Moving for Medical School

[chaim123]

For those who have moved for medical school, did you go through the process of switching your drivers license to the new state, or did you just keep your old license? Are there pros or cons to either scenario? Would the answer change if you are or are not planning on having a car? Thanks for everyone's input!

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[DrRiker]

Some schools will let you pay in-state tuition if you become a resident. I think holding their driver's license would be part of that process. Also, I think it might be legally required to have a current address on your card? But I'm a pre-med, not a lawyer.

 

[691622]

Some schools will let you pay in-state tuition if you become a resident. I think holding their driver's license would be part of that process. Also, I think it might be legally required to have a current address on your card? But I'm a pre-med, not a lawyer.

didnt realize you needed a JD in order to know the answer to that question

 

[DrRiker]

didnt realize you needed a JD in order to know the answer to that question

You need Google and motivation. Lacking the latter.

 

[getdown]

you're going to school, not permanently living there. Keep your drivers license in case you end up moving back to your home state for residency. Med school is 4 years. Only change when you're for sure staying. I kept my home state license throughout residency and changed it when I decided to stay after accepting an job offer.

 

[SouthernGent]

If you want instate preference you will probably have to register your car, change your license, and pay taxes to the new state at least year before classes start.

Had a couple of classmates get boned by not switching their license in time, and they are now paying OOS tuition.

 

[chaim123]

you're going to school, not permanently living there. Keep your drivers license in case you end up moving back to your home state for residency. Med school is 4 years. Only change when you're for sure staying. I kept my home state license throughout residency and changed it when I decided to stay after accepting an job offer.

My only concern with this plan of action is Jury Duty - what if I got called back to Jury duty in my home state? That would moderately suck...even if I could put it off we don't get summers after M1. Did you ever experience an issue with being called?

 

[ciestar]

My only concern with this plan of action is Jury Duty - what if I got called back to Jury duty in my home state? That would moderately suck...even if I could put it off we don't get summers after M1. Did you ever experience an issue with being called?

Twice. You just let them know you’re a full time student and you’re out. City of Philadelphia didn’t care I am a permanent resident elsewhere, only that i was registered to vote here so I qualified. School sent over paperwork to let them know and that was that.

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

Twice. You just let them know you’re a full time student and you’re out. City of Philadelphia didn’t care I am a permanent resident elsewhere, only that i was registered to vote here so I qualified. School sent over paperwork to let them know and that was that.

Can second this. Getting postponed or altogether out is easy as a student. Even if you get jury duty where you do med school, I would play it the other way. Got jury duty for my last 2 weeks of undergrad as I voted in the presidential election here, and I just gave them my parents address in my home state.

 

[ciestar]

Then you just tell them you don’t live there anymore Postponing is possible, as I was recently called for

Can second this. Getting postponed or altogether out is easy as a student. Even if you get jury duty where you do med school, I would play it the other way. Got jury duty for my last 2 weeks of undergrad as I voted in the presidential election here, and I just gave them my parents address in my home state.

Basically what I did. Called for Jury Duty back home and gave them my current address and that I was a student and not in the area and they didn’t really ask questions. Philadelphia wanted verification and was like “you’re registered to vote here, so you have to serve.” It did NOT matter that I don’t have a permanent address here and gave them my ID as proof...nope. School deals with this a lot, apparently. I wasn’t the only one called after the elections either.

 

[Durty-Trixxx]

I would check the Dept. of Transportation of the state where your medical school is located. Some states may require you to get a driver's license in their state if you moved to that state. Of course, this may get tricky if you list your parents' address in another state as your permanent address, and your apartment address in your med school state as a temporary address? This is confusing, indeed.

 

[getdown]

I would check the Dept. of Transportation of the state where your medical school is located. Some states may require you to get a driver's license in their state if you moved to that state. Of course, this may get tricky if you list your parents' address in another state as your permanent address, and your apartment address in your med school state as a temporary address? This is confusing, indeed.

Some states do require this but are they really going to check every single person in the state to make sure? You have an out of state license, the cops really going to run the plate for no reason just to see if you've registered in the state? I personally wouldn't worry too much about these things. But do what makes you feel comfortable, I just didn't want to hassle dealing with the ****ing DMV more than I have to. Also, certain states (california) require you to retake the damn written tests when you apply for their license.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

The only thing you have to be worried about when not changing your license is getting mail at your home address which can be rectified by having your parents send them to you while in medschool or notifying the USPS. But you don't have to change you home address and get a new license to your new school address while in medschool unless you plan to stay there permanently.

 

[Durty-Trixxx]

Some states do require this but are they really going to check every single person in the state to make sure? You have an out of state license, the cops really going to run the plate for no reason just to see if you've registered in the state? I personally wouldn't worry too much about these things. But do what makes you feel comfortable, I just didn't want to hassle dealing with the ****ing DMV more than I have to. Also, certain states (california) require you to retake the damn written tests when you apply for their license.

About 10 years ago I was living in PA and "gently" rolled through a stop sign one morning on my way to work. The cop who pulled me over asked me how long I lived in PA and I said "a few months" and then he asked me why I still had an OH driver license. I told him I simply forgot to get a PA driver license because I was busy, and he said it was PA state law that all new residents must obtain a PA driver license within 30 days of moving to the state. He didnt write me a ticket but gave me a warning about that.

So like I said --- it's imperative you check the state you are moving to and get the facts before making any rash decisions.

 

[NITRAS]

Texas also requires you to get a TX DL within 30 days.

 

[ciestar]

About 10 years ago I was living in PA and "gently" rolled through a stop sign one morning on my way to work. The cop who pulled me over asked me how long I lived in PA and I said "a few months" and then he asked me why I still had an OH driver license. I told him I simply forgot to get a PA driver license because I was busy, and he said it was PA state law that all new residents must obtain a PA driver license within 30 days of moving to the state. He didnt write me a ticket but gave me a warning about that.

So like I said --- it's imperative you check the state you are moving to and get the facts before making any rash decisions.

I can basically assure you that a majority of my class that is OOS (same with UG...actually) NEVER changed their residency to PA. I was just looking at Temple and PSU’s websites and they don’t even consider you a resident of PA if you’re here primarily for education and don’t intend on staying after you graduate. (So, going by that, you’re here only for education and they don’t consider you a resident anyway..so why?) If you don’t intend on staying, most don’t change their residency unless their new address is the only address they have. I’m a PA resident so it never mattered.

EDIT: Granted, how many of these classmates are still dependents of their parents in other states so they wouldn’t think to do this in the first place?

EDIT: Also to your point, you’re only required to do change your license within 60 days of establishing residency. EVERY state differs on what qualifies you as a resident.

 

[Durty-Trixxx]

EDIT: Also to your point, you’re only required to do change your license within 60 days of establishing residency. EVERY state differs on what qualifies you as a resident.

Yes, that's what makes the OP post tricky because --- what exactly defines "resident of a state" ??

Most state laws consider you a resident of that state IF you file taxes and list that state as your place of residence. Since most med students are unemployed and living on student loans, they are not required to file taxes while in school. So that doesnt really answer the question.

Other states simply state if you "reside in our state for X or more number of days" --- then you are a resident of that state. I've seen some states state "6 or more months domiciled in the state" --- so in that case, you are considered a resident of that state even though your driver license and all other aspects of your life show a different state.

It gets confusing because it all depends on which entity you're asking about residency -- Dept. of Trans, tax man, or state statutes!