Policies about sabbatical leave vary considerably across medical schools and academic health centers/academic medical centers (AHCs/AMCs). You should be aware of both the written policies and procedures for sabbaticals at your institution and the common practices in your department and school. In some schools, formal sabbatical leaves are reserved for certain academic series with faculty in other tracks allowed to apply for a leave “in lieu of sabbatical.” Sabbaticals offer opportunities for you to acquire new skills and to grow your professional networks. A well-outlined plan and justification of how the sabbatical will benefit both you and the AHC/AMC will increase the likelihood of your receiving approval and support for it. In some cases, sabbaticals may be discouraged because of cost, disruption to delivery of clinical services, and other reasons; in these scenarios, you should work closely with those to whom you report to define a fair and reasonable approach.