A medical certificate (sometimes referred to as a doctor's certificate) is a statement from a physician or other health care provider that attests to the result of a medical examination of a patient. It can serve as a "sick note" (documentation that an employee is unfit for work) or evidence of a health condition. An aegrotat (/ˈiːɡroʊtæt/; from Latin aegrotat, meaning "he/she is ill") or sick note is a type of medical certificate excusing a student's absence from school for reasons of illness.