Attendance Policy

To succeed as a physical therapist, you will need to attend and fully engage in your practice activities, such as appointments with patients, professional development, and administrative responsibilities. The same is expected during your time in the MScPT program; you are required to attend and actively engage in all aspects of the program, just as a physical therapist attends and actively engages in all aspects of their practice. The MScPT program provides you with opportunities to demonstrate the level of professionalism you will need as a practicing clinician.

In accordance with the School of Graduate Studies Personal Time Off Policy, you have several days of personal time off, scheduled throughout each year of the program, in addition to statutory holidays and days designated as University closures or holidays. This is time for you to recharge and relax and you are not required to engage in any program-related activities during this scheduled time off. Please refer to the curriculum dates stated for your cohort for full details of when each course starts and ends.

Attendance requires you to arrive on time and remain for the duration of all mandatory learning activities. Where a session is designated as in-person, you are expected to attend in-person. Activities with mandatory attendance include, but are not limited to:

• Lectures (both face to face and synchronous on-line sessions)
• Case-based and small group learning activities (face-to-face and virtual)
• Clinical skills labs
• PT Logic sessions
• IPE sessions
• Scheduled assessments
• Community visits
• ACE sessions
• All clinical internship hours

To be actively engaged means you consistently and respectfully interact with the content of the program and strive to harmoniously interact with others. Others include, but are not limited to, your student peers, faculty, instructors, teaching assistants, clients and their families, clinicians, guests, mentors, and staff. Demonstrating empathy and compassion towards others and behaving in a conscientious and reliable matter is essential as you engage with others. Effective physical therapists embody these qualities throughout their careers.

Attendance and active engagement are essential for success in the MScPT program. All absences will be reviewed by the Graduate Coordinator and appropriate Academic Lead. At the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator, absences may be reviewed by the Evaluation and Awards Committee (EAC) for impact on your progression throughout the program. Absences may delay your progression through the program. Absences may also delay your graduation date, your eligibility dates to complete licensing exams, and may also have implications for tuition and fee charges. Poor attendance and/or disengagement may substantially contribute to a lack of progress, which may be grounds for termination from the MScPT program.

Planned absences are short-term absences due to known or anticipated circumstances and require approval from the appropriate Faculty member (outlined below).

Examples of accepted planned absences may include:

• Funeral or memorial service
• Health care appointment
• Religious observance
• Absence due to written component of the PCE

Planned absence requests for reasons other than those listed above are considered on a case-by-case basis. Planned absence will normally not be approved if: the planned absence is more than 2 days consecutive days in length or a planned absence requires you to miss an evaluation.

When you request a planned absence, we consider:

• Reason for the absence
• Duration and type of learning activities to be missed
• Your academic record, including professionalism
• Your attendance record and history of prior absences
• Feasibility to make up lost clinical internship hours (if applicable)

Planned absences may delay your progression in the program, your expected graduation date, and your eligibility dates to complete licensing exams. There may also be financial implications, such as additional tuition and fees.

Planned Absences from an In-Class Unit

To request a planned absence from an in-class Unit, you must submit the Absence Request and Reporting Form as soon as you are aware of the situation (ideally 2-weeks in advance). You are strongly encouraged to wait until you have received confirmation of approval before committing to any plans.

If a planned absence is approved during an in-class Unit, you are responsible for informing any other participants who may be impacted by your absence (e.g., your peers for a small group work activities). You are also responsible for all the material and content from missed sessions and, if applicable, completing any deferred/make-up work and assessments. Faculty will not be responsible for recreating the learning experience as a result of an absence. If you are able, you are encouraged to attend in-person sessions virtually if the option is available. For in-person sessions, the Academic Lead will not be responding to questions and comments in the chat feature.

Planned Absences from a Clinical Internship

Planned absences from a clinical internship require approval from the Director of Clinical Education. You must submit the Absence Reporting Form as soon as you are aware of the situation. You are strongly encouraged to wait until you have received confirmation of approval before committing to any plans.

Absences from clinical internships to attend conferences or courses outside of the clinical site are normally not approved. If the course or conference is clinically relevant to your internship and you have permission from the CCCE and CI, you may submit an absence request form and your request will be reviewed. There are instances when the written component of the PCE is scheduled on a weekday during an internship course. You may request to take the day off from your internship to write the exam provided you have submitted an absence request form AND signed the declaration form AND are able to make-up time lost.

If a planned absence from clinical internship is approved by the DCE/Academic Lead for Clinical Education you must inform your CI and the CCCE before your clinical start time so that patients may be re-assigned. You are required to make up all lost time from planned absences during a clinical internship course. You must arrange to make up lost time from clinical internship courses with your CI and CCCE and you need to notify the DCE/Academic Lead for Clinical Education of your plan to make up the time lost. Options to make-up time absent from clinical internship may include:

• Evening and weekend clinical time
• Extended hours of a significant critical mass of time (i.e., at least one hour duration) at the beginning or end of a regular workday

You may not arrange with your CI to make up time lost outside of designated clinical hours unless this has been approved by the CCCE and DCE/Academic Lead for Clinical Education and this will not be permitted once the next unit has commenced. Your request to make up time lost due to a planned absence must not cause undue hardship for the CI or the site in trying to accommodate you.

Unplanned absences are those which arise due to unforeseen and often emergent circumstances such as:

• Family emergencies
• Funeral/memorial services
• Illness/injury/personal crisis
• Self-care
• Travel/transportation emergencies (e.g., accidents, subway breakdowns)
• Disability related reasons as per an accommodation letter from The Accessibility Service's Department.

When unplanned absences occur, as they inevitably do, you must complete the Absence Request and Reporting Form as soon as possible preferably the morning of the absence and no more than five days after the last day of the unplanned absence.

Depending on the type or duration of the absence, or the number of prior absences, students may be required to submit other supporting documents. For example, if you have missed more than two consecutive days due to a health-related illness (non-COVID related), a Verification of Student Illness or Injury Form may be requested.

Unplanned Absences from an In-Class Unit

In the event of an unplanned absence during an in-class course, you are responsible for informing any other participants who may be impacted by your absence (e.g., your peers for a small group work activities). You are also responsible for all the material and content from missed sessions and, if applicable, completing any deferred/make-up work and assessments. Faculty will not be responsible for recreating the learning experience as a result of an absence. If you are able, you are encouraged to attend in-person sessions virtually, if the option is available. Please note, for in-person sessions, the Academic Lead will not be responding to questions and comments in the chat feature.

Unplanned Absences from a Clinical Internship

If your unplanned absence is during a clinical internship, you must inform the DCE/Academic Lead for Clinical Education, your CI and the CCCE before your clinical start time so that patients may be re-assigned. You are required to make up all lost time from unplanned absences during a clinical internship course. You must arrange to make up lost time from clinical internship courses with your CI and CCCE and you need to notify the DCE/Academic Lead for Clinical Education of your plan to make up the time lost. Options to make-up time absent from clinical internship may include:

• Evening and weekend clinical time
• Extended hours of a significant critical mass of time (i.e., at least one hour duration) at the beginning or end of a regular workday

You may not arrange with your CI to make up time lost outside of designated clinical hours unless this has been approved by the CCCE and DCE/Academic Lead for Clinical Education and this will not be permitted once the next unit has commenced. Your request to make up time lost due to a planned absence must not cause undue hardship for the CI or the site in trying to accommodate you.

Planned absences on the day of an assessment or evaluation are only approved under extenuating circumstances. You must submit the Absence Request and Reporting Form, supporting documentation, and fee, no less than 2 weeks before the date of the absence. All deferred assessments and/ or extended assignments must be completed within 2 weeks of the original date.

If you are absent on the day of an assessment or evaluation due to  an extenuating circumstance that is beyond your control (e.g., illness or an accident), you must submit the Absence Request and Reporting Form no more than 48 hours from the date of a missed test or assignment and include supporting documentation which may include:

• Verification of Student Illness or Injury Form: must include either the statement “This student was unable to write the test on date(s) for medical reasons” OR "This student was unable to complete the assignment due to an illness”
• For an extension of more than one day, the form must specify the length of the period during which the student was unable to carry out the academic work
• Original supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate, accident report, etc.)
• Accompanying fees

Important details:

• Supporting documentation must show that the physician was consulted within one day of the test or assignment due date.
• A statement on the Verification of Illness or Injury Form merely confirming that you reported an illness, is unacceptable. The Verification of Student Illness or Injury Form must include the statement: “This student was unable to write the test on date(s) for medical reasons” OR “This student was unable to complete the assignment due to an illness”
• A non-refundable $70 administrative fee per exam is charged to defer an examination due to extenuating circumstances (for more information please refer to the Planning and Budget Office’s Administrative User Fees and Fines.
• Requests will not be reviewed unless accompanied by the payment.
• The University of Toronto respects students’ privacy. The information on the Request for Special Consideration form is collected pursuant to section 2(14) of the University of Toronto Act, 1971. It is collected for the purpose of administering accommodations for academic purposes based on medical grounds. The Department will maintain a record of all medical certificates received. At all times this information will be protected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). For more information, please refer to the University’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Office

Decisions

The Graduate Coordinator will communicate the outcome of the request for special consideration and advise you of next steps. If a make-up test or extended assignment deadline is granted, you must complete it within two weeks of the original test date. The Academic Lead will contact you to communicate details of the make-up test. You need to be prepared to write the test at any point after which special consideration has been granted although the Department will attempt to provide you with 2-3 days notice, where possible. If you missed a test or other evaluation and your request for special consideration was not approved, you will receive a zero on that test or evaluation.

If an extension on an assignment due date has been granted, the specific timelines will be negotiated between you and the Academic Lead. If you submitted an assignment late and your request for special consideration was not approved, you will be subject to academic penalties, such as late penalties, as outlined in the assignment details.

Infectious Illness includes symptoms related to respiratory, gastrointestinal or other contagious symptoms. The Department of Physical Therapy is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment. If you feel unwell or are experiencing any contagious symptoms of COVID-19, stay home. You must complete the Absence Request and Reporting Form to notify the Department of your absence. The Program Director will communicate next steps based on current public health guidelines. Stay home until you have no fever and symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours for gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea) and you must follow Public Health Guidelines which include wearing a mask in all public settings for 10 days following the onset of your symptoms

If you are feeling well enough, you are encouraged to attend in-class sessions virtually, if the option is available. For in-person sessions, the Academic Lead will not be responding to questions and comments in the chat feature. 

If this absence is during a Clinical Internship or an ACE visit in addition to completing the Absence Request and Reporting Form, you must ALSO notify your clinical site and follow their processes for entry and return to the workplace after an illness. Students who are in an internship course, need to abide by their clinical internship site policies and procedures.

If the extended absence is during an academic course, decisions may include any of the following, or a combination of the following:

• You complete deferred/make-up assignments and assessments and continue in the course
• You are instructed to formally request a course extension
• Your grade will be deferred until which time you have completed course requirements
• You withdraw from the current course (which may have academic and/or financial penalty) and complete the course in full next time it is offered in the curriculum
• You formally request a leave of absence or temporary stop-out from the program and complete the course in full next time it is offered in the curriculum
• You continue in the course but will receive a failing grade in the course if you do not earn a minimum of a B- or 70%

If the extended absence is during a clinical internship course, decisions may include any of the following, or a combination of the following:

• You receive a passing grade on the course in question but you will have additional hours equal to the time missed, added to a subsequent internship
• You are instructed to formally request a course extension
• Your grade in the course will be deferred until which time you complete the missing hours in a similar practice setting, to be arranged by the Department
• You withdraw from the current course (which may have academic and/or financial penalty) and complete the course in full at a future date, to be arranged by the Department
• You continue in the course but will receive a failing grade in the course if you do not demonstrate competency

A leave of absence is a leave from the program related to serious health or personal problems or parental leave. It pauses your time to degree completion. If you anticipate the need for an extended planned absence, or a series of planned absences, a leave of absence may better support your needs. If you encounter personal circumstances or medical issues that make it temporarily impossible for you to continue in the program, you are advised to consult with the Graduate Coordinator.

After discussing your situation with the Graduate Coordinator, if a leave of absence is deemed appropriate, you may apply to the School of Graduate Studies for a leave of absence. During a leave of absence, you are not registered in the program or enrolled in any courses, you do not pay any fees, and you may not make demands on the University. Due to the progressive nature of the program, a leave of absence normally lasts for a full year, until courses are offered again. A leave of absence may also be necessary if you fail or withdraw from a course.

You may alternatively request to temporarily stop-out and re-register within 12 months, with the approval of your graduate unit, without re-applying to the program. Unlike a leave of absence, the stop-out period is included in the time period for completion of your degree.

Upon returning from a leave of absence or temporary stop-out, you will be required to complete remedial activities to ensure your knowledge and skills are current. The Graduate Coordinator and/or EAC will advise you on remediation requirements for re-enrollment in the program.