is a potential threat to others or to themselves.  
  • If criteria above are identified, the SPC Chair or an Assistant/Associate Dean initiates the process to place the student in LOA

Returning From a Leave of Absence

Students on a LOA may return to the CHSU-COM and to classes without reapplying to the College of Osteopathic Medicine program, if the return is within the approved time frame as recorded in the LOA Approval Letter and any relevant University approved extensions of such leave. 

Prior to reinstatement to the CHSU-COM, students are required to comply with all conditions for the student’s return as stated in correspondence to the student by the University and ensure any prior outstanding balances are paid and the student account is current. 

Students must submit written notification to the Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment of their intent to return to the University Registrar within thirty (60) calendar days of the anticipated return to the pre-clinical portion of the curriculum and sixty (60) calendar days for the clinical curriculum. It is the student’s responsibility to duly inform the administration of any delays to their return or needs for further extensions. 

A student who will be returning from an LOA is required to submit a “Petition for Reinstatement” form to the Dean of Student Affairs and include any required compliance items and documentation as a condition of the return. The request and final decision on reinstatement is made by the Dean. 

A short term (less than 8 weeks) LOA during the OMS III or OMS IV years generally requires that the student resumes the rotation schedule where the student initiated the LOA, restarting any incomplete clerkships or rotation blocks. 

A student who takes an extended LOA generally requires that the student restart and repeat the entire academic year in which the student was enrolled at the time of the LOA. This requirement includes repeating all courses for that cohort for the repeated year. 

A student who takes an LOA due to failing a repeated attempt of a COMLEX exam must pass the exam prior to restarting rotations. 

Students taking LOAs during OMS III and OMS IV must be aware that any disruption of the required clinical rotations may result in the inability to be eligible for the residency match cycle and/or a delay of graduation