Navigating Leave of Absence in Medical School:
Exploring the Impact on Underrepresented Students
Pooja Desai, B.S, Stephanie Moss, M.D., Heysel Serra Rodriguez, B.S, Evelyn Melissa Esparza B.S.
Poster Requirements:
Poster pdf file must be sized 56" x 40" (These templates are sized correctly)
Must be saved as a pdf file
Must be previewed for graphic quality
PDF file must be emailed to…..(admin coordinator)
Saving your finished PowerPoint as a PDF:
MS Powerpoint for Windows PC: �When you are ready to save your finished poster click on the “File” tab in the upper left part of your screen. Choose "Save as" and select "PDF" rename your file in the file name window. Select the “Standard (publishing online and print)” radio button. Click “save.”
MS Powerpoint for Apple Computers: �When you are ready to save your finished poster click on the “File” tab in the upper left part of your screen. Choose "Save as" and select "PDF" rename your file in the file name window. Click “save.”
Checking the Size:
After you've made your pdf, open the file. Change view size to 100%. Hovering over the bottom left corner should display a box with the size listed as 56.00 x 40.00 in. or click "File" and choose "Properties" in the bottom portion of the box the page size should be listed as 56.00 x 40.00 in.
Previewing for Graphic Quality:
Change view size to 100% or click "View" choose "Zoom" and select "Actual size". Use the window slider bars to navigate around your pdf to preview your graphics. They will print exactly as you see them. If the graphics look blurry, distorted, fuzzy or pixelated, then they will also print that way. Replace your graphics with higher resolution as needed. Always use the highest resolution possible for your graphics.
Study Design: Retrospective, anonymous online survey
Initial Survey (2023):
- Received responses from 17 participants
Updated Survey (2024):
- Distributed to gather a more comprehensive dataset
- Included demographic variables:
- Race and ethnicity
- Financial background
- Underrepresented minority (URM) status
- It also included questions about:
- Financial considerations
- Academic considerations
- Information and support provided by institutions
- Emotional wellbeing during and post LOA
- Aimed to explore intersectionality and factors influencing LOA decisions
- LOA is a significant challenge, especially for URM, first-generation, and students with disabilities, who face unique barriers in medical education.
- Institutional gaps exist: Over half (52.5%) of students did not receive guidance on important considerations before taking an LOA.
- Limited academic support: Nearly half (48.3%) of students did not receive academic assistance during their leave.
- Financial burdens are substantial: While 69.5% were aware they needed to fund their LOA personally, 30.5% lacked sufficient information.
- Emotional struggles are significant: Nearly 35% of students stated they felt alone or like a “failure” during their LOA.
- Bourgeois, J. A., Hategan, A., & Dragatsi, D. (2021). Medical Student Well-Being: Perspectives, Challenges, and Strategies.
- Lu, F., et al. (2020). The impact of leaves of absence on medical student outcomes: A systematic review. Academic Medicine.
- Nguyen M, Song SH, Ferritto A, Ata A, Mason HRC. Demographic Factors and Academic Outcomes Associated With Taking a Leave of Absence From Medical School. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(1):e2033570. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.33570
- A leave of absence (LOA) from medical school is a formal interruption in training taken for personal, medical, or academic reasons3.
- LOA can offer students valuable opportunities to enrich their careers, engaging in research or addressing academic concerns.
- However, LOA’s can cause delay in professional milestones and present with challenges such as social isolation, stigma, and reintegration difficulties1,2, particularly matching into residencies.
- Despite their prevalence, there is limited research on the emotional impact and broader implications of LOA within medical education2.
- This study aims to highlight potentials areas of development in institutional support and medical student awareness regarding LOA.
Total Number of participants:
59 medical students from different medical schools across the country
Demographics:
- 20 of 41 students (48.7%) identified as Hispanic/ Latinx
- 29 of 41 respondents (70.7%) to the gender question identified as female
- 16 of 40 students (38%) disclosed household income of below ($25,000), placing many at or below federal poverty line
32 of 41 (80%) students identified as underrepresented in medicine (Figure 1)
- 15 of 32 (46.9%) due to first-generation student status
- 10 of 32 (31.3%) due to race
- 6 of 32 (18.8%) due to disability
22 of 59 students took an LOA between M2 and M3 while 37 of 59 students had to take a LOA to study for Step 1 or 2
Of the 59 students, 29 reported having diagnosed disability or chronic illness
- 17 of 29 (58.6%) students disclosed a diagnosis of ADHD,
- 15 of 29 (51.7%) disclosed a mental health condition
47% of participants felt that their school provided minimal both emotional and academic support during their time off
Feelings of isolation were reported by 22 of 59 participants (37.3%)
- This study significantly highlights underscores potential areas of development in institutional support and medical student awareness gaps regarding LOA, especially as only 50% were aware of the LOA option and 51.7% lacked adequate information
- The data underscores the intersectionality of systemic inequities and marginalized identities among students who have taken an LOA.
- Financial reliance on family during an LOA was common, revealing socioeconomic disparities that may exacerbate stress for students from lower-income backgrounds.
- Nearly 50% lacked emotional support resources from their schools highlights a critical area for improvement.
- Institutions must prioritize providing comprehensive guidance, financial resources, and mental health support to ensure students can navigate LOAs successfully and return to medical school.
Scan the QR Code to access a detailed version of our survey, additional graphs, and resources:
Figure 1: Percentage of students that consider themselves “under-represented”
Figure 2: Most Common Concerns Expressed by Students Prior to LOA
Figure 3: Most Common Concerns Reported After Taking a LOA