Can I possibly transfer med schools?

[cjw0918]

I will be attending med school in the Midwest beginning Aug 2001. I am originally from Dallas and still have family there. Would it be possible for me to transfer to SW in Dallas between the second and third years of med school, assuming there is space available in the class? I originally wanted to attend med school in the MidWest b/c of my fiancee, but that is no longer an issue. I applied to SW as a Texas resident, but I was not interviewed. Would this matter if I tried to transfer? Also, would I still have to be a Texas resident to transfer? SW's webpage doesn't give much info on this, except to say that transfers may be accepted if there is space available. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

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[AJM]

I think there was another thread that was recently started about transferring med schools. The gist of it is that transferring med schools is EXTREMELY difficult -- it's not at all like transferring undergrad schools, which is done routinely. Most med schools, if they accept transfers at all, will only accept them if you are married to a med student at that school (in which case it typically is a relatively informal application process). Also, they usually work on a space-available basis, and if there even is a spot open in the year and level you're applying, it's usually only 1 or 2 spaces (and those would probably be snatched up by the married students). It's probably worth calling the school you're interested in and finding out how many spots are typically available for transfers, and what their process is, since every school is slightly different.

 

[gower]

"Since classes are fully subscribed, transfer students are generally not accepted. Transfers may be accepted only if they are married to current students, faculty, or house training staff at Parkland Memorial Hospital or Children's Medical Center, or in the MD/PhD program if a student's faculty mentor comes to SW. Students must be from LCME schools."

Before walking away, you might try e-mailing Dr. Barbara Waller or Dr. James Wagner, Associate Deans for Student Affairs.
[Although SW does not say so, transfers for compassionate reasons, such as marriage, is often a consideration at many medical schools].

Be sure you write cogently and concisely, keeping to the point. Carefully check spelling, grammar and punctuation. [Academics have the stupid habit of expecting that from college graduates who are training to become medical professionals].

[email protected]

[email protected]

e-mailing is direct. You could also fax your question: 214 648 7517

If you telephone, you will have to get past the guardians of the Deans who must be up to their necks with applicant calls.

Another possibility, although I am not sure you would care to go this route, is to speak first with the Dean of Students at your current medical school and see if s/he is open and amenable to interceding with Dallas on your behalf. I do not believe asking will result in any negative repercussions; medical schools do not and can not dismiss you for this nor are Deans vindictive for asking a question which does not reflect at all on the quality of the education you are currently getting. You are considering transferring to improve the quality of your life after your marriage. Anyone but a Scrooge understands that and will be sympathetic. If this route can't help, nothing is lost by trying and you will not forever be haunted by it. Keep in mind also that if you don't try this your wife will never forget what might have been when the inevitable petty and not so petty discords arise. Think of it as an insurance policy for the strains of married life.

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risks.

 

[AJM]

Originally posted by gower:
•Another possibility, although I am not sure you would care to go this route, is to speak first with the Dean of Students at your current medical school and see if s/he is open and amenable to interceding with Dallas on your behalf. I do not believe asking will result in any negative repercussions; medical schools do not and can not dismiss you for this nor are Deans vindictive for asking a question which does not reflect at all on the quality of the education you are currently getting. You are considering transferring to improve the quality of your life after your marriage. Anyone but a Scrooge understands that and will be sympathetic. If this route can't help, nothing is lost by trying and you will not forever be haunted by it. Keep in mind also that if you don't try this your wife will never forget what might have been when the inevitable petty and not so petty discords arise. Think of it as an insurance policy for the strains of married life.
•

Be very wary about approaching your Dean of Students at your current med school with this question before finding out more about your Dean. While most Deans of Students are very understanding, some are not. The Dean of Students also is usually the one who writes your Dean's letter when you apply for residency, so the last thing you want to do is go up to him/her the first time you meet him/her and say "I don't want to go to this school for all four years -- I would rather go to X school". While you might have the best intentions, it can be interpreted very badly.

If you do want to talk with someone, first wait until you've had several interactions with your own Dean of Students before you would bring this up with him/her, especially since that gives you a better chance to guage how nice or sympathetic your Dean will be and s/he can get to know you better. Another probably safer alternative that gower mentioned is talking directly with the Dean of Students at SW about the possibility of transferring.

Also, I got the impression that CJW's fiancee is not in Dallas right now, so I think you would have a much harder time pleading your case to school officials.

 

[kris]

Hey ajm,

I sent you a private message.