Admmission after dismissal

[Mr. Jack]

Hi.

I know that MD programs in the Caribbean accept dismissed students from accredited schools in the US and some of those students have been accepted into accredited residencies (as far as I have read in SDN forums). But, I have some questions about re-application:
1. Does any LCME-acreditted SOM openly (or in theory) accepts academic dismissed students from another accredited institution?
2. Does the LCME impose any limitation to schools about this matter?
3. In the event that any previously dismissed student is accepted to an accredited school, should he/she have any problem licensing?
4. It is possible to enter a residency? (I suppose it is possible, as it is possible for a re-admitted student from the Caribbean)
5. Any problem practicing medicine in any state?
6. It's possible to change the academic dismissal status to withdrawal from the first SOM registrar records? How will this change affect the re-admission (and Match) process?
7. Any other comment?

Sorry if this is not the correct place to post this topic.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DrMidlife]

This gets talked out thoroughly about once a year in the allo forum. Search SDN for "dismissed" or "appeal".

 

[Goro]

I'll give the experience at my school.

No.

1. Does any LCME-acreditted SOM openly (or in theory) accepts academic dismissed students from another accredited institution?

Not that I'm aware of...it most probably is a policy that varies from school to school.

2. Does the LCME impose any limitation to schools about this matter?

I can't see why. You complete a residency, pass your boards, and you should be OK. Hopefully my clinical colleagues can chime in. gyngyn? Catalystic? Hushcom? Q of Quimica


Sure.
3. In the event that any previously dismissed student is accepted to an accredited school, should he/she have any problem licensing?
4. It is possible to enter a residency? (I suppose it is possible, as it is possible for a re-admitted student from the Caribbean)

Nope.

5. Any problem practicing medicine in any state?

It's possible, but we'd still see your grades, and it would be raised at interviews. I doubt you'd survive the process.

6. It's possible to change the academic dismissal status to withdrawal from the first SOM registrar records? How will this change affect the re-admission (and Match) process?

Can you elaborate on why you think do better now in med school after you've already had a chance to prove yourself?

7. Any other comment?

 

[Mr. Jack]

During my first year, I was living with my grandfather and mother. My grandfather was very old and sick, his condition worsened and died during my second semester (it was a huge impact on me since I was very close to him). Even though, I was convinced I could go on with med school but I failed three classes. Now, I'm working as a tutor for college students and as a volunteer for the community. I'm also visiting a psych and looking for a research project. Took the MCAT again and improved my score. So, I'm trying to get a second chance.

 

[gyngyn]

In all my years of academic service I have only seen a single case in which a student was accepted to another US MD program after being (almost) dismissed from medical school. This student had the foresight to withdraw before his dismissal and was able to use powerful familial intervention to get into another school. This is a seriously uphill challenge because so few are dismissed.

 

[GM2006]

I know someone who was forced to withdraw and somehow still managed to get into a top program. I don't know if they were completely honest about why they withdrew from their old school during the application process, though.

 

[Goro]

Very sorry to hear of your woes, but you definitely displayed poor choice making. Was a LOA at all possible? If so, it should have been taken. My view is that you had your chance, and now it's time to do something else. Keep in mind that when one door closes, others open up.

During my first year, I was living with my grandfather and mother. My grandfather was very old and sick, his condition worsened and died during my second semester (it was a huge impact on me since I was very close to him). Even though, I was convinced I could go on with med school but I failed three classes. Now, I'm working as a tutor for college students and as a volunteer for the community. I'm also visiting a psych and looking for a research project. Took the MCAT again and improved my score. So, I'm trying to get a second chance.

 

[Plecopotamus]

During my first year, I was living with my grandfather and mother. My grandfather was very old and sick, his condition worsened and died during my second semester (it was a huge impact on me since I was very close to him). Even though, I was convinced I could go on with med school but I failed three classes. Now, I'm working as a tutor for college students and as a volunteer for the community. I'm also visiting a psych and looking for a research project. Took the MCAT again and improved my score. So, I'm trying to get a second chance.

What was their policy for dismissal -- simply that if you fail 3 courses you're out? Given the circumstances of a death in the family, even though you didn't handle it optimally, I'm sincerely surprised that you cannot go to the committee on academic standing with your tail between your legs and a good plan for self-improvement (going to a shrink, availing yourself of tutors, perhaps seeing a learning specialist or OT) and get reinstated at your school. Are you at a US MD program? Did you have other problems that made them interested in getting rid of you?

I could be completely off the mark, but given the emphasis in medical school of viewing mental health issues on par with physical ones, I feel like dismissing someone who was in the throes of bereavement feels uncomfortably like being dismissed for a now-resolved medical problem, so not quite kosher.

Do med schools have an omsbudsman? That would be another avenue for appeal if the committee is not receptive.
From everything I've seen in past threads on this topic, the school most likely to admit you at this point is simply the one that dismissed you. Everything else is highly unlikely, and if you crumble under pressure, I wouldn't want to risk the Carib.

Good luck.

 

[QofQuimica]

Very sorry to hear of your woes, but you definitely displayed poor choice making. Was a LOA at all possible? If so, it should have been taken. My view is that you had your chance, and now it's time to do something else. Keep in mind that when one door closes, others open up.

This.

OP, your best bet is to approach your prior med school and petition them for readmission. Med school admissions is competitive enough that other schools aren't going to need or want to take a chance on someone who was dismissed from another school. But if your old school turns you down, I'd move on to something else. The odds of you overcoming a med school dismissal for poor academic performance are infinitesimal.

To answer your (and Goro's) question, no, this should not interfere with your licensure if you were to get reinstated and do well the second time around. That being said, I just finished applying for my full license, and they do ask if you've ever been put on academic probation or otherwise held back at any point in your training. You would have to answer yes to this question and give an explanation about it on every license application you ever fill out for the rest of your career. Annoying, but not the end of the world. It's also possible that you would have to appear in person before the Board of Medicine to give an explanation in at least some states. Even more annoying, but again, not the end of the world.

 

[Mr. Jack]

What was their policy for dismissal -- simply that if you fail 3 courses you're out? Given the circumstances of a death in the family, even though you didn't handle it optimally, I'm sincerely surprised that you cannot go to the committee on academic standing with your tail between your legs and a good plan for self-improvement (going to a shrink, availing yourself of tutors, perhaps seeing a learning specialist or OT) and get reinstated at your school. Are you at a US MD program? Did you have other problems that made them interested in getting rid of you?

I could be completely off the mark, but given the emphasis in medical school of viewing mental health issues on par with physical ones, I feel like dismissing someone who was in the throes of bereavement feels uncomfortably like being dismissed for a now-resolved medical problem, so not quite kosher.

Do med schools have an omsbudsman? That would be another avenue for appeal if the committee is not receptive.
From everything I've seen in past threads on this topic, the school most likely to admit you at this point is simply the one that dismissed you. Everything else is highly unlikely, and if you crumble under pressure, I wouldn't want to risk the Carib.

Good luck.

Well, they informed me everything about the process. Fail two, repeat the year. Fail three and I'm out. But, at the time I knew I failed physio (the 3rd one), the deadline for withdrawal have already passed. I had the opportunity to appeal the decision and repeat first year, but I chose to leave the school with a dismissal (probably the worst decision in my life). It was a horrible time in my life and just wanted it to end. About re-applying to the same school, I'll try so. I'm not quite sure about the odds to enter again, but what can I lose?

 

[Mr. Jack]

This.

OP, your best bet is to approach your prior med school and petition them for readmission. Med school admissions is competitive enough that other schools aren't going to need or want to take a chance on someone who was dismissed from another school. But if your old school turns you down, I'd move on to something else. The odds of you overcoming a med school dismissal for poor academic performance are infinitesimal.

To answer your (and Goro's) question, no, this should not interfere with your licensure if you were to get reinstated and do well the second time around. That being said, I just finished applying for my full license, and they do ask if you've ever been put on academic probation or otherwise held back at any point in your training. You would have to answer yes to this question and give an explanation about it on every license application you ever fill out for the rest of your career. Annoying, but not the end of the world. It's also possible that you would have to appear in person before the Board of Medicine to give an explanation in at least some states. Even more annoying, but again, not the end of the world.

It's kind of reassuring (considering the circumstances) to know that given another opportunity, I can eventually practice as physician.

And about moving to something else, I'm considering a master in public health if I can't be accepted again into med school.

 

[Mr. Jack]

Very sorry to hear of your woes, but you definitely displayed poor choice making. Was a LOA at all possible? If so, it should have been taken. My view is that you had your chance, and now it's time to do something else. Keep in mind that when one door closes, others open up.

The LOA was not possible for MS1. The best option was to leave (with withdrawal) and re-apply. And, yes, my decision was terrible and I deeply regret it.
-----
Thank you all for your comments.

 

[ta202]

The LOA was not possible for MS1. The best option was to leave (with withdrawal) and re-apply. And, yes, my decision was terrible and I deeply regret it.
-----
Thank you all for your comments.

Sorry to super necromance, but what did you end up doing? Are you a doctor/resident now? I'm going through a somewhat similar scenario right now, but I chose to leave instead of being dismissed for academic performance.

 

[chilly_md]

Sorry to super necromance, but what did you end up doing? Are you a doctor/resident now? I'm going through a somewhat similar scenario right now, but I chose to leave instead of being dismissed for academic performance.

Please refrain from bumping 8 year old threads. The OP was last active in 2015.