Medical Student Educational Space Policy

Approved by: Dean, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine

Effective Date: 7/15/2017 (Update to include corrected offices and sources 9/12/2025)

To Whom This Policy Applies

All health science schools and any person, school, or department wishing to reserve and use educational space that is designated for medical student instruction, study, and testing.

Definitions

Medical student: a student currently enrolled in the M.D. program at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.

Medical student educational space (MSES): rooms and spaces that are first reserved for medical student instruction, study, and testing in the Pennington Health Sciences building (PHS).

Dedicated MSES: space that has a specified use and is not available to be reserved for any other use.

Educational activities: instruction, study, and testing

Purpose/Background

This policy ensures medical students have access to the educational spaces needed for instruction, study and testing, and provides a transparent, consistent reservation and use process.

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) recognizes that students require educational space for instruction, study, and testing. Instructional space should be consistently available for effective and efficient scheduling in preparation for each semester and as changes occur. Due to the nature of study, a variety of study spaces (group, quiet, etc.) must be available at all times and be readily available to students without unnecessary hindrance.

Policy

UNR Med will follow transparent, consistent procedures that support the educational activities required for graduation from the M.D. program. The Office of Curricular Affairs will follow specific procedures as outlined in the Responsibilities and Procedures section that will ensure that medical students have sufficient space needed for instruction, study and testing. Medical students will be the first priority for securing all MSES. Other parties outside of the medical school may reserve these spaces when not in use by medical students. "Dedicated MSES" may not be reserved except by medical students.

Responsibilities & Procedures

The Office of Curricular Affairs is responsible for managing the utilization of MSES. Procedures for this management will ensure medical students have access to adequate MSES, while facilitating the reservation of unused available space for other uses.

1. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs and the Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs will determine the specific rooms covered under this policy and which are classified as Dedicated MSES.
2. Requests for non-medical student use of MSES will be held in a queue and booked on a first-come, first-served basis after MD program scheduling is completed. Exceptions to this will be determined by the Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs.
3. In the instance that an educational activity is rescheduled, the scheduling coordinator will follow these guidelines:
   1. If the needs of the medical student educational activity are unique to the room in question, it may be necessary to make alternative arrangements for other users who have booked the space. The scheduling coordinator will contact the reservation holder and assist with booking another space.
   2. If the medical student educational activity can be booked in an available room, the other user will retain the reservation.
4. No reservations will be made to Dedicated MSES. Dedicated MSES locations are listed on the UNR Med intranet.
5. Reservations are made through the Office of Curricular Affairs.
6. Student are notified regarding MSES and other space-related issues via direct student contact and email.