SPC Petition Guidelines
Important Deadlines
There are many reasons you may need to petition SPC. Below are the most common reasons and the deadline by which you must submit your petition:
| Reason | Petition Due |
|---|---|
| You wish to appeal a decision you received from SPC | At least 10 days prior to the SPC meeting immediately following your decision letter |
| You wish to request permission to take a specific course or clerkship without meeting an SPC requirement (e.g., Step 1) | At least 10 days prior to any SPC meeting scheduled at least 6 weeks before the start date of the course/clerkship |
| You anticipate that you will not be able to meet a deadline set by SPC | At least 10 days prior to any SPC meeting before your deadline |
| You failed to meet a deadline set by SPC due to unforeseen circumstances | At least 10 days prior to the SPC meeting immediately following your missed deadline |
| You have already taken 4 quarters of leave and wish to request additional quarter(s) of leave | At least 10 days prior to any SPC meeting before your planned quarter of leave |
| You wish to request permission to restart the curriculum | At least 10 days prior to the SPC meeting immediately following your most recent fail or withdrawal |
| You wish to request an exception to a graduation requirement | At least 10 days prior to any SPC meeting before the certification or graduation decision is due |
IMPORTANT: Before petitioning SPC, you must meet with the Proactive Advisor and/or a Student Affairs dean to discuss your options, formulate a plan, and determine if you need to initiate any processes immediately (e.g., testing accommodations, leave, registration changes, exam scheduling, tutoring, counseling, etc.).
SPC Meeting Dates
SPC meets monthly, typically on the second Thursday of each month. Scheduled SPC meeting dates for 2024-2025 are below:
| Month | SPC Meeting Date | Petition Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| September 2024 | 9/12/2024 | 9/2/2024 |
| October 2024 | 10/10/2024 | 9/30/2024 |
| November 2024 | 11/14/2024 | 11/4/2024 |
| December 2024 | 12/12/2024 | 12/2/2024 |
| January 2025 | 1/9/2025 | 12/30/2024 |
| February 2025 | 2/13/2025 | 2/3/2025 |
| March 2025 | 3/13/2025 | 3/3/2025 |
| April 2025 | 4/10/2025 | 3/31/2025 |
| May 2025 | 05/08/2025 | 4/28/2025 |
| June 2025 | 06/12/2025 | 6/2/2025 |
| July 2025 | 07/10/2025 | 6/30/2025 |
| August 2025 | 8/14/2025 | 8/4/2025 |
What to Include in Your Petition
Your petition should include the following:
- What you are requesting (e.g., Step exam deadline extension, additional leave of absence, permission to continue in clerkships, etc.).
- Any dates pertinent to your proposed plan (e.g., a proposed new Step exam deadline, quarters of requested leave, when you plan to return to the curriculum, etc.).
- Your reason for requesting said plan. You should not disclose any personal or sensitive information, but you should share the general reason(s) why you are requesting an alternate plan (e.g., health issues, family emergency, financial considerations, NBME scheduling or accommodations issues, etc.).
- What actions you have taken or plan to take to ensure that your proposed plan is successful. This includes outlining any impediments to your success, how your plan addresses those impediments, and what you plan to do to ensure that you will be ready to continue in the curriculum within your proposed timeline, including any resources and/or supports that you plan to utilize.
IMPORTANT: Your petition must be submitted by the date outlined in the table above. If you do not submit a petition or your submission is not received within the appropriate timeframe, it may not be considered. SPC will make a decision based on the best available information for your individual case.
Urgent Petitions
Urgent petitions may be considered on a case-by-case basis and must meet one of the criteria below. Time-sensitive requests will be decided on by the Chair of SPC or an ad hoc subcommittee of SPC voting members.
- You encounter unforeseen circumstances (i.e., personal illness or a personal/family emergency) that occur after the petition deadline for the previous scheduled SPC meeting and need a decision before the next scheduled SPC meeting.
- You receive an SPC decision that will impact your schedule before the next scheduled SPC meeting and wish to appeal the decision.
If you need a decision before the next SPC meeting, submit your petition as soon as possible, noting the reason for urgent attention. Failure to proactively address consequences of a prior decision and/or plan appropriately is not grounds for an urgent decision. Petitions that do not meet one of the criteria above will be considered at the next scheduled SPC meeting.