Medical Excuses
Excuse Notes
Xavier Ochsner Health Services can provide a medical excuse note only if the student is evaluated by a Xavier Ochsner provider. Requests for an excused absence are determined by the Health Services staff based on the student's illness and assessment
The Xavier Ochsner Student Health Excuse Note Protocol
- Routine Illness (<5 days): Xavier Ochsner Student Health will not issue an excuse or sick slip. Students will manage their missed coursework directly with their instructors and will be provided with the standard After Visit Summary (AVS) to confirm their visit date and time, without disclosing diagnoses or severity.
- Serious/Prolonged Illness (5+ days): For cases that reach the five-day mark where a student has been under the care of Xavier Ochsner Student Health, we will provide a formal excuse note to the student and any necessary documentation for the student to submit to the Dean's Office as per university policy.
Our medical providers will not write excuses for illnesses for which they never provided care. Therefore, if a student received care for an illness or injury from a private physician, please request the excuse from that medical provider.