Analysis of Experiential Education Absence Policies for Mental Health Criteria

Objective

This study investigates the language used in experiential education resources from 144 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education-accredited Schools of Pharmacy regarding mental health-related absences. While attendance policies at Schools of Pharmacy accommodate medical conditions, the lack of explicit mental health language can leave students uncertain about what is considered excused.

Methods

This narrative review examined experiential education resources, including student handbooks and syllabi obtained from institutional websites. Content analysis focused on identifying policies, procedures, and accommodations for mental health absences, with key themes coded to highlight mental health-explicit language.

Results

The study found that 55% of available documents explicitly stated experiential education attendance requirements but only 3% included explicit mental health terminology for absences. Commonly used terms were nonmental health specific, such as ‘illness’ and ‘medical emergency.’ This highlights a lack of explicit mental health language in experiential education attendance policies and the need for further research on its impact on students’ absence requests for mental health reasons.

Conclusion

This research contributes to discussions on enhancing mental health support in higher education, aiming to normalize mental health as a criterion for excused absences in pharmacy programs.