General Information
Promotion to Senior Year
Students must successfully complete all junior clerkships before beginning the senior year. Students who fail a single junior clerkship are required to take the course over at the beginning of their senior year; two failures in the junior year may result in dismissal from the College of Medicine. Also, students who have not completed all junior clerkships as a result of leave of absence or USMLE problems take their clerkship(s) at the beginning of the senior year.
Photograph
Senior Photograph: The Office of Medical Education & Student Affairs schedules the senior year photography session for the entire class around the end of January of M3 junior year. This picture will be the one used for the student’s senior Class Composite, ERAS, OASIS and VSLO. The students are not allowed to use a different personal photo for the senior Class Composite, ERAS, OASIS and VSLO. Proper attire is required.
Legal Name
The University of South Alabama - College of Medicine - Student Affairs Office must use a student's legal name on all types of documents, forms, files, ID badges & software applications at all times. If a student goes by their legal "middle name" we will be able to use it on the hospital ID badges if we place the student's first name initial in front of the middle name. (Contact Karen Braswell with ID badge concerns) At no time can we place a "nickname" on an ID badge or on any medical school form or file. If a student has a name change during medical school they must complete required paperwork through the Office of Student Records with Frank Lucas.
Time off - Holidays and Vacation
Holidays and vacation
All blocks begin on Monday and end on Friday. For fourth year senior students, "official university holidays" such as July 4, Thanksgiving, New Years Day, Mardi Gras Day are given at the discretion of each course director. The student must communicate with the director before the holiday and adhere to his/her requests. Time off for M4s during holidays is at the discretion of the supervisor/course director of the elective, or may be delegated to the responsible Resident on the service. The student is expected to assume in many respects the role of a physician, and in so doing to recognize the needs of patients and the need of the service for coverage, regardless of weekends and holidays. Senior students can assign vacation time to any block date of their choice except block 9, keeping in mind that vacation should be used during interview season. Students cannot participate in any clinical experience during the two (2) week Holiday break in December unless they are completing a career exploration project. Students are not covered by medical liability and or malpractice insurance during that time.
Time Off
M4 medical students are allowed to miss a total of five (5) days off during a four (4) week rotation ONLY for taking USMLE Step 2cs/ck and for residency interviews. The five (5) days off cannot be taken during an AI (Acting Internship) rotation. The five (5) days off cannot be taken all in a row causing the student to miss an entire week. Students must contact the Course Director/s no later than 30 days in advance with any time off request. If a student does not adhere to these guidelines the course director may insist that the student drop their rotation and place vacation in that block.
Vacation Time / Doubling Up During Senior Year:
- Leave of absence taken during the third year and academic remediation for inadequate
performances during the third year shall be made up by utilizing vacation time at
the beginning of the senior year. There is no guarantee of any vacation time during
the senior year. Students will be advised to place vacation in interview season blocks
and to work closely with attendings to schedule time away for interviews. See NRMP
section below for more information.
- “Doubling up” of senior rotations will be permitted one time only (1 block ) per student and only in the event that all eight available weeks of senior vacation have been depleted by leaves of absence/academic remediation. Doubling up cannot be used to protect vacation time. Doubling up can only occur using Elective courses-NOT Required Courses. Students shall be advised that the 80-hour work week limitation applies to the doubled up rotations. All students who attempt to “Double up” courses must have their forms (Add/Drop) signed by all course directors involved, their faculty advisor and by the Associate Dean of Medical Education & Student Affairs before the form is brought to Karen Braswell in Mastin #202.
Waiver of Rules: In special circumstances it may be possible to waive or modify some of the above rules. Exceptions must be approved in writing in advance by the Associate Dean of Medical Education & Student Affairs.