COM Student Attendance Policy - Revised

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Addendum - This policy has been revised effective April 17, 2026. 

The purpose of CHSU COM’s Attendance Policy is to establish clear guidelines as to expectations for student attendance, identify circumstances in which students can request an excused absence from mandatory learning activities, and describe the ramifications of violating this Policy.

Definitions

  • Unplanned Absences - absences that occur because of unexpected events. Please refer to the unplanned absences section of this document.
  • Planned Absences - absences that occur because of known or anticipated circumstances. For example, attendance at a national conference or a planned medical procedure may be a Planned Absence.

Attendance Requirements

OMS-I & OMS-II

The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU COM) expects students in the OMS I and OMS II years to attend all scheduled course activities including, but not limited to, classroom lectures, discussion groups/interactive sessions, laboratory activities, and clinical assignments. Attendance is monitored by the COM.

Students should refer to course syllabi for specific grading policies and attendance requirements for individual classes. If there are specific attendance requirements identified in a course document/syllabus, then the course-specific attendance requirements control and supersede the requirements in this policy.

It is recognized that there may be isolated instances when students must be absent. However, students who miss didactic sessions, laboratory sessions, or clinical activities, are not excused from learning the subject materials or activities of that session.

Students may be required to make-up the missed educational session(s) during off-hours. Make- up laboratories are conducted only at the discretion of the Course Director or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Students should refer to the attendance policy in the course syllabus for each course they may be missing.

OMS-III & OMS-IV

Attendance by OMS III and OMS IV students is required for all requisite clinical duties of the rotation to which they are assigned. Any absence from the rotation must be approved through the process outlined in the Clinical Clerkship Manual.

Students on rotation are expected to be on time for all assigned activities associated with that rotation. Violations of the attendance requirement policy may result in disciplinary action through the SPC Committee, including, but not limited to, removal from current rotation and a failing grade for the rotation.

Students who miss time from a rotation are required to submit requests for approved absences through the procedure identified in the Clinical Clerkship Manual. Through this method both the Office of Academic Affairs and Assessment and the Office of Clinical Education will be notified so that students do not need to submit two requests. The request for approved absence form must include details of how the student will make- up the time missed in order for the absence request to be approved.

During the OMS-III and OMS-IV years, missed and/or failed core clerkships may need to be made up during future elective clerkship time, or by extending that year of enrollment. This may result in either 1) a student needing a longer duration of time to complete their OMS-III requirements and therefore having less opportunity for elective clerkship rotations in their OMS- IV year, or 2) extension of their OMS-IV year beyond the typical graduation date for their class.

Late Arrivals

Promptness is a component of the Core Competency of Professionalism. Tardiness in arriving to class disturbs both the faculty/lecturer and the other students in the class. Repeated tardiness is considered unprofessional behavior and may result in the student being referred to the SPC. Specific requirements will be identified in the COM student handbook and Clinical Clerkship Manual.

Planned Absences

All planned absences require approval from the Office of Academic Affairs and Assessment at least one week prior to the planned absence. 

Pre-Planned Medical Absences

Where possible, students should make an effort to schedule medical appointments during non- instructional time. This may not always be possible. For an absence to be considered excused for pre-planned medical reasons, notice must be received by CHSU-COM prior to the missed class or activity. Students must submit an “Absence Request Form,” along with documentation supporting the future medical absence. This should include proof of appointment. This form must be approved by the Office of Academic Affairs and Assessment.

Pre-planned medical absences that are expected to be 3 days or longer must be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. As with other requests for excused pre-planned medical absences, students are required to submit an Absence Request Form, along with a note from the treating healthcare provider confirming the expected duration of absence.

Students in third- and fourth-year rotations with pre-planned medical absences must abide by the additional requirements contained in the CHSU-COM Clinical Clerkship Manual.

Scheduled Conferences and Student Organizations

Students may receive excused absences in order to attend pre-planned CHSU-COM-related activities or national meetings of student clubs and organizations. Students must be in good academic standing with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 to be considered eligible for an excused absence for CHSU-COM-related activities.  

Exceptions to the criteria for conference travel may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests for exceptions should be made to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs within the 30-day required notification period. Please refer to the COM- Student Travel Policy https://chsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/CHSU-Student-Travel-Policy-1.pdf for additional information.

Travel arrangements should not be made until and unless an excused absence has been approved.

Other Planned Absences
  • Students may request up to three (3) excused absences per academic year for religious holidays/observances. Requests must be submitted at the beginning of the semester, and may not span more than two (2) consecutive days, and should include arrangements to complete missed education assignments without altering essential course requirements. Religious observance requests may not be used to miss an examination unless an excused absence is approved in advance.
  • Planned Military Duty.
  • Planned Immigration & Naturalization Appointments (supporting documentation is required).
  • Planned Legal Proceedings at which the student is required to attend as a party or witness (supporting documentation is required).
Excused Absence Form

All requests for approval of an excused absence, including absences due to academic-related travel, must be submitted using the absence request form (link). Where the anticipated academical related absence will include travel time (e.g., attendance at conferences, poster presentations or any other CHSU-COM related activity), the absence request form should only be submitted after the following steps have been completed:

  • Submit a travel request,
  • Receive confirmation from OSA stating the student is in good academic standing,
  • Receive email from the OSA approving the request.   

Excused absences to attend an academical related absence such as an approved conference attendance, poster presentations or any other CHSU-COM related activity), must be requested at least 30-days prior to the event. Failure to submit an absence request form may result in the absence being treated as unexcused.

Students must submit an email to the Office of Student Affairs informing them of the travel plans and submit the travel request at least 30 business days before the anticipated absence. Students should also refer to the COM-Student Travel Policy for additional requirements and information.

If approved, the approval for student travel and the resulting absence will be limited to the reasonable travel time needed to attend the event (typically 1 day) and the conference or other event's duration. The excused absence will not be extended beyond the dates approved by the OAA&A.

Students who receive an excused absence for travel to a conference on Fridays will not receive excused absences for the Monday following the excused absence. Requests for any excused absences must be accompanied by documentation e.g., canceled airline flight or a physician note or other documentation of good cause for the absence.

On rare occasion, official CHSU required conferences may coincide with a scheduled exam date. Make-up exams for such instances will be offered on the Mondays after the conference with no exception. Please refer to the Exam Policy for additional information.

Unplanned Absences
Excused Unplanned Absences

Unplanned absences are absences that are unexpected and that meet the criteria below. Unplanned absences will either be considered excused or unexcused. An unexcused absence is one that does not meet any of the criteria below.

The following will be strongly considered as appropriate reasons for excused absences: 

  • Emergency Medical care for the student or members of their immediate family (e.g., spouse, child, or parent). Students will be expected to provide supporting documentation, such as medical appointment confirmation and/or medical doctor note.
  • Unplanned Jury Duty - If summoned for Jury Duty, students are required to promptly report the summons to the OAA&A for approval of an excused absence and inform the OAA&A as soon as possible if they are selected to serve on a jury for a trial.
  • Traffic Accident – the student is required to provide the OAA&A with supporting documentation.
  • Bereavement – Students may receive an excused absence of up to three (3) days due to death of an immediate family member, significant other, or close relative. Students must provide the OAA&A with supporting documentation.
Unplanned Absence Due to Lack of Childcare 

Students may receive an excused absence if their usual childcare provider is suddenly unavailable. The OAA&A will monitor instances of requests for approval unplanned absence based on unplanned lack of childcare in order to determine if there is overuse of the excuse and determine if the absences are creating a hardship in meeting academic requirements.

Mental Health Day 

Students may receive an excused absence for a Mental Health Day twice a semester (on any non-exam day). Students are not required to provide a physician’s note to support a Mental Health Day absence.

Unexcused Absences

Absences for the following reasons will be considered as unexcused absences:

  1. Car Breakdown
  2. Employment Scheduling
  3. Professional Development Leave taken without having followed the required 30-day notification & approval process outlined above.
  4. Vacation
  5. Personal events/ceremonies such as weddings, birthdays, showers, anniversary celebrations of life, etc. will generally not qualify as excused absences. However, exceptions may be made if you are part of a wedding ceremony. E.g., a sibling’s wedding. However, no personal events/ceremonies, including part of a wedding ceremony, if the event or ceremony occurs on an exam day. If the exception is granted, the student will have the opportunity to use the one exam make-up per semester to attend, however, any other requests for a make-up exam that semester will not be accepted.
  6. Veterinary Care Pet Appointments
  7. Travel Delays without proof of flight cancellation/delay or unfavorable weather conditions that restricted available travel.
  8. Absence requests submitted after a scheduled academic/curricular activity and/or without proper supporting documentation. Absence requests must be submitted in advance if pre-planned or by 11:59 p.m. on the day of the absence if unplanned.
  9. Absences of three (3) consecutive days during which an examination, OSCE, or lab session occurs that is NOT approved by OAA&A, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment or Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, will result in the student receiving a zero for the exam, OSCE, or lab session. Absences deemed unexcused by the OAA&A may also result in a student receiving a zero for the missed coursework and the student may be referred to the Student at Risk Committee (StARC) or to the Student Progress Committee.
Monitoring Absences

The OAA&A will monitor the academic performance of students with frequent absence requests (excused and unexcused) to ensure that absences are not negatively impacting their academic performance. The OAA&A may limit excused absence privileges if deemed necessary. Based on evidence of excessive unplanned absences, the University has authority to treat unexcused absences as violations of the Standard of Academic Integrity, Professionalism and Student Conduct outlined in the University Catalog.

Students are expected to attend every examination, test, or quiz. However, while excused absences are not approved for any examinations, tests, and quizzes, CHSU recognizes there may be times when a student is not able to attend. Absence requests due to illness on the day of an exam will require a physician note or supporting documentation and notification to OAA&A, and Associate Dean of OAA&A and Assistant Dean of OSA, by 8:00 am to be considered excused. Please refer to the Exam Policy for additional information.

Students are responsible for contacting the Course Directors to arrange to make up all missed coursework, missed laboratories or examinations/quizzes where applicable.
No absence will be approved as excused if the student fails to contact OAA&A and/or submit the absence request form.

Excessive Absences

Excessive and/or recurring absences regardless of the reason, are deemed unprofessional behavior. In the event of excessive or recurring absences, there may be consultation with the Office of Academic Affairs and Assessment to determine if interventions are needed. If the absences continue, the student’s continuing failure to comply with this policy will be referred to the Student Progress Committee and may be reported on the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).

Retroactive Excused Absence Requests

Requests for retroactive approval of an excused absence will not be approved.