Med schools say "no dice" to the matriculate and switch?

[JMC_MarineCorps]

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So I heard the other day that if you matriculate into another school's program all bets are off -- that is, one can no longer be pulled off the alternate list.

Once I matriculate somewhere else I can kiss my alternate list school goodbye for good? It seems so unfair 🙁

Forgive me, but I really thought you could wiggle your way out - but to say definitively that under no circumstances can an applicant be considered once he/she has matriculated elsewhere was a bit of a shocker. 😱

 

[jlee9531]

oh yeah. if you actually matriculate into the program by starting class and all that jazz, then yeah all bets are off.

 

[JMC_MarineCorps]

oh yeah. if you actually matriculate into the program by starting class and all that jazz, then yeah all bets are off.

Has this been the standard for a while now? Also, is there a reason that is published anywhere (at least that anyone has run across at one time or another). I mean, I admit, the answer does seem obvious, but not entirely... what about freedom of choice?

I thought I had some wiggle room, but apparently not. I am assuming this crosses all boundaries, i.e. AMA and AOA schools?

 

[jlee9531]

well with the freedom of choice thing...its different because it is mostly the schools that do the choosing, which then leads us to make our decisions.

plus if you were able to do this, and were at the school for about a week or so, it would be hard for that school to find a replacement who is willing to be a week behind everyone else etc...and the school wouldnt want this situation as well.

its the best fit for everyone involved.

 

[liverotcod]

This policy actually is published pretty prominently in the MCAR. Also, most med schools web sites discuss this under application process.

 

[Sweet Tea]

yeah-- it's been that policy for awhile now. with schools all starting at different times and with different curriculums, it would suck for the school if you all of a sudden jumped ship and went to another school after being at their place for 2 weeks. i agree with jlee-- it's really best for all parties involved that way.

FWIW, if you've been accepted by one school, but waitlisted by your dream school, it's in your best interest to tell your dream school that you will give up your spot at the school that has already accepted you if the dream school pulls you off the waitlist.

 

[1viking]

plus if you were able to do this, and were at the school for about a week or so, it would be hard for that school to find a replacement who is willing to be a week behind everyone else etc.

I know that there are dozens on the waitlist that didn't get accepted anywhere that we drop everything to be a week late.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

I know that there are dozens on the waitlist that didn't get accepted anywhere that we drop everything to be a week late.

At my school, we were about to take our first exam after the first week. Not to mention the chaos that would happen at any school if people could join in whenever they felt like it.

This rule is in place precisely to protect the people who don't have any acceptances. At most programs, admitting someone after orientation (which actually involves getting legal stuff, such as HIPAA training, out of the way) is not even close to feasible, so if a member of the class were to drop out to go to another school, there's a seat in medical school that can't go to anyone.

 

[principessa]

See the AAMC Recommendations for Medical School Applicants and Medical School Admission Officers which everyone ought to come across while applying via AMCAS.

How is this policy at all unfair?

 

[CalBeE]

This policy really reduces a lot of chaos. If we were to blame anyone, blame it on why don't all schools start on the same day.

 

[velo]

Yeah, I don't see how this policy seems surprising or unfair to anyone. Its hard enough for schools to put together an entering class with all the last-minute moving and shaking that goes on. Once classes start, that's your school, their job is done...and they get to move on to the fun of dealing with the next cycle! 😳

 

[Jalby]

It's only "unfair" to people who want to a different school from the one they are going to attend.

 

[JMC_MarineCorps]

See the AAMC Recommendations for Medical School Applicants and Medical School Admission Officers which everyone ought to come across while applying via AMCAS.

How is this policy at all unfair?

#9 of the latter, thank you. I actually remember skimming through this about 1 year ago exactly - I knew it was vaguely familiar, but again, wasn't entirely sure it crossed AMA and AOA school boundaries, which it clearly does from the information listed in that site.

Not unfair - actually very fair for everyone involved, but the reality of it is a bummer. I guess my unfair comment stems from my own personal desire to want to look past the "rule" and allow for me to still be actively considered by my dream school (which starts a few weeks later).

I agree - across the board it is a fair and necessary rule. No foul.

 

[futrdrbaker]

Actually, I'm not sure if any of you have had experience with this, but I'm a first-year at UTHSC San Antonio, (yes, we've already been at it for a month), and we had someone drop out of our class to go to UCLA. This is after we had started the first day of class. He was accepted off of the waitlist, accepted it, and dropped out of our class--all after the date of matriculation.

 

[JMC_MarineCorps]

Actually, I'm not sure if any of you have had experience with this, but I'm a first-year at UTHSC San Antonio, (yes, we've already been at it for a month), and we had someone drop out of our class to go to UCLA. This is after we had started the first day of class. He was accepted off of the waitlist, accepted it, and dropped out of our class--all after the date of matriculation.

This is exactly what I am talking about!

http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/policies/admissionofficers.htm

The following recommendations are promulgated by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to ensure that applicants are afforded timely notification of the outcome of their medical school applications and timely access to available first-year positions and that schools are protected from having unfilled positions in their entering classes. These recommendations are being distributed for the information of prospective medical students, their advisors, and personnel at the medical schools to which they have applied.

The AAMC recommends that "no school make an acceptance offer, either verbal or written, to any individual who has enrolled in, or begun an orientation program immediately prior to enrollment at, a U.S. or Canadian school. Enrollment is defined as being officially matriculated as a member of the school's first-year entering class."

Yet, here we are with a fine example that this is merely a recommendation and there are always exceptions. Now, how did this guy position himself to be the exception?

 

[jlee9531]

Actually, I'm not sure if any of you have had experience with this, but I'm a first-year at UTHSC San Antonio, (yes, we've already been at it for a month), and we had someone drop out of our class to go to UCLA. This is after we had started the first day of class. He was accepted off of the waitlist, accepted it, and dropped out of our class--all after the date of matriculation.

man, thats messed up what he did to san antonio. lord knows if i was that guy, i dont think i would have left after being in school with my classmates for a month. especially since there seems to be a strong comeraderie amongst the students there as seen on this SA thread.

plus, he illegally took a potential spot from me!! haha.

 

[JMC_MarineCorps]

man, thats messed up what he did to san antonio. lord knows if i was that guy, i dont think i would have left after being in school with my classmates for a month. especially since there seems to be a strong comeraderie amongst the students there as seen on this SA thread.

plus, he illegally took a potential spot from me!! haha.

But how could one explain such an event?

 

[jlee9531]

But how could one explain such an event?

not sure. i know the argument that UTHSCSA not being a part of AMCAS is not a very good theory. the AAMC covers all accreditted med schools...hmm

 

[CalBeE]

But how could one explain such an event?

Only thing I could think of was that UTHSCSA was overfilled this year and couldn't persuade enough students to defer. So they probably are fine with losing one student