Requiring signing of attendance document

[hemoglobincell]

Just wondering if anyone else goes to a medical school that requires the entire class to sign a document at the end of every year that basically says "I attended at least 80% of all school-related activities" throughout the year. My school is insisting we must sign these documents in order to practice medicine in California. Anyone else (especially those going to California schools) having this experience?

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[Benu]

Yup, at least 80%....

I'm not in California though.

 

[Benu]

And actually, if it's less than 80% you don't even have the right to take exams.

 

[DrYoda]

Not in California and thankfully rarely have to attend anything.

 

[hemoglobincell]

See the thing is... attendance is not "mandatory". It says in the syllabus for each class it is not mandatory. Roll is not ever taken except for required activities. However, they still make us sign this document at the end of the year. Seems like it just makes liars out of a lot of medical students.

 

[hemoglobincell]

And actually, if it's less than 80% you don't even have the right to take exams.

How do they know? Do they take roll?

 

[Basookashlon]

Not many of us here in California have internet access in our homes. Thus listening to lectures on our computers really isnt a option for many. (I am typing this from the library at school). This is why they have mandatory attendance.

 

[DrDrToBe]

Never heard of that...I am in California and we're not required to go to class. Most people in my year actually never go to class, and the IT folks go the extra mile to make sure videos are top quality and posted within an hour or so after the lecture. Of course, our clinical skills and practicuum are mandatory and the preceptors take attendance, but if you have an excuse they allow you to make it up, so I think most people have at least 80% attendance for that stuff.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Not many of us here in California have internet access in our homes.

huh??? Where the heck in California are you from? I know NO ONE who doesn't have home internet. (med student or otherwise)

As far as signing documents. LCME requires schools to have 80% attendence in their classes for accreditation. We are told we are required to attend 80% of classes. We don't. No one cares. There is nothing to sign. Your school maybe has gotten into trouble for it in the past and is doign it as a safety thing.

 

[itellitlikeitis]

huh??? Where the heck in California are you from? I know NO ONE who doesn't have home internet. (med student or otherwise)

seriously. I don't see how anyone in today's times doesn't have something so basic as the internet. There's probably just 1 allopathic medical school in all of CA stingy enough to require students to attend classes (LL I'm guessing...)

There was something along those lines written somewhere in one of our handbooks that was online that someone happened to point out but it is not enforced at all at my school

 

[Marcus Brody]

I may have attended at most 10% the first 2 years..and that's counting the exams.

That is a silly little paternalistic policy right there, sorry to hear it.

 

[Fleabeard]

There's probably just 1 allopathic medical school in all of CA stingy enough to require students to attend classes (LL I'm guessing...)

I'm an MS1 at LLU, and lecture attendance is not required. I think the California regulatory authorities require us to sign the statement though, same as any other CA allopathic school.

 

[thedoctor8706]

seriously. I don't see how anyone in today's times doesn't have something so basic as the internet. There's probably just 1 allopathic medical school in all of CA stingy enough to require students to attend classes (LL I'm guessing...)

I go to LLU, and most if not each class's syllabus says "lecture attendance not required." We get attendance taken for lab & small group, but that's a given.

 

[itellitlikeitis]

I go to LLU, and most if not each class's syllabus says "lecture attendance not required." We get attendance taken for lab & small group, but that's a given.

Sorry I shouldn't have assumed

Not many of us here in California have internet access in our homes. Thus listening to lectures on our computers really isnt a option for many. (I am typing this from the library at school). This is why they have mandatory attendance.

Hmm now I'm REALLY curious about what calfornia med school would require you to actually attend. Is it safe to assume this is an allopathic school since you are posting this in the allopathic section?

 

[Benu]

How do they know? Do they take roll?

Yeah, all the time on seminars and everything practical.
If it's a lecture though, with like over 200 people they obviously won't call out everyone's name. We just get a sign up sheet and we sign in !

Of course, you can always sign your classmates and friends, but sometimes they randomly count all the signatures and people who are present. And if the numbers don't fit they'll make a big deal out of it

 

[bambi]

Yeah, all the time on seminars and everything practical.
If it's a lecture though, with like over 200 people they obviously won't call out everyone's name. We just get a sign up sheet and we sign in !

Of course, you can always sign your classmates and friends, but sometimes they randomly count all the signatures and people who are present. And if the numbers don't fit they'll make a big deal out of it

At my school signing for someone else would count as a fitness to practice issue and you could get kicked out for it! That's England though.

 

[Bacchus]

Wasn't there rumor Touro was installing fingerprint scanners for attendance purpose a while back?

Edit: They did that at the Harlem school, so maybe Cali too?

 

[Atle]

At my school signing for someone else would count as a fitness to practice issue and you could get kicked out for it! That's England though.

I'm at an English med school and they say the same thing to us, everyone still does it though, and no-ones got in trouble so far.

 

[Marcus Brody]

Next time the sheet comes around I say crumple it up and throw it away when no one is looking.

 

[bambi]

I'm at an English med school and they say the same thing to us, everyone still does it though, and no-ones got in trouble so far.

We didn't have it for lectures, it's only for small group stuff and it would definitely result in some serious trouble where I am. You would be an idiot to even try it. My school is not exactly that nice to it's students a lot of the time.

 

[mvenus929]

At my school signing for someone else would count as a fitness to practice issue and you could get kicked out for it! That's England though.

That'd be an honor code violation, and thus grounds for expulsion at my school. And I'm at a US school