Candidates may request to defer their terms of matriculation to the M.D. program for one academic year based upon certain circumstances upon acceptance to the M.D. program in the College of Medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). Deferment of matriculation is never automatic and is subject to the review and formal approval of the College of Medicine Admissions Committee. Candidates interested in deferring their matriculation to the M.D. program are instructed to do the following:

1. Candidates must first formally accept their offers of admission to the M.D. program in the timeline provided. Acceptance timelines vary depending upon the timing of the admission cycle in accordance with AAMC Application and Acceptance Protocols for admission officers. Candidates without valid acceptance offers are not eligible to petition for deferment of matriculation term.
2. Candidates are to contact a NEOMED admission official in writing requesting a deferment of matriculation term. The NEOMED admission official will offer procedural counsel as to how accepted candidates may request a deferment of matriculation term to the M.D program are to proceed. Candidates will be instructed to confer with the chair of the college admissions committee or designee to determine is deferment is in the best interest of the candidate’s future medical career. The candidate shall submit a written request for deferral of matriculation term to be formally considered at the next scheduled monthly meeting of the college admission committee.
3. Accepted candidates will be notified of the college admission committee’s decision in writing shortly after the conclusion of the scheduled meeting. If approved, candidates shall re-apply for admission to the M.D. program at NEOMED via AMCAS during the next admission cycle using the AMCAS application for deferred students. The application process shall include the submittal of a secondary application for admission. There is no charge to apply as a deferred candidate. Candidates must meet all application deadlines.

Circumstances likely to be considered for successful deferment of matriculation term include the following conditions and are subject to the following timelines.

Deferment for Reasons of Illness or Hardship

Candidates may be eligible to defer the term of matriculation for reasons of illness or hardship. In most cases appropriate documentation of serious illness is encouraged to support candidate petitions along with the written deferment request. Hardship generally refers to family or personal circumstances where relocation would impose a significant hardship upon candidates matriculating for their term of acceptance. Deferment requests for reasons or illness or hardship are generally entertained until July 1 prior to the start of M.D. classes later that same July. Unfortunately, candidates accepted very late in the admission cycle may be presented with the choice of acceptance or declining the offer of acceptance if there is insufficient time for the college admission committee to entertain a deferment request.

Deferment for Reasons of Enrichment

Candidates may be eligible to defer the term of matriculation for reasons of enrichment opportunities. Reasons for personal and professional enrichment may be wide-ranging and subject to the interpretation of the college admission committee. These may include, but are not limited to, additional higher education opportunities, research and employment opportunities conducive to building a robust curriculum and/or career vita (CV), or service and volunteer opportunities. In keeping with AAMC Application and Acceptance Protocols for applicants stating that “on or before April 30, choose the school or program to which you (the candidate) plan to matriculate and promptly withdraw your acceptances from all other schools or programs”, all requests for deferment of matriculation for reasons of enrichment must be received by no later than May 1^st prior to the start of classes for the matriculating M.D. cohort later that same July.

Candidates are advised that certain circumstances may adversely impact their deferment status once granted a deferment of matriculation to the M.D program at NEOMED. These may include any significant changes to a candidate’s academic record and/or any infractions of a legal, academic, or professionalism nature. The AMCAS primary and secondary applications for admission will serve as reference points for disclosure of any such infractions or academic updates and all candidates are subject to a new criminal background check (CBC) prior to matriculation into the M.D. program. The college of medicine admissions committee shall be the determining authority as to whether any academic changes or infractions may result in a rescission of acceptance and the candidate’s eligibility to matriculate to the college of medicine.