Can someone explain this please?

[EtOH37]

So I understand that matriculating basically means to enroll in a medical school, but when does this actually happen? I am a TX resident, so we get matched to a school here. Does the "match" count as matriculating, or do we have to do something afterwards, or what? Or is matriculating just if you actually physically go to the school and start class there and whatnot?

What about other medical schools? Because I know some schools won't accept you if you matriculate somewhere else, so could matching to a Texas school potentially hurt my OOS applications? Sorry for all the questions, I am very confused now. Thanks in advance!

 

[binko]

It can mean different things but I think it means when you enroll in this case.

 

[Catalystik]

So I understand that matriculating basically means to enroll in a medical school, but when does this actually happen? I am a TX resident, so we get matched to a school here. Does the "match" count as matriculating, or do we have to do something afterwards, or what? Or is matriculating just if you actually physically go to the school and start class there and whatnot?

The day you begin med school or show up for orientation you have matriculated.

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

I'm not from Texas so hopefully others will chime in here. But the way it works with AMCAS is that you can hold multiple acceptances until April 30th. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the same is true for Texas schools.) After April 30th, you must withdraw from all but one school. You should assume that this is the school you will "matriculate" at--unless you receive other acceptances after April. Say, if you find out in May that you're accepted off the waitlist at your dream school. At that point, you'd have to make a decision and drop one acceptance. It's typically recommended that you make this decision fairly quickly (within a week) out of respect for other applicants who may be on waitlists.

Matriculating isn't really a particular status. It's just a way of saying the school you will enroll at. It doesn't really happen until school starts because technically, you could change your mind at any point before then, if you got an offer from another school.

I'm not sure exactly what happens if you have multiple offers from AMCAS and TMDSAS schools but I would expect the same rules apply; you should withdraw from all but one after April 30th.

 

[LizzyM]

Matriculate means that you are there as a student when orientation or the first day of classes (in the absence of orientation) begins.
If you are admitted and accept the offer of admission but then do not attend (because you didn't have funding or couldn't get a visa or ended up withdrawing before the first day to join the circus) you have not matriculated.

 

[Crayola227]

there's often a white coat ceremony involved in the orientation matriculation process

we got to take the Oath of Geneva at ours it was rad

 

[binko]

withdrawing before the first day to join the circus.

Ah yes the bane of med schools, losing students to the circus.

 

[Efflorescence]

could matching to a Texas school potentially hurt my OOS applications?

Being a Texas resident will hurt your OOS applications. It has nothing to do with the Texas match system. The match system here simply resolves multiple acceptances for Texas residents to Texas schools (excluding BCM). This prevents people from holding 5 acceptances until May, leaving everyone else hanging. Many people receive offers before the match (pre-match is Nov. 15 - Dec. 31) and after the match (waitlist movement).

Texas reserves 90% of its seats (70% - BCM) for Texas residents and has some of the cheapest med schools in the country. OOS schools may decide to not interview you because they know that given the option, you will most likely choose a cheap Texas school. If you're a superstar, that changes things.

Having said that, I have peers who received interviews at mid-tier OOS schools and ended up matriculating at Texas schools. If you really want to go OOS, go ahead and apply.

I know it may feel frustrating to feel like you're stuck in Texas, but the cheap tuition is a very compelling reason to stay. Also, your best chance of acceptance will be at Texas schools unless your stats are low enough to need to apply OOS DO.

PM if you have more questions!