Background
The following policy and procedures apply for all students enrolled in WashU School of Medicine degree-granting educational programs seeking a voluntary leave of absence for medical reasons. It defines the respective roles of Student Health Services (SHS) and the student's educational program in approving medical leave, protecting confidentiality, and supporting safe return to training. Throughout this document, the term Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA) will be used to refer to an approved leave from a School of Medicine educational program due to a medical and/or mental health condition that affects a student's ability to safely and effectively participate in educational activities required by their program as articulated in the technical standards of that program. Please consult the university's Involuntary Leave Policy for Undergraduate and Graduate Students for policies and procedures pertaining to involuntary leave.
Policies
A student seeking an MLOA must make the request for an MLOA, provide appropriate medical documentation to support the need for leave, and plan for optimal return relative to the program's technical standards. In order to achieve this, the student must complete a HIPAA-compliant Release of Information enabling SHS to coordinate their MLOA with other providers caring for the student. The student is responsible for asking each provider involved in their treatment plan to complete the necessary documentation pertaining to their medical readiness to return as well as for ensuring that each provider has a copy of the technical standards for their training program. While the student is responsible for making sure all providers submit the necessary forms to SHS, SHS can assist where possible to advocate for the completion of this requirement. The student must also meet with the Office of Student Financial Planning to review the financial implications of their leave.
Based on the date of leave and return, check-in appointments will be scheduled for the student with SHS. The student is responsible for initiating the review of return process by submitting the student Readiness to Return form. In general, the readiness to return form and a check-in appointment with SHS should occur no later than six weeks prior to the anticipated return date. If circumstances permit, short-term medical episodes that are anticipated to take
less than six weeks may be managed as an excused absence by the program. If that is not feasible, the episode may be managed as an MLOA using an expedited review process involving the student, the program, the registrar, and SHS. Students are responsible for informing SHS of any changes in their clinical status that occur following the submission of the Readiness to Return documentation.
SHS will serve as the centralized medical coordinator for the student's MLOA. In this capacity, SHS (or their designee) will act on behalf of the student in coordination with the student's program leaders on matters pertinent to the MLOA. SHS will oversee the review of the completeness of the medical documentation and coordinate the involvement of the student's other providers, when necessary, in the determination of whether the MLOA is medically indicated and in the development of the treatment plan. The student's program must accept the MLOA prior to the MLOA being granted. Following acceptance by the student's program, SHS is responsible for informing the registrar, the student's program contact, the student's provider(s), and the student of the initial MLOA and any MLOA extensions, as necessary. In emergency circumstances, the director of SHS (or their designee) may grant the student temporary leave until such a time as the necessary documentation and approval processes can be completed.
SHS will also determine the feasibility of student re-entry given the program's technical standards. Once the student's return is deemed medically feasible, the program will be responsible for proposing potential re-entry dates and approving the academic feasibility of the re-entry dates, including addressing any necessary accommodations. SHS may call for an ad-hoc subcommittee meeting to assist with re-entry decision making, which may include members of the student's program and disability resources as necessary to assist in determining the feasibility of return with regard to timing and meeting the program's technical standards. Following program approval of the academic feasibility of the student's re-entry date, SHS will inform the registrar, the provider(s), and the student of the approved date.
Approved March 2026