Authorisation is granted for a maximum period of three months by the Departmental Council of the Medical Association to which the doctor whom the postgraduate student is replacing or whose assistant he is, including when he is on leave of absence, belongs. It is renewable under the same conditions and for the same maximum period.
No authorisation or renewal of authorisation may be issued beyond the third year following expiry of the normal duration of the training required to obtain the postgraduate medical diploma prepared by the student.
By way of derogation from the previous paragraph, authorisation may be granted to a student who provides proof, in the form of a certificate from the director of the training and research unit, of the postponement of the thesis defence date initially planned, or to a doctor who has applied to be entered on the roll of the medical profession within one month of obtaining the degree of Doctor of Medicine, until such time as a decision has been taken on the said application for entry.
The authorisation and, where applicable, its renewal may only be issued during the first year of availability for postgraduate students placed on availability in the following cases :
1° Accident or serious illness of the spouse, a person with whom the student is bound by a civil solidarity pact, a child or an ascendant ;
2° Personal reasons.