VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

Leave of Absence Policies and Procedures

Leave of Absence A Leave of Absence (LOA) is defined as a temporary interruption in a student’s program of study that will not exceed 180-days within an academic year or 12-month period, with reasonable expectation that the student will return from the LOA and that the student is capable of returning to the curricular program, meting the technical standards, and being successful upon the return. Approved LOAs allow students the ability to pause their education at VCOM to seek treatment for medical or psychological conditions, see to personal or family concerns, fulfill military obligations, complete external coursework/research, and/or address academic or behavioral issues. A student granted permission to take a Leave of Absence will not be enrolled at VCOM for the duration of the leave. Students who request an absence from the academic program that will exceed 7 days will be required to request an LOA. Leaves of Absence may only be granted by the Campus Dean. An LOA from VCOM may not extend beyond 180-days within an academic year or 12-month period. Once a student has been granted an LOA for a specific reason (academic, administrative, medical, military, or personal), the reason for their LOA may not change during the period of their LOA. Further, if the student is not ready to request a return to the curriculum within the 180-days of the LOA, the student may not request an extension of the LOA or request an additional LOA for a different reason. Instead, should an LOA need to extend beyond 180-days, the student submit a request to the Campus Dean requesting a temporary or permanent withdrawal from the College. If a student is temporarily or permanently withdrawn or dismissed, the Campus Dean will specify whether the student has the ability to reapply for readmission. For more information on withdrawals and dismissals see the Withdrawal and Dismissal Policies and Procedures in this Handbook. In the OMS 3 and 4 years, an approved leave of absence requires an Altered Degree Plan of Study (ADPOS), which outlines the altered curricular program timeline for the student. The Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs will design the ADPOS for OMS 3 students and the Associate Dean for OMS 4 and GME will design the ADPOS for OMS 4 students with final approval by the Campus Dean. Depending upon the length of the approved leave of absence, graduation may be delayed. A student whose Altered Degree Plan of Study extends their graduation beyond June 30 th is not eligible to participate in the residency match for that academic year, according to National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), and will be required to find a placement outside of the match or participate in the match the following academic year. Students requesting an LOA must be aware that VCOM’s accrediting body, the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), requires students to complete all requirements for the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree within six years of matriculation. Impact of a Leave of Absence on Financial Aid For students who receive federal financial aid, when considering an LOA, students should be aware that the requirements for an approved LOA differ between VCOM and federal student financial aid. Even if a student’s LOA has been approved as a VCOM LOA, if a student does not meet the criteria for an approved LOA for federal student financial aid, the student is considered by federal student financial aid to have ceased attendance (withdrawn) from the institution (even though the student is still classified as being on an LOA by VCOM). Federal LOA generally applies only to students in their OMS 3 or OMS 4 year and it is extremely rare for an OMS 1 or OMS 2 student to qualify due to curricular requirements. Students who do not comply with the requirements of the LOA are subject to dismissal by the Campus Dean.

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