Student Absence During Clinical Training
Students are expected to complete clinical training on a full-time basis. This is generally forty hours per week during regular Monday through Friday clinic hours. The MA Program is not obligated to secure clinical training experiences of less than forty hours per week.
Daily attendance at your clinical training site is mandatory. Any missed clinical training hours must be reported in advance to both the site supervisor and the Clinical Training Coordinator at Northwestern Health Sciences University.
Failure to report missed clinical time will result in disciplinary action to be determined by the MA Department Chair and Clinical Coordinator.
If you are ill, you must contact both the CT Coordinator and your clinic supervisor before your shift. Time missed due to illness must be made up.
Remember that dependability is an important MA trait!
After notification of the site supervisor and Clinical Training Coordinator, all absences must also be reported on the Report of Missed Clinical Training Time sheet. Missed time must also be reported on the faxed weekly report and on the time sheet.
As you are not a clinic employee, there is no time off allowed for personal needs or functions. If at all possible, all appointments are to be made outside of clinical training hours. If you cannot possibly arrange for your necessary appointment(s) outside of clinic hours, you must notify both the NWHSU Clinical Coordinator and your clinic supervisor in advance of the absence. Do not take an entire day off for an appointment; work at least half of the day and make arrangements to make up the missed hours.
If you have already scheduled an appointment (physical exam, surgery, etc.) that will fall during your clinical training period, you must make your clinic supervisor and the NWHSU Clinical Coordinator aware of this appointment before starting your clinical training. The best time to let the supervisor know is during your first meeting/interview with your clinic supervisor.
If you use childcare, be sure to have a back-up plan in the event your day care provider is unable to care for your child.
Third Strike Policy – Tardiness and absences in excess of two occurrences may result in disciplinary action and could result in failure of clinical training.
Funeral leave for deaths within the immediate family will be determined on an individual basis and is to be approved in advance of the absence. Time missed for funeral leave must be made up.
Some clinics offer hours on weekends, late hours, urgent care hours, etc. Students are not required to work weekends, holidays, etc, but an arrangement may be made between the student and clinic if the student desires to work more than forty hours per week.