Medical Leave Policy for Davison Health Center

 Wesleyan expects that your priority during medical leave will be evaluation of, treatment for, and recovery from the illness or condition which necessitates the leave.

 Requesting a medical leave

The physician you designate to have primary responsibility for your medical evaluation and care must write a letter addressed to Davis Smith, Medical Director, recommending and supporting a medical leave.  The letter should include details regarding your illness or medical diagnosis, and the anticipated plan of evaluation and treatment.  We recommend that your physician follow up this letter with a telephone call to Dr. Smith.

After the letter has been received and reviewed, Dr. Smith will prepare a letter to your Class Dean with his recommendation.  Medical information will be treated as confidential, but minimal necessary details will be communicated in this letter.  The Class Dean will make the final decision and communicate to you the terms of the leave.

The minimum duration of a medical leave is the balance of the semester in which it starts.  They may be extended as necessary, but extensions beyond two semesters require annual updates to your Class Dean.

Returning from a medical leave

Once you are ready to return to school, please notify your Class Dean of this intent. 

The physician responsible for your medical evaluation and care should prepare a follow-up letter to Davis Smith, Medical Director.  This letter should identify the medical problem which warranted the medical leave, review pertinent details of diagnosis and treatment, assert that the problem has been treated or controlled to a degree sufficient to allow return to the University as a full-time student in residence, and offer recommendations regarding physical or learning disability accommodations.  It is often useful for there to be telephone contact between Dr. Smith and your physician.

After the letter has been received and reviewed, Dr. Smith will prepare a letter to the appropriate Class Dean with his recommendation.  Once the return has been approved, the Class Dean will initiate the academic process of returning you from medical leave.

Once you return to campus, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith to discuss your recent health history and current care plan.