Exam Scheduling Policies

Exam Postponement:  Phase 1, 2, and 3

All students are required to take examinations in person on the scheduled date and time. In the event of a compelling issue that affects a student’s ability to take an exam (acute illness, personal or family emergency), a student must contact the Office of Student Support via email as soon as they become aware of the issue and in advance of the scheduled time for the examination to request a postponement. Students should not contact the course/clerkship director or coordinator directly to request examination postponement. 

The email to the Office of Student Support should include the reason for the request to postpone the exam.

North Philadelphia Campus students must email medosa@temple.edu

St. Luke’s Campus students must email  OSS-TempleStLukes@sluhn.org

If a postponement is approved, the Office of Student Support will notify the student via email and the appropriate course/clerkship director and coordinator. 

Failure to gain approval for postponement will result in a score of zero for the exam.     

Failure to notify the Office of Student Support may result in submission of a Professional Behavior Concern, in addition to a score of zero for the exam 

If a student’s requests to postpone examinations are felt to be excessive, the student must meet with the Associate Dean for Student Support and may result in submission of a Professional Behavior Concern. 

These specifications also apply to rescheduled examinations.

Rescheduling Postponed Examinations

Phase 1:

If postponement of a midterm exam is approved, the student will be scheduled to take the exam on the Wednesday or Thursday of the same week during which the student has no scheduled afternoon in-class activities. If postponement of a final exam is approved, the student will be scheduled to take the exam on the Tuesday or Wednesday of the subsequent week during which the student has no scheduled afternoon in-class activities. 

Students unable to take the examination on that day will receive an Incomplete grade for the course and must meet with the Assistant Dean for Academic Coaching or the Associate Dean for Student Support. 

Students who are assigned an Incomplete grade due to exam postponement must meet with an Assistant Dean for Phase 1 at the North Philadelphia campus or Director/Assistant Director of the Pre-Clerkship curriculum at the St. Luke’s campus to schedule their exam using one of the established days for re-examination (e.g. during the first week after return from a break, after the end of the curricular year).  

Phase 2 and 3: 

If postponement of a Phase 2 clinical subject exam is approved:

• A student will be scheduled to take the exam on the first day of the next block if they are scheduled for vacation, Faculty Mentored Scholarly Experience, or an Intersession.  
• A student who is not able to take the exam on that day will be scheduled to take the exam on a designated day that a clinical subject exam is being administered during the next block that they are scheduled for an elective, vacation, Faculty Mentored Scholarly Experience or an Intersession. 

If postponement of a Phase 3 clinical subject exam is approved: 

• A student will be scheduled to take the exam on a designated day that a clinical subject exam is being administered during the next block that they are scheduled for an elective, vacation, or Faculty Mentored Scholarly Experience.

Re-examination (Remediation Exams)

Students who are required to take remediation exams must meet with the Assistant Dean for Academic Coaching or the Associate Dean for Student Support. 

Students who are required to take remediation exams must meet with the Assistant Dean or Director/Assistant Director at the St. Luke’s campus for the relevant phase of the curriculum to schedule their exam using one of the established days for re-examination as outlined below.

Phase 1:

Scheduling re-examination for a failed Phase 1 course: 

• A student can schedule a remediation examination on one of the established days for re-examination (e.g. during the first week after return from a break, after the end of the curricular year).

Phase 2 and 3:

Scheduling re-examination of a failed clinical subject exam in Phase 2 and 3:

• A student can schedule a re-examination on the first day of an Intersession or on a designated day that a clinical subject exam is being administered during a block that a student is scheduled for an elective, Faculty Mentored Scholarly Experience, or vacation.