Attendance

Punctual and regular attendance to classroom instruction and clinical assignments is an essential responsibility of each student.

Attendance is mandatory at the Radiologic Technology Orientation sessions offered prior to the start of the program.

A student who wishes to observe a religious holiday that conflicts with class or clinical responsibilities is required to follow the School attendance policies.

Classroom:

A student is held responsible for all material covered in class even when absent from the class.

Test/Exam:

A student has the opportunity for 4 make up tests (total for all enrolled courses) per semester. The 5th and all subsequent test(s) missed will result in a zero (0) for the test(s).

A student who is absent for a course when a test is scheduled must take the make-up test on the day they return to school (didactic class day) during the time posted on the schedule as “Make-up Time".

A student who knows in advance that he/she will be absent on a test day may take the test early, if approved by course instructor and occurs during the time posted on the schedule as “Make-up Time”.

It is the responsibility of the student to schedule a test make-up time with the instructor of the course. A grade of zero may be given if the test is not taken within timeframe indicated above. Make-up testing will occur ONLY during the hours posted on the course schedule dedicated to “Make-up Time”.

Once a student reaches the maximum number of allowable make-up tests (4) for a semester, the student will be notified in writing by the Dean.

Assignments:

Missed assignments are due within 48 hours (or two school days, not didactic days) of the student’s return to School. A grade of zero may be given if class work and assignments are not made up within 48 hours or two school days.

Didactic Class Attendance:

A student missing over 20% of classes for a didactic course can be withdrawn from the course by the instructor unless prior arrangements have been made.

Students should refer to each individual course syllabus to determine the number of classes that will meet during the semester.

Extended Absences:

A student faced with extended absences will be withdrawn from didactic courses.

Tardiness in classes will not be tolerated. Classes will begin at the posted start time and students will be counted absent if not present at that time. Students that arrive late can still attend class.

Students are expected to attend the entire class period and may be counted absent if leaving a class early. A student that misses a class or portion of a class can make an appointment with the course instructor during posted office hours (see course syllabi) in order to obtain missed information.

See course syllabi as some courses may have more specific class attendance requirements.

A student that is called upon for jury duty must provide documentation to the Dean for the absence(s) not to count against them.
Issues of extenuating circumstances (i.e., military/ reservists) ONLY will be considered by the Dean on an individual basis.

Clinical:

The basic premise of clinical education is gaining experience thus attendance at clinical assignments is essential. Students are expected to attend all clinical assignments as scheduled; time should be missed only as a result of illness and/or emergency. All time missed from clinical, regardless of the reason, will be deducted from the allotted time bank in increments of 15 minutes (rounded).

Examples:

A clock-in that occurs between 8:01am–8:14am:15 minutes is deducted from the student’s time bank and incurs a tardy for that semester.
A clock-out that occurs early, without prior approval, between 4:15pm–4:29pm: 15 minutes is deducted from the student’s time bank and incurs an unexcused absence for the entire length of the program.

Clinical Hours:

Students are expected to be ready to begin their clinical experience when they clock in. Students should refrain from clocking in more than 15 minutes prior to the start of the clinical assignment; however students who choose to clock-in early will not be allowed to end the clinical assignment early.

Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Variations:

8:30am–4:30pm: St. Mary’s Hospital Grove Avenue Imaging
4 weeks of evening rotations, hours vary depending on facility and will occur between the hours of 1:00pm–10:00pm

Because illness or emergency situations occasionally make it impossible to attend clinical assignments, SOMI provides students a time bank each semester that can be missed without incurring a penalty.

Time missed in the 1st and 2nd semesters beyond 16 hours will impact the semester final clinical grade as follows:

1. There is no penalty for time missed up to and including 16 hours.

2. 16 hours and 1 minute through 23 hours and 59 minutes of time missed, student incurs a drop of one letter grade (highest numeric value of letter grade) and a written letter of warning is placed in the student file.

3. 24 hours through 31 hours and 59 minutes of time missed, student incurs another drop of one letter grade (highest numeric value of letter grade) and a written letter stating probation for the remainder of the semester will be placed in the student's file.

4. 32 hours or greater of time missed, student will automatically earn a final grade of "F" for clinical.

Time missed in the 3rd and 5th semesters beyond 24 hours in a semester will impact the semester final clinical grade as follows:

1. There is no penalty for time missed up to and including 24 hours.

2. 24 hours and 1 minute through 31 hours and 59 minutes of time missed, student incurs a drop of one letter grade (highest numeric value of letter grade) and a written letter of warning is placed in the student file.

3. 32 hours through 39 hours and 59 minutes of time missed, student incurs another drop of one letter grade (highest numeric value of letter grade) and a written letter stating probation for the remainder of the semester will be placed in the student's file.

4. 40 hours or greater of time missed, student will automatically earn a final grade of "F" for clinical.

Clinical records are updated weekly; therefore student notification may be delayed, but does not nullify the incurred penalty.

Tracking Attendance:

Student attendance is tracked through Trajecsys, the School’s clinical record system, and it is the student’s responsibility to clock-in and clock-out through the Trajecsys system, which is the only method of clock-in and clock-outs accepted. Failure to properly clock-in or clock-out through Trajecsys will be treated as clinical time missed (tardy or absence). Only clock-ins and clock-outs recorded at the students’ assigned clinical site will be accepted (i.e., if a student is scheduled at MRMC but clocks in at SMH, the time recorded will not be recognized).

Planned absences:

Students that know in advance that they are unable to attend a clinical assignment (i.e., unable to reschedule an appointment), should complete and submit a Clinical Time Off Request via Trajecsys, at least one full clinical day prior to the day requesting off. The Program Coordinator Clinical Education Experience or designee will then approve or disapprove the request. Students can view the status of a Clinical Time Off Request through their Trajecsys account.

Unplanned absences:

Students who are going to be absent from a clinical assignment and have not completed a Clinical Time Off Request and received approval, (i.e., woke up sick) must notify the School and the clinical site prior to the start time of the clinical assignment. Students must follow the procedure identified below:

1. Affiliated Clinical Site
Students are required to call the clinical site and inform them of their absence and obtain the name of the person they informed.

2. School via e-mail: bsr-somiclinicalsite@bshsi.org
Students are required to email the School and inform them of their full name, their absence, their clinical assignment location, and the name of person they informed at the clinical site.

Leaving Early:

The only acceptable reasons for leaving early from a clinical assignment are an illness or emergency.

Students needing to leave for illness or an emergency, must follow the procedure identified below:

1. Affiliated Clinical Site
Students are required to notify a Clinical Preceptor or Supervisor at assigned clinical site that they need to leave early due to sickness or an emergency.

2. School via e-mail: bsr-somiclinicalsite@bshsi.org
Students are required to email the School and inform them of their full name, their need to leave early and reason why, their clinical assignment location, and the name of the person they informed at the clinical site.

Any other cause for early departure from the clinical assignment requires pre-approval from the School (see above for planned absences).

Failure to follow proper procedure for notifying the School or clinical site for both calling in or leaving early will result in an unexcused absence.

Sanctions for Unexcused Absence(s):

Unexcused absences are accumulated for the entire length of program.

An unexcused absence has occurred when the student fails to notify the School and/or clinical site of an absence or leaving early according to the preceding absence or leaving early procedure. Occurrences remain a part of the student’s permanent record throughout the entirety of the program.

1. First occurrence; a letter of warning.

2. Second occurrence; 5 point deduction from the final clinical grade and a written letter stating probation for the remainder of the semester in which the second violation occurred.

3. Third occurrence; student incurs a 2 day clinical suspension (time deducted), and a written letter.

4. Fourth occurrence; student automatically earns a final grade of "F" for the clinical course in the semester in which the violation occurred.

Tardiness:

If a student arrives after the start time of their clinical assignment or arrives late from meal break, the time missed will be deducted from the 24 hour bank of time in increments of 15 minutes. Late arrival will also result in a documented tardy. Also, any missed punches will be treated as a tardy and subject to the sanctions below.

First and second tardy incidents in one semester are documented.
Third tardy incident in one semester will result in a written letter of warning.
Fourth tardy incident in one semester will result in a drop of one letter grade (highest numeric value of letter grade) and a written letter of warning.
Fifth tardy incident in one semester will result in automatically earning a final grade of "F" for the clinical course.

Perfect Clinical Attendance:

Students that successfully complete 4 semesters without missing any clinical days may take a maximum of 9 clinical days off during the fifth semester only if the following criteria has been met: the student has missed less than one hour (60 minutes) of clinical time for all 4 semesters combined, completed all mandatory and elective clinical competencies, completed all required clinical assignments, is in “good standing” with the School (not on probation, nor has received remedial training), has maintained a clinical grade of “A” through the first 4 semesters and currently holds a clinical grade of “A”.