Change in Student Status

For any of the following categories of student status, it is a student’s responsibility to contact the associate dean for student affairs at least once a year to report on his or her activities and progress. Under certain circumstances, a student’s status may be changed from Extended Study to Leave of Absence or In Absentia to Submit by the associate dean in consultation with the Progress Committee and with notification of the student.

Extended Study

A student who is in good standing at the medical school may choose to take an additional year of medical school for research, pursuit of a joint degree, electives, or for academic or personal reasons, provided that a sufficient portion of the year is related to medical education. Such a student will be classified as being on “extended study” and will be required to register each term, pay a registration fee and show evidence of medical insurance including mental health coverage equivalent to full coverage by the Yale Health Plan. The Progress Committee must approve any extended study time beyond one year. A student on extended study is considered a full-time student in good standing. Therefore, a student on extended study has the same privileges as any other enrolled medical student, including loan deferrals and continuation of medical malpractice and disability insurance. Students may elect to handle their tuition payments in one of three ways: 

1. You may pay full tuition for four consecutive years and a registration fee for the fifth year and beyond. Health insurance will be provided at the student rate by the Yale University Health Services while you are paying the full tuition. You are responsible for your own health insurance during the fifth year and beyond. You have the option of using the Yale Health Plan at the self-pay rate or using another insurance carrier that offers equivalent coverage. Equivalent coverage means that it must include coverage for mental health. You are required to provide documentation of health insurance coverage at registration. 

2. You may pay full tuition for each year you are enrolled in full-time study at the School of Medicine and pay a registration fee during the year you are not in the standard curriculum. In this case, the same eligibility and requirements for health insurance apply as in 1 above. For students who have not yet paid 3 full years of tuition, this option may not be allowed. 

3. You may split your tuition and registration fee over a two-year period usually years 4 and 5. You may pay one-half of the current rate of tuition and one-half of the registration fee each year. The total amount will be charged in two installments, for each semester. In this case, your health insurance will be provided at the student rate by the Yale University Health Services for both years that split tuition is being paid. 

All students who do an extended study year must confer with the associate dean for student affairs and the director of financial aid. For students who need to obtain health insurance, the Yale Health Plan at the self-pay rate provides cost-effective, local coverage of a tremendous range of services. The fall-term deadline for applying for the Yale Health Plan is September 15; the spring-term deadline is January 31. Every Yale medical student must be covered adequately by health insurance during the entire time that he or she is a student. 

Students are required to have the year of extended study approved by the associate dean for student affairs and must complete the change of status form and tuition specification form with the registrar and office of financial aid. Because tuition is billed on May 15, the forms should be completed and returned to the registrar prior to that date. 

Questions regarding a year of extended study should be directed to the associate dean for student affairs; any questions regarding tuition options should be directed to the director of financial aid.

Leave of Absence

All students who interrupt their medical education to pursue studies or activities unrelated to medical education will be considered on leave of absence. Such students will not have any student privileges, including loan deferrals and medical malpractice and disability insurance. Please note: without medical malpractice insurance, a student can do no clinical work. Students on leave of absence will be assessed a registration fee. Students are required to have the leave of absence approved by the associate dean for student affairs and must complete the change of status form and the tuition specification form. Again, these forms must be returned to the registrar before May 15. Questions regarding a leave of absence should be directed to the associate dean for student affairs. Students on an approved leave of absence may sign up for insurance with the Yale Health Plan at the self-pay rate.

In Absentia to Submit

A student who has failed to complete a requirement in the usual amount of time that is allowed to graduate (5 years for most students) and that is needed to receive the M.D. degree, will be placed on In Absentia to Submit (IAS) status. These students are no longer in residence because they have failed to complete a dissertation, have not passed a required clerkship, have not passed a USLME examination, or have not completed another requirement for graduation. After three years, a student on IAS will be dismissed if he or she has not completed the requirements by that time, unless he or she has successfully petitioned the Progress Committee for an extension. The student is not charged a tuition fee and is not eligible for any financial assistance, university services, loan deferrals, or insurance coverage. If the student completes all of the requirements for graduation in the three year period, his or her name will be presented to the Yale Corporation for the awarding of the M.D. degree.

Additional Time for Family Reasons

In recognizing the special needs of students who take on the responsibility of bearing and raising children, students may elect to take a full year or partial year extended study or an official leave of absence for this reason during their medical education. If a student wishes to continue with his or her education while devoting increased time to family needs, the medical school will be very flexible about scheduling clinical rotations at times and locations consistent with the student’s family responsibilities. Furthermore, the school will be flexible in considering need for extra time overall to complete requirements. We encourage you to consult with the associate dean for student affairs early in planning for family contingencies. Information on childcare arrangements is available in the Office of Student Affairs and in the Office for Women in Medicine. The Phyllis Bodel daycare center for children birth through kindergarten, located in the Harkness Dormitory building, accepts children of medical students. Applications for daycare slots must be made as early as possible. Students’ applications are considered equally with all other applications and are not given any weight or preference. Present students and graduates of the school who have had or raised children during medical school can be a wonderful resource as well.