For Accepted & Alternate List M.D. candidates
For Accepted M.D. students
Congratulations on your acceptance into the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program at Northeast Ohio Medical University. Whatever your admission plan: early assurance, early decision, regular decision, or deferred acceptance from last year, you should find this information helpful.
Have a question about your M.D. acceptance? Contact Jill Thompson at jthompson@neomed.edu.
Accepted Student Checklist
Choose NEOMED!
The first priority after you receive your acceptance offer to the M.D. program is to share your decision with NEOMED. Please refer to your acceptance email for the response date and the link to your offer of acceptance. Your offer of acceptance reviews detailed information about your acceptance to NEOMED and requires your digitized signature. Your place in our entering class is not saved until we hear back from you in the form of a competed offer of acceptance.
Regular-decision candidates may wish to refer to the AAMC Admission and Acceptance Protocols for Applicants. Please know that we make a sincere effort to adhere to the same set of protocols for admission officers.
Important regular decision date include:
- On or before April 30th, candidates are advised to select the single program they plan to matriculate out of courtesy to other candidates.
- On or before June 15th, accepted candidates must associate NEOMED with “Commit to Enroll” through the AMCAS Choose your Medical School Tool and remit the commitment deposit to NEOMED in order to retain an M.D. seat in the incoming class.
- Visit the academic calendar page for important information about the start of mandatory orientation, white coat ceremony, and class calendar for the year.
Get Connected
Watch for notice that your NEOMED email and student account has been set up for you through Office 365. First, navigate to http://portal.office.com and then enter the email address login and password provided to you in your official NEOMED welcome letter. Your welcome notice takes about 48 hours to generate after we receive your signed acceptance form.
Navigate NEOMED: Student Onboarding
You will receive more information about Navigate NEOMED, our virtual student onboarding service. Navigate NEOMED is our one-stop resource offered through the NEOMED Canvas learning management system that will be your gateway to all the information you need and the obligations you need to fulfill to successfully start the M.D. program. The best advice we have is to begin early as soon as Navigate NEOMED is available. There are quite a bit of obligations to fulfill. We’ll contact you when Navigate NEOMED is ready in the spring through your @NEOMED.edu account. Should you have questions before then please ask Brian Butler, Assistant Director of Student Life, at bbutler@neomed.edu.
Schedule a Visit
We highly recommend that you visit campus if you have yet to do so to make sure NEOMED is a great choice for you to study medicine.
You may sign up for a campus visit here. We may also offer special opportunities for accepted students to visit through email invitation. Please reach out to Tina Williams-Brandon for more information at twilliamsbrandon@neomed.edu, or call 330.325.6266, or text 330.422.4981.
We want your visit to be welcoming, informative, and enjoyable. Please help us do that by reserving your visit. Our team is often unable to accommodate walk-in visits.
Ohio Department of Health Covid-19 Information
Please visit https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home prior to planning your visit to NEOMED for any lingering Covid-related information.
“Commit to Enroll” with NEOMED no later than June 15
NEOMED participates in the AMCAS “Choose Your Medical School Tool” protocols. The only firm requirement we enforce is that all Early Decision and Regular Decision Plan incoming M1 students use the tool to indicate that they “Commit to Enroll” to NEOMED by no later than June 15. You must also pay your deposit by no later than June 15. Failure to do so may result in cancelling a candidate’s place in medical school, so be sure to follow through! See complete information here.
Find a Place to Live
We recommend that you explore The Village at NEOMED as an incoming student. The Village does have limited capacity so if you are considering living on campus we encourage you to explore your options as early as your learn of your acceptance.
For M.D. Candidates on the Alternate List
Choosing a medical school that is the right match between an M.D. program evaluating thousands of talented candidates to determine who best meets the mission and prospective students who are entertaining several acceptance offers finding the perfect school for them to reach their goals in a complicated task for all stakeholders!
Most of our students that matriculate spend quite a few weeks on our alternate list as we work through the acceptance process together. We truly value the interest and journey our alternate list students take with us and hope we are able to accept as many of them as possible.
We actively manage our available seats as candidates make final decisions. NEOMED makes acceptance offers in small “rounds” for regular decision admission plan candidates starting in the winter and we anticipate continuing this process through the start of June annually. If you are a candidate for acceptance into the M.D. program on the alternate list, what should you do?
Stay Engaged
An acceptance offer can arrive quickly with no notice. As a practice, we send an email acceptance offer out through AMCAS and we also call all working phone numbers. We recommend making sure that alternate list candidates make sure email originating from AMCAS do not get routed to spam and to answer any “330.325” calls if practical. Also have a working voice mail box for medical schools.
A campus visit is a good idea if practical once you are invited to interview. By visiting, candidates have a good idea whether accepting an offer is a good idea for them. Candidates living a distance from NEOMED may wish to postpone a visit in person until receiving acceptance.
NEOMED also offers regular opportunities for engagement virtually through Zoom chats and information sessions.
There are two practices in which NEOMED does not engage.
- We have found that our alternate-list movement is so fluid and robust that we do not share alternate list rankings or space availability with candidates. Our experience is that in spite of a strong desire to be helpful and transparent that such information is unsuitable for mutual planning.
- NEOMED does not factor in any updates to the decision process. While we are always glad to hear of candidates working diligently toward goals, we do not reconsider candidate evaluation on a rolling basis.
Explore
It is not too early for candidates to begin to explore NEOMED in anticipation of acceptance. Candidates may begin to learn more about integrated pathways, campus life and student activities, and send FAFSA information to our financial aid team.
When the anticipated acceptance arrives, candidates will then be ready to shape their first-year experiences.
Plan Ahead for Possible Outcomes
As we view all alternate list candidates as admissible M.D. students we hope to welcome to NEOMED, the desired outcome is an offer of acceptance. However, we are all aware that nationally only about 40% of all candidates for allopathic medical school admission receive an acceptance offer given the limited availability of medical school seats. What might candidates do to prepare?
The first day of medical school classes for NEOMED is in mid to late July. We will notify all candidates for whom we were unable to offer a seat of the final decision during the first week of class. We will not leave alternate-list candidates without the courtesy of final notification. Until that time an acceptance offer is always possible. Late acceptance offers happen every year due to a variety of reasons.
Candidates who do not hold acceptance offers in the early summer may be planning gap-year experiences in preparation for another medical school admission cycle. NEOMED offers an innovative gap year opportunity for a select number of alternate list candidates to spend a gap year with us at NEOMED. Candidates may choose to complete a one-year master level degree program in one of several areas of study at NEOMED designed to prepare contemporary physicians to meet the mounting challenges facing health care now and in the future.
Our plan is to reach out to candidates on the alternate list in May to present opportunities to learn more. These opportunities may include a seat in the next year’s M.D. class at NEOMED.
For more information about eligible gap-year master level programs at NEOMED, please contact Greg Koman at cogs.staff@neomed.edu in the College of Graduate Studies.
Get Involved
The University boasts more than 70 student organizations, ranging from student government to honor societies to interest groups to social groups. Find the one that fits you most!
Get to know the Faculty
Your professors will help you get the most out of your NEOMED experience. Get to know the faculty, the research teams, and how they are advancing the future of health care.
Deferring M.D. Admission
NEOMED entertains requests from accepted students to defer the year of admission.
For more information or to begin the deferral process please contact Jill Thompson at jthompson@neomed.edu.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 1st 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.
Did you know…
…accepted M.D. candidates may explore enrichment deferral through NEOMED graduate programs?
NEOMED offers one-year masters degree programs designed to compliment our M.D. program and create transformational leaders in health care. Accepted students seeking to add enrichment experiences or bolster their resume’s for residencies may choose to enroll in a one-year master’s degree program such as the Master of Leadership in Health Systems Science and request an enrichment deferment to start the M.D. program one year later. Accepted M.D. students from all admission plans are eligible including: early assurance, early decision, and regular decision.
Please note that certificate programs do not qualify students for Title IV financial aid programs.
Additional Tools & Resources
Choose Your Medical School Tool
2021-2022 Practices
Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Medicine (NEOMED) follows the Application and Acceptance Protocols established by the AAMC. Specific actions related to the NEOMED Admissions process include:
December 2021 until class is filled/early July
Offers of admission/alternate list placement will begin: Electronic communication regarding acceptance will be sent.
February 19th
“Plan to Enroll” selection is available until the end of the cycle: NEOMED highly recommends (but does not require) utilization of this option. This does help NEOMED (and other medical schools) by allowing us to right-size classes throughout the cycle. This tool indicates the applicant’s “Top Choice” but he or she may remain active in the admissions process (i.e. can interview, hold other offers and be on other wait lists).
Medical schools will receive aggregate data detailing how many applicants in their pool have selected “Plan to Enroll” for their school or another school.
April 15th
The AAMC’s Application and Acceptance Protocols recommend that accepted applicants narrow their offers to no more than three (3) medical schools (if applicable). NEOMED highly recommends (but does not require) that applicants follow this protocol.
April 30th until end of cycle
“Commit to Enroll” becomes available. Note that the “Plan to Enroll” selection remains available for admitted applicants and candidates selected from the wait list.
If an applicant “Commits to Enroll”, it indicates that the applicant is committing to matriculate at an institution. If this is another institution (not NEOMED), the applicant will therefore be removed from our list of deposited candidates, offered candidates and from our wait list.
Beginning April 30th, AMCAS will identify all applicants making “Plan to Enroll” and “Commit to Enroll” selections. The applicant-specific information will be available to all medical schools where an applicant currently holds an acceptance offer or wait list position.
NEOMED understands there may be important reasons for applicants to continue considering more than one offer, but we expect applicants who have been offered admission to finalize decisions no later than June 15th.
Wait List Acceptance Policy/Protocols
Before May
Applicants will have 1 – 2 weeks to accept of decline offers, please see your acceptance communication.
May 1-31 offers of admission
Applicants will have 5 business days to accept or decline offer
June 1-15 offers of admission
Applicants will have 3 business days to accept or decline offer
June 15th :
NEOMED will require all accepted students to “Commit to Enroll” or withdraw from our roster of accepted students. This date is reflective of both the number of pre-matriculation tasks which must be completed by all matriculants prior to the start of orientation and M1 classes as well as the time for our out-of-state candidates to relocate in order to focus on successfully starting medical school.
NOTE: NEOMED’s M1 year begins with coursework in a summer term that begins in mid-July.
July 1 until end of cycle
Any wait list candidate offered and accepting admission must “Commit to Enroll” at the time of acceptance and remove themselves from consideration at all other medical schools
Summary Considerations
- When an applicant “Commits to Enroll” at NEOMED, it indicates that the applicant is withdrawing applications from consideration at all other medical schools and committing to matriculate to NEOMED.
- When an applicant “Commits to Enroll” at another school, it indicates that the applicant is committing to matriculate at another institution and the applicant will be removed from the NEOMED list of offered applicants and from the wait list.
- Applicants who “Commit to Enroll” at another school will not be offered admission to the NEOMED College of Medicine.
Misplaced Your Admissions Letter?
That’s ok – you can contact the Office of Admission for assistance at RHoward1@neomed.edu to request a copy.
