Medical Leaves and Returns

Temporary Medical Leaves

A student may request a Temporary Medical Leave of Absence of up to ten (10) consecutive class days and ordinarily for no more than ten (10) total class days per semester. Temporary medical leaves are appropriate for health-related situations in which a student needs to take time away from classes to manage a short-term need such as injury rehabilitation, symptoms improved by rest, or for planned procedures associated with relatively short recovery times. Temporary medical leaves are not appropriate in situations where intensive levels of care are indicated including inpatient, intensive outpatient, or residential settings, nor are they appropriate to manage common illnesses like colds, influenza, etc. unless symptoms are exceptionally severe and persistent. Temporary medical leaves are also not appropriate for situations where health needs are undefined, a plan is not communicated, or where there are no planned connections with campus or community-based healthcare professionals. They cannot be used to take care of others on campus or at home. A temporary leave beyond ten (10) days will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances at the discretion of the Dean of Students or their designee, ordinarily in consultation with the Center for Health and Wellness. Students taking a temporary medical leave are still responsible for the course content and assignments they missed.

Temporary medical leaves do not change a student’s enrollment status at the College. They are extended, excused absences for the purpose of tending to a new or existing health situation.  

To initiate a temporary medical leave of absence, students can:

1.  Complete the Temporary Medical Leave Request Form in their student health portal under the Forms tab on the homepage. The form collects information about the health issue at that moment, the kinds of treatment and/or assistance a student is seeking during their leave, whether they plan to be on campus, and when they plan to begin and end their leave. Once complete, the form will be reviewed by a staff member who will reach out to schedule a time to meet to discuss your needs and goals OR
2. Email (chw@middlebury.edu) to request a meeting or call to share your needs and goals and complete the form together. Students who already have a relationship with a nurse practitioner, athletic trainer, or counselor are welcome to initiate their request by alerting their provider.

Center for Health and Wellness staff will perform an individualized assessment to ensure that the temporary medical leave length will meet the student’s health and/or recovery goals. Students should expect to receive an email when their temporary medical leave is approved that includes the anticipated start start date, end date, location, an outline of the Medical Return Process (including deadlines), and resources accessible during their leave. We include key Dean of Students staff including your Class Dean and Residential Life on this notice so they know to communicate with your faculty about your excused absences and whether you will be on campus. Leave approval emails do not include details about your personal health or the reason for the leave.

In situations where a longer leave may be indicated and a temporary medical leave is not approved, Center for Health and Wellness staff will review those options with the student, make recommendations, and refer the student to a Care Manager to begin longer term leave planning. 

Please note that during Winter Term, due to the condensed nature of the 4-week classes, temporary medical leaves are limited to two to three class days (2-3) and require careful planning and communication between students and faculty. Students who need to miss more than a couple days of classes (equivalent to two weeks in a typical term) should consider opting out of Winter Term via their Class Dean. 

Leaves of Absences

Students can initiate longer Leaves of Absences for the remainder of the current semester or longer by declaring this intention to their Class Dean or a Care Manager. There is no approval process to initiate a Leave of Absence. In situations where there is a health concern related to the leave, students will be referred to the Center for Health and Wellness to meet before they depart campus or shortly thereafter to learn more about their health situation, goals and needs for their leave, and the Medical Return Process. 

Leaves of absences do change a student’s enrollment status. To re-enroll, they must complete a petition to return by the deadlines stated in the Handbook and complete the Medical Return Process.  

Medical Return Process

When students indicate that a health concern precipitated their leave, the College requires an individualized review of materials that assess their readiness to return. Specialized staff in Middlebury’s Center for Health and Wellness are available to work with students before, during, and after a leave of absence with this condition for return to prepare, submit, and review their petition materials. 

Health-related documentation is treated as confidential. Center for Health and Wellness Staff staff are authorized to summarize a student’s readiness to return in order to make a recommendation to the Dean of Students who oversees the petitions process.  

Recommendations for re-admission will be based on an individualized assessment of each student including consideration of current medical knowledge and/or the best available objective evidence. Careful consideration will be given to the opinions and recommendations of the student’s treating healthcare professional(s). Students experiencing trouble identifying a provider to complete the required forms or who are experiencing communication challenges with providers should contact the Center for Health and Wellness at CHW@middlebury.edu immediately (for Temporary Medical Leaves), and no later than four weeks before the re-admission petition deadline (for Leaves of Absences), to request assistance and to explore alternative or supplemental options.

Medical Return Process for Temporary Medical Leaves

For Temporary Medical Leaves, the Medical Return Form (or other access to records requested by the Center for Health and Wellness) must be completed by all treating healthcare providers and returned to the Center for Health and Wellness on day seven (7) of the ten (10) day leave or on a date determined to be appropriate for a student’s specific situation that is listed in their approval email. In some cases, students may be able to work with Center for Health and Wellness staff to grant them access to their off-campus electronic health records in advance, or make an individualized plan for assessing their readiness to return in lieu or in addition to the Medical Return Form. 

Students who meet with Center for Health and Wellness staff in advance of their Temporary Medical Leave can partner with a campus clinician to try to expedite releases of information, initiate direct contact from the Center to students’ external providers, and grant access to external records through national health record databases. In some cases, this partnership and early communication can replace the need for completing forms. We find that when the Medical Return Process is collaborative, we are able to maximize students’ options to demonstrate readiness to return and minimize administrative burdens on students and their healthcare providers.

Students who are concerned about their ability to have required form(s) completed must contact the Center for Health and Wellness at chw@middlebury.edu before or at the start of their Temporary Medical Leave to begin exploring alternative or supplemental options. Satisfactory and timely responses to any follow-up requests for information from students and/or outside providers from Center for Health and Wellness staff must also be received as a part of the Medical Return Process. 

Medical Return Process for Leaves of Absences

For full Leaves of Absences, we strongly recommend that students plan to meet with staff at the Center for Health and Wellness at the time of declaring their leave as well as while on leave, at least four weeks before their petition deadline. This communication will help establish an individualized plan for a student to navigate the Medical Return Process. Students who meet with Center for Health and Wellness staff in advance of submitting their petition materials can partner with a campus clinician to try to expedite releases of information, initiate direct contact from the Center to students’ external providers, and grant access to external records through national health record databases. We find that when the Medical Return Process is collaborative, we are able to maximize students’ options to demonstrate readiness to return. To speak to a staff member at the Center for Health and Wellness to initiate the Medical Return Process, please email chw@middlebury.edu.

Students who choose not to meet with the Center for Health and Wellness in advance of their petition deadline (listed in their leave letter) will be expected to have Leave of Absence Medical Return Forms submitted by their petition date from all healthcare providers who have treated them. Instructions for completing the form are included on the form itself. In these situations the Center will not be able to explore alternative or supplemental options for students in the Medical Return Process outside of the Medical Return Form.  

Satisfactory and timely responses to any follow-up requests or information from students and/or outside providers from Center for Health and Wellness staff must also be received as a part of the medical return process. 

Recommendations for re-admission will be based on an individualized assessment of each student including consideration of current medical knowledge and/or the best available objective evidence. Careful consideration will be given to the opinions and recommendations of the student’s treating healthcare professional(s).