M.S. Shook Student Health Service

Attention:  The deadline for requesting medical drops for fall semester 2024 has passed. If you are seeking a medical drop, it is considered a retroactive medical drop. Be advised retroactive drop requests are reviewed by a committee, which meets in January 2025. As such, a decision on retroactive drop requests will not be made until the committee meeting. You may be contacted beforehand if your submitted materials are incomplete. All requesters will be contacted after the committee meeting concerning their decision.

Course Drops and Withdrawals

Our goal is that Hurricane Helene does not derail your pursuit of a college education. Your faculty are adapting their courses for the remainder of the semester, while maintaining their academic standards.The best way to stay on track for timely graduation is to complete the courses you are currently taking. We have put some flexibility in place as you return to classwork:

• The date to drop a full semester course has been extended to Nov. 8, 2024. In the event that you get back into your classes and realize that you cannot handle the workload, you can drop a course through Nov. 8 and it will not count towards your limit of 4 career drops.
• Prior to dropping a course(s), you will need to meet with an academic advisor to discuss your situation and review your plan to finish your degree. Appointments may be needed so plan accordingly.

Medical Withdrawal and Class load Reduction Requests

Full Withdrawal:

A full withdrawal involves dropping all classes for a semester and is managed by the Office of the Registrar. Students seeking to withdraw for any reason, including medical or psychiatric, do not need to contact M.S. Shook Student Health Service before submitting their request. Instead, they should complete the "Withdraw from the University" form. For detailed information about withdrawals, including late or retroactive withdrawals, please refer to the Withdrawal Policy. If you have any questions about the withdrawal process, contact the Registrar's Office.

Medical Class Load Reduction (Current Semester):

A medical class load reduction refers to dropping one or some, but not all, of your classes within the current semester. To request this, students should approach Student Health Services. If you have previously seen a clinician at Student Health for your medical issue, you should contact that clinician directly. If you have not been seen at Student Health, reach out to the Medical Director through MedPortal.

To request a medical class load reduction, complete the Medical Drop form on the medportal detailing the classes you wish to drop, the reasons for the request, and the number of credit hours affected. Provide documentation from your clinician, such as a supporting letter or relevant medical records. Requests must be submitted by the last day of classes; after this deadline, requests will be considered retroactive and are less likely to be approved unless there are compelling reasons for the delay. You are required to submit the form in order to successfully drop your course. 

Medical Drop form

Retroactive Medical Class Load Reduction (Past Semesters or After Last Day of Classes):

For retroactive class load reductions—whether for a past semester or for the current semester after classes have ended—you need to submit a personal statement detailing the term, the classes or credit hours you wish to drop, and the medical issues that impacted your academic performance. Include an explanation of why you did not request a drop during the regular period. This information can be provided by completing the "Medical Drop Request Form." found on the Medportal in the forms section

You must also provide a statement from a medical provider on official letterhead, detailing the medical issues and their impact on your ability to attend classes. If you received care at M.S. Shook Student Health Service, you can provide permission for the review of your records. Submit all documents to M.S. Shook Student Health Service, where the committee will review your request and notify you of their decision via email.

How to Submit a Medical Drop Request Form

Follow these steps to complete your Medical Drop Request form:

1. Go to your Medportal 

2. Log In
Use your AppalNet credentials to log in.

3. Access Forms
On the left-hand side of the dashboard, click on Forms.

4. Locate the Medical Drop Request Form
Scroll to Section 2 and select Medical Drop Request Form.

5. Complete and Submit
The form will appear. Fill out all required fields, then click Submit to send it for review.

For additional assistance, contact Student Health Services or call us at (828) 262-3100.