A leave of absence (LOA) can allow you to pursue an educational goal or deal with difficult circumstances in your life. You might plan an LOA for activities to enhance your academic record, like earning an additional degree or taking a research year. In other cases, your leave may be unplanned because of issues such as illness or injury, poor academic performance, ambivalence about medical school, or a family crisis.
The Initial Decision
If you think you may need to take a leave of absence from medical school, contact your advisor or student affairs office. The first step is to learn about the different types of unplanned leave offered at your school.
Types of Leave
Medical schools offer both planned and unplanned leave. Different types of leave may include different privileges (e.g., library access, malpractice coverage for shadowing, deferment of loan repayment) and benefits (e.g., health insurance, continued access to student housing) that will impact you while you are on leave. Types of leave can include:
- Personal. Allows you to take time off to address personal issues, including those related to the health and well-being of a family member or partner.
- Medical. Provides time for you to receive medical or mental health treatment. Medical leave requires the endorsement of a physician or administrative evaluator.
- Scholarly year. Grants time for you to conduct research or participate in an experiential project.
- Additional degree. Allows you to take a break from the school’s curriculum to complete another degree (e.g., Master of Public Health, Master of Business Administration).
- Family/Parental. Allows you to take time off to care for a family member.
- Administrative. Often mandated by a school’s promotion committee, this type of leave allows you to take time off to address academic or professionalism issues.
Alternatives to a Leave of Absence
You can also ask about alternatives such as a change in enrollment status. Some schools allow students to attend part-time. This option may allow you to remain enrolled while taking time away from school for personal or academic reasons.
Planning Your Leave
Work with your advisor, student affairs office, or both to develop a plan for how to manage your leave. The details of your leave plan will be unique to your situation and your institution. Consider the goal(s) of your leave and the resources and methods you’ll need.
For some types of leave, you may have to provide formal interim updates. Even if it is not required, consider communicating regularly with your student affairs office during your leave to maintain your connection with your school community and help facilitate your reentry.
Finally, review financial aid resources on LOAs and reach out to the financial aid staff at your school if you have questions.
Returning from Leave
When planning your leave, you are encouraged to meet with your advisor to discuss the steps to successfully reenter the curriculum. These steps may include re-registering as a full-time student, accessing school email and housing, re-activating your student ID, and, if relevant, disbursing your student loans.
Here are some additional action items that will help you return to medical school:
At least two months prior to your return:
- Call or email your student affairs office to confirm the details of the re-matriculation process.
- Meet with your advisor to check in and plan your return.
- Complete any paperwork.
Upon return:
- Clarify your academic status or standing. Clearly identify any curricular deficiencies (e.g., incomplete or failed coursework) and explore whether you may be eligible for partial credit or exemption from course material that was successfully completed prior to your leave.
- If you experienced academic difficulties prior to the leave, develop a proactive plan to manage them (e.g., understand your learning style, request a tutor or additional help from faculty).
- If the leave was because of medical or mental health issues for yourself or a loved one, find appropriate resources and build a plan for ongoing support.
- Reflect on the most helpful aspects of your leave, and consider how to carry them over into your school life.
Perspectives To Consider
You may be concerned about the impact of your leave on your career goals, especially as you prepare to apply for residency. The Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) application asks about leave taken for academic or professionalism reasons. You may also want to address your leave in your personal statement or in the Impactful Experiences section. Program directors are likely to ask about your leave during your interview.
- You demonstrated maturity and sound judgment in the decision to take time to manage the issue. Performing well after time off demonstrates resilience, which may make you a stronger candidate.
- Demonstrating continued dedication to medicine during time off can help address program directors’ concerns. A research project, an elective rotation, or community work can demonstrate your commitment to the profession and provide additional experience to include in your application.
- Before you interview, prepare a clear, comprehensive response to questions about your leave. It is important to convey confidence that you addressed the concern, continue to be successful, and expect to excel in residency.
David Henderson, Shashi Anand, Lisa A. Mellman, Craig L. Katz, and Christine Gerula contributed to earlier versions of this content.