If missing a practical is unavoidable (and you know in advance), you must see the Unit Coordinator to see whether alternative arrangements can be made for you to attend a replacement session. DO NOT JUST TURN UP AT A SESSION FOR WHICH YOU ARE NOT TIMETABLED.
Additional important information for Final Year Students:
You are required by the General Optical Council to see a certain number of patients during your final year, and you will keep a logbook to record these sessions. This means that if you miss any sessions (even if you had a good reason for doing so) it can affect your ability to graduate. You must make every effort not to schedule other appointments/interviews to coincide with clinics. If missing a clinic is unavoidable (and you know in advance), you must see the Programme Director as far in advance as possible, to discuss an appropriate course of action. If you are ill and unable to attend, you MUST leave a telephone voicemail message with the Clinic Reception (0161 306 3860) AND the Student Support Office (0161 275 1487) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. This is obviously particularly important if the session is a clinical practical where you would have patients booked. If you are not able to phone yourself, ask friends or relatives to do it for you, BUT DO NOT ASK FRIENDS TO PASS ON THE MESSAGE WHEN THEY ATTEND FOR THEIR OWN PRACTICALS – this will be too late to make other arrangements for your patients, and it is YOUR responsibility, not theirs.
On your return you must report to the Student Support Office to complete a Self Certification Form. This needs to be completed within 7 days of your initial absence. If illness keeps you away from the University for more than 7 days including weekends, you must consult your GP. If you do consult a GP and he/she considers that you are not fit for attendance at the University, then you should obtain a note from the doctor to that effect or ask him/her to complete Part III of the University form ‘Certification of Student Ill health’ copies of which are available at local GP surgeries. You should hand this certificate to the Student Support Office as soon as you return to University and no later than 7 days after your return. The use of the “Certification of Student Ill Health” form by GPs, as described above, has been agreed by the Manchester Local Medical Committee. A GP may make a charge for completing the form.
Attendance will be monitored in each clinic session. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make sure that your attendance is logged, and not having your swipe card with you will not be an acceptable excuse. If you are absent from any clinic/practical session you will be asked to see The Programme Director to discuss the situation. Staff writing references for you will have full information about your attendance to pass on to employers, who are understandably keen to know about reliability and punctuality of their future employees. Please note that when you are offered a job it is usually conditional upon satisfactory references, and job offers can be withdrawn later!