The period between the completion of Term 5 and the start of Term 6 is considered vacation time/interim LOA (ILOA), provided the student’s clinical term begins within 20 weeks of the end of Term 5.
Due to the nature of the academic calendar, USMLE requirements and clinical placement schedules, students might not be able to start their first clinical term until after this vacation period ends. If this occurs, the student will be placed on a Leave of Absence (LOA). If the student is a US Federal aid recipient, the LOA will allow the student to maintain federal student loans in an “in school” deferment status. This LOA can be for a maximum of six months. For questions regarding enrollment status, can contact the Office of the University Registrar – Academic Enrollment and Compliance at enrollmentchanges@sgu.edu.
As an example, if a student successfully finished Term 5 in December 2023, the student must start their first clinical rotation by 04/29/2024 (the end of the 20-week vacation period). The student will be an official Leave of Absence from December 2023, until the start of the first clinical rotation, for a maximum of 6 months, which is 06/10/2024. The student will need to have enrolled in a clinical rotation by 6/10/2024 to officially begin the clinical years and prevent the Interim LOA from appearing on the student’s transcript. This Leave of Absence is to study for the USMLE Step 1 exam so as to be eligible for the next clinical placement period. If the student has not been placed into their first clinical rotation within 6 months, the student will have extend the leave of absence until the student’s actual first clinical rotation start date.”
The ILOA will become an official LOA that will reflect on the student’s transcript if the student does not begin the first rotation by 6/10/2024.
- If the student is a United States Federal Aid Recipient, the LOA will allow the student to maintain the enrollment status that will keep the student’s federal loans in an "in school" deferment status. This LOA will be for a maximum of six months.
- Beyond this time, the student’s federal loan can go into a repayment status.
- While it is important that this LOA is maintained for the enrollment status for federal student loan purposes, this leave will not be reflected on the student’s transcript if the student starts clinical rotations within 6 months.
Beyond this time, the student’s US Federal student loans will go into a repayment status, and the student will need to seek the necessary authorization to extend the LOA. For questions regarding repayment status, contact the Office of Financial Aid at faid@sgu.edu.
Students must complete the Basic Sciences within 3 years of matriculation and the full MD program within 6 years of matriculation. Students who have taken the maximum 3 years for the Basic Sciences will be placed into clinical rotation within 6 months of completing the Basic Sciences. In the rare instance that the CAPPS has granted a student more than 3 years to complete the Basic Sciences (for courses > 4 credits), the student must start rotations at the first available start date following the completion of Basic Sciences requirements. Any delays starting clinical studies are factored into the 6-year maximum timeline.
PLEASE NOTE: While it is important that a student’s interim LOA enrollment status is maintained for federal student loan purposes, it is not reflected on a student’s transcript unless the student fails the USMLE Step 1 or declines the rotation that is made available to the student by the Office of Clinical Education Operations.
Bridge Time:
Clinical students who need to schedule a few weeks off between rotations may only do so as long as their timeline permits. This is referred to as bridge time. In addition, students who need to complete remediation for failed NBME clinical subject examinations or completion examinations for NBME clinical subject examinations are able to use bridge time. Students must notify their clinical student administrator in the Office of Clinical Education Operations and receive approval prior to taking bridge time. The amount of bridge time available to students depends upon when the clinical period begins. Students are able to have up to 20 weeks of bridge time within a rolling 12-month period. Students who need more than 20 weeks within a rolling 12-month period are required to apply for an LOA. Students are not able to take 20 weeks of bridge time concurrently with a leave of absence.
During a calendar year, there are times when hospitals do not take any students. Typically, this happens at the end of July until mid-August (lasting 2-3 weeks) and the last two weeks in December. During those times, students must be on bridge time or if they don’t have enough bridge time, will be required to be on LOA.