Medical Excuses
Excuse Notes
Xavier Ochsner Health Services staff is frequently asked by students/patients to write medical excuse notes for classes and/or work. Students frequently have medical conditions, illnesses, or injuries that require them to be away from the classroom or workplace or affect their ability to perform optimally on class work or exams.
Xavier Ochsner Health Services can provide a medical excuse note only if the student is evaluated by a staff member. Requests for an excused absence are to be determined by the Health Services staff based on the illness and assessment. Excused absences are limited to certain contagious illnesses, hospitalizations, fever, and/or significant impairment in functioning.
Please note that it is at the professor’s discretion whether or not the excuse is accepted for missed class or exam.
Our medical providers will not write excuses for illnesses for which they never provided care. Therefore, if you received care for your illness or injury from a private physician, please request your excuse from that medical provider instead of Student Health Services.
Students who call or come in for an excuse after an illness occurred (e.g., I was sick last week) will not receive an excuse. Excuses will only be provided to students who are evaluated by a staff member in Student Health Services at the time of the illness.