Extended medical leave makes for challenging recovery
Students who return home for illnesses, recuperation struggle to keep up with health and homework
David Steffen
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
Students taking medical leave during the semester can expect double duty in their recovery, as they divide their energy between physical and academic recuperation.
Mental exertion for schoolwork often becomes a draining priority as ill students fight debilitating ailments.
"Nothing is worse than having to study when you're not feeling well, so that's what makes it hard," said junior Michelle French, calling from her home in Loveland, Ohio, on medical leave.
French suffers from vasovagal syncope, for which she missed three weeks of school. Doctors call French's condition "the common faint." It is an imbalance between heart rate and blood pressure, leading to exhaustion and fainting, according to WebMD.
"I got progressively weaker and weaker throughout the month of January, and by the time February came around, I could barely make it to my classes," French said. "I decided it was time to come home to take a break for a while."
Students taking extended sick leave report to their respective dean, who serves as a liaison between the student and faculty.
"It's all about good communication between the deans, the registrar, the professors and the students," Dean of Women Diane Philipp said.
Philipp said arranging for extended medical leave depends mostly on student-professor discussion.
Registrar Doug McArthur said incomplete grades and allowing students to finish exams up to 28 days into the following semester are at the professors' discretion. He said he may offer his opinion in a case but is never at odds with professor decisions.
"It's informal between the professor and student on how to catch up, so I may not even come into play," McArthur said.
Despite the college's efforts to accommodate ill students with incompletes, students often struggle when they return to Hillsdale.
French missed one week of school as a freshman for appendicitis, another week as a sophomore for a broken collarbone and a previous bout of vasovagal syncope that forced her from her finals. Incompletes made her following semester even more challenging, she said.
Mental exertion for schoolwork often becomes a draining priority as ill students fight debilitating ailments.
"Nothing is worse than having to study when you're not feeling well, so that's what makes it hard," said junior Michelle French, calling from her home in Loveland, Ohio, on medical leave.
French suffers from vasovagal syncope, for which she missed three weeks of school. Doctors call French's condition "the common faint." It is an imbalance between heart rate and blood pressure, leading to exhaustion and fainting, according to WebMD.
"I got progressively weaker and weaker throughout the month of January, and by the time February came around, I could barely make it to my classes," French said. "I decided it was time to come home to take a break for a while."
Students taking extended sick leave report to their respective dean, who serves as a liaison between the student and faculty.
"It's all about good communication between the deans, the registrar, the professors and the students," Dean of Women Diane Philipp said.
Philipp said arranging for extended medical leave depends mostly on student-professor discussion.
Registrar Doug McArthur said incomplete grades and allowing students to finish exams up to 28 days into the following semester are at the professors' discretion. He said he may offer his opinion in a case but is never at odds with professor decisions.
"It's informal between the professor and student on how to catch up, so I may not even come into play," McArthur said.
Despite the college's efforts to accommodate ill students with incompletes, students often struggle when they return to Hillsdale.
French missed one week of school as a freshman for appendicitis, another week as a sophomore for a broken collarbone and a previous bout of vasovagal syncope that forced her from her finals. Incompletes made her following semester even more challenging, she said.
Be the first to comment on this story