When do Rural/Primary Care Practica Begin and End

When do Rural/Primary Care practica like those at Columbia County (Lake City), Gainesville VA, and Dixie County begin and end?
Answer:

In the case of semester long rotations such as rural/primary care practica, practicum will begin during the first week of classes (on the specific practicum day scheduled) and will end on the scheduled clinic day that falls right before classes begin for the following semester, unless other provisions have been arranged with the practicum supervisor to be off of clinic during the break.

Continuing the rotation until the student for the next semester begins the practicum is necessary to maintain continuity of patient care for therapy cases. The only exceptions to this system are for: 1) alternative arrangements you have made in advance with your supervisor, or 2) holidays when the UF clinic is closed (which means the rural clinics in Columbia County and Dixie County also are not conducted on those days; the closing between Christmas and New Years is considered a UF holiday, and thus no clinic in Columbia and Dixie counties are held during that time). VA practica may have a different schedule, so please check with your VA supervisor if you are on one of those rotations.

Do not let this scare you into thinking that this is a rigid system without flexibility. The rural supervisors highly recommend that you talk with them during the first day of your rotation (or earlier if needed) about the specific day your rotation will end. If there are potential problems, the beginning of the rotation is the best time to discuss whether alternative arrangements can be made, as that allows for plenty of time to plan ahead.

Note. Classes for Summer term 2009 begin on Monday May 11th; Classes for the Fall Term begin on Monday August 24th.