Foundations 2 Attendance Policy
Purpose
To outline the attendance policy for each of the components of F2 (clinical and classroom-based), including how to give notice of an absence (either in advance or emergently), and what make-up work is expected for absences.
NOTE: Students requesting an absence from components of F2 should submit their request here.
Overview
Foundations 2 is the second phase of the Bridges curriculum when students complete core clinical clerkships as well as revisit foundational science concepts and learn about diagnostic testing through recurrent didactic sessions (IDS 113). Students also have the opportunity to enroll in short clinical electives (CIExes) to explore a variety of clinical specialties beyond the core clerkships. In this phase of the curriculum, the student assumes new and central roles as a provider of patient care and a member of a clinical team. In addition, students form new learning communities in IDS 113 (Foundational Sciences in Foundations 2) as well as participate in learning and assessment activities in Physician Identity (PI) Weeks 5 & 6.
To fulfill these important responsibilities, attendance and punctuality become markers for the core competency of professionalism. Appropriate communication around absences is a critical aspect of professionalism during F2. There may be circumstances that will require students to miss entire days or parts of a day, which they should report in accordance with the absence procedures detailed in this policy.
Definitions:
IDS 113 “Foundational Sciences in Foundations 2” (sometimes abbreviated to “FS in F2”) is a course that holds sessions on Mondays during the even weeks of each block (typically 9:40am-12:30pm). On this day, students are excused from their clinical clerkship to participate in didactic sessions that revisit core foundational science concepts relevant to their clinical experiences. There may also be other didactics on these days, such as FCM Seminar (typically 8:10-9:30am).
CIExes: Clinical Immersive Experiences are primarily 2-week electives which give students an opportunity to explore areas of interest outside of the core clerkships.
PI Weeks: Physician Identity (PI) Weeks are required weeks where students reconvene on campus to participate in professional identity formation activities, sessions to help them reflect and focus on their overall progress, and to meet with their coaches.
Excused Absences: Approved absences for the following circumstances
-
Emergent Absences: absences of a half day (or equivalent of one clinic session) or more that result from a significant healthcare issue or family event (family emergency, etc.)
-
Planned Absences: absences of a half day (or equivalent of one clinic session) or morethat are requested in advance to participate in planned activities such as attendance at a national meeting or family celebratory event.
-
Planned Absences because of Accommodations for Protected Disabilities: Institutionally approved alterations in the conduct of a rotation to allow students with protected disabilities to fulfill their educational requirements, including the need to excuse oneself from the clinical environment for ongoing health care needs.
-
Preventive/Routine Health Care Absences: absences of two or more hoursto address preventive or routine health care issues.
Principles
-
The primary responsibility of the students during the Foundations 2 phase of the curriculum is to successfully master the material required to earn a passing grade in all core and elective clerkships, as well as in the IDS 113 course and PI weeks.
-
Student wellbeing and professional development are interdependent with competency development and professional identity formation.
-
Unforeseen, emergent issues,planned absences, and preventive/healthcare brief absences will be accommodated within reason to support students’ needs, mindful of the importance of continuity of learning, achievement of required competencies for the curriculum, and minimizing disruption to patients and the clinical care delivery team. Students may be required to make up time missed, if absences extend beyond that allowed by the policy.
-
Learning to optimize personal health and manage personal illness, including prompt communication of absences, within the confines of a clinical care environment based on teamwork is a critical aspect of professional identity formation and patient care skills.
-
Institutionally-approved accommodations should be respected in the clinical learning environment, to the extent desired by the student.
Policy
1. During the Core Clerkships:
a. One day of excused absence is allowed in 4 weeks of a clinical clerkship.
b. At the discretion of the clerkship leadership team (may include clerkship director, site director, and clerkship coordinator) and on a case-by-case basis, make-up activity may be required for any missed days.
c. Students whose absences interfere with their learning and demonstration of necessary competencies will be required to make up lost time and possibly repeat all, or part of, the clerkship.
2. During the Clinical Immersive Experiences:
a. One excused absence is allowed during the 6 weeks of CIExes.
b. For absences exceeding 1 day/6 weeks, the CIEx will need to be repeated.
3. During IDS 113: "Foundational Sciences in Foundations 2" (FS-in-F2):
a. One excused absence is allowed during the course in addition to the days missed during scheduled vacations (2 days).
b. Make-up activity will be required for absences exceeding the allowed number (i.e., 2 or more excused absences
4. During the Family and Community Medicine (FCM) longitudinal core clerkship:
a. Two excused absences are allowed in addition to the 2 days of scheduled vacation.
b. Make-up activity will be required for absences exceeding the allowed number (i.e., 2, 3, or more total absences).
5. During the PI Week 5 and 6:
a. One excused absence is allowed in either PI week but not in both.
b. No absence will be pre-approved for when a student is scheduled for an assessment.
c. Make-up activities for any missed assessment activity due to emergency circumstances will be required and other missed activities may require make up.
6. Absences for routine scheduled health care appointments of less than 2 hours do not need clerkship approval but do require notification to the clinical care delivery team. No more than one routine health care appointment should be scheduled during any element of F2 (i.e. each core clerkship, electives, IDS 113, Longitudinal FCM, PI weeks.) Students who require absences for health care appointments at greater frequency than this should consult with the Associate Dean for Students for guidance.
7. Students are responsible for notifying clinical care delivery teams about planned and health care absences in advance of the absence and for informing their clerkship director about emergent absences as soon as practical.
8. Accommodations for protected disabilities will be provided during the clerkships if requested in advance by the student, in accordance with UCSF procedures on informing faculty about accommodations. Accommodations for protected disabilities cannot be applied retroactively.
Procedure
What to do when you are going to be absent during F2:
-
Submit an absence request form to notify the clerkship or course leadership and, for planned absences, obtain approval. Submit as soon as you know you will need to be absent. For emergent absences, submit no later than the day of your absence.
-
Notify your preceptor/team. For planned absence, make sure your team is aware of days when you will be away. For emergent absences, notify your team as soon as possible, and no later than the morning of your absence.
1. In Foundations 2, the School of Medicine recognizes Thanksgiving as an official school holiday and releases students from clerkships during the following times: Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving at 5:00pm, through Saturday at 8:00am. Students are expected to return to clerkship duties at 8:00am on Saturday.
Regarding other holidays, individual clerkships and certain clinics may have different practices and procedures. Students should always check with their clerkship director or faculty supervisor about holiday attendance expectations in advance of making any holiday plans.
2. For all excused or emergent absences, F2 students will be required to submit an absence request form via the Qualtrics survey found here.
a. For planned absences from didactic sessions, the absence request form must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the session. Clinical clerkships would like to receive these requests as far in advance as possible, and no later than one month before the start of the clerkship. For emergent absences, this form should be submitted as soon as possible.
b. This request will be automatically routed (through the central OME office) to the appropriate course or clerkship director to inform them of this request.
c. The data will also be saved in a central database to track students’ absences overtime in order to identify any truancy patterns and to provide verification for absences should the record impact the completion of a course or clerkship.
d. Should make-up activity be required following an absence, students are required to speak with the course or clerkship director (or designated leader) directly.
e. In the case of emergent absences, the Associate Deans for Curriculum or Students may submit the form on behalf of the student.
3. For all approved clinical absences (planned or emergent), the student is responsible for notifying their direct clinical supervisor. For classroom-based and didactic activities (FCM seminar, IDS 113 and PI Weeks), students are not expected to directly inform the course leadership.
4. For planned absences from didactic sessions, the absence request form must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the session.
5. Clinical clerkships would like to receive these requests as far in advance as possible, and no later than one month before the start of the clerkship.
6. For emergent absences, the absence request form should be submitted as soon as possible.
7. Partial-day absences are not considered during F2. Any time away from your clerkship requires communication with your team. Absences of more than 2 hours require an absence request form submission.
8. For clinical clerkships (core and elective), you are required to inform your direct supervisor of your absence once approved and in the case of an emergent absence.
9. All course and clerkship directors will reiterate the attendance policy at the beginning of each clerkship or course during the Foundations 2 phase.
10. Course and clerkship directors and administrators will make themselves available to guide the students when planning their excused absences when they are known in advance (e.g., to attend a wedding, to attend an educational conference).
11. Make-up activities will be assigned by the clerkship or course director on a case-by-case basis.
Accountable Dean or Director: Associate Dean for Curriculum
Related Policies:
Foundations 2 Assessment and Grading Policy
Foundations 2 Duty Hour Policy
Approval Date and Governing Body: December 13, 2022, Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy
Last Updated: March 10, 2026
