No./Title: COM113/Reinstatement to the COM	Resp. Office: Medical Education Approval Body: CUME	Effective Date: 11/16/20
Category: COM/UME	Last Review: 3/15/21	Next Review: 3/15/24
Contact: Michael Whitt, Ph.D. Assoc. Dean for Medical Education	🕿 901-448-4634	🖂 mwhitt@uthsc.edu
Related Policy: EM 105 – Reinstatement Policy

POLICY

It is the policy of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and the College of Medicine (COM) that UTHSC students may apply for reinstatement within one calendar year of the last date of enrollment, but at least six weeks prior to the start of the next semester. Reinstatement may be considered for students who have withdrawn from the COM, either voluntarily (for personal or medical reasons) or involuntarily (for medical reasons), per University policy. This policy does not apply to students who have successfully completed an additional, approved degree outside the MD program (e.g. MPH, MBA, PhD, etc).

RATIONALE AND PROCEDURE

Each reinstatement case is different. Therefore, a committee (the Reinstatement Committee) will review each request. This committee will comprise a subset of members of the Admissions Committee and the student’s original Progress and Promotion (P&P) committee, assigned by the Executive Dean in consultation with the Associate Deans of Medical Education and Student Affairs and Admissions. The committee will be chaired by the appropriate Assistant Dean of the Basic Science or Clinical Curriculum and will include a representative from Student Affairs. The Reinstatement Committee will submit a recommendation to the Associate Dean of Medical Education (ADME) to approve or decline the application based on individual circumstances and academic history. In some cases, specific requirements for reinstatement may be recommended based on the circumstances of the student’s departure.

Students who have left the university while on probation will resume their probationary status upon their return if reinstated. Students who have left the university with pending P&P proceedings, Student Conduct, Honor Code, Professionalism or other charges, must be reinstated first before the pending proceedings or charges can be adjudicated. For health-related withdrawals, any conditions or requirements for reinstatement will be based on the recommendations and evidence of the treating health care provider as described in EM 105 as well as any expert health care examination required by the COM. Students who withdrew from the university due to military deployment, mobilizations, or duty changes are entitled to reinstatement following an absence of one year following an end of duty date. In all cases of reinstatement, the applicant must be able to demonstrate that they meet the Technical Standards of the COM.

An application for Reinstatement must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the start of the next semester for which the student wishes to restart in the curriculum. The following describes the steps that are taken by the student, the Associate Dean of Medical Education, and the UTHSC Office of Admissions during the reinstatement process.

1. Student contacts the ADME, or their designee, to request reinstatement.
2. The ADME contacts the Reinstatement Committee and provides them with the student’s academic record and any correspondence that resulted in the student withdrawing from the program.
   1. If there are pending charges from Student Conduct, Honor Council, Professionalism or other charges, undisputed information surrounding those charges may be presented to the Reinstatement Committee by the Student Conduct Officer or his/her designee.
3. The Committee may ask the student to appear before the committee (in person or remotely) to provide information on why they believe they should be reinstated.
4. The Committee sends their recommendation to the ADME who will review the information and send the decision to approve or deny reinstatement to the student.
   1. The decision of the ADME is the final, non-appealable admissions decision.
5. If approved, the ADME will contact the Office of Admissions and provide the student’s name and identification number.
6. The Office of Admissions will send a link with the reinstatement application form to the ADME who will then forward the application to the student.
7. The student will complete the electronic application for reinstatement by following the instructions provided by the Office of Admissions.
8. Once approved, the student will receive an email indicating the student has been reinstated.

To be cleared for registration, students must submit all required reinstatement documentation to the UTHSC Office of Admissions. Required documentation may include a criminal background check, immunization updates, and transcripts from institutions attended while separated from UTHSC or documents related to the student’s ability to return to their program.

Upon notification of reinstatement the ADME may block enroll the student in the appropriate courses or provide the student with instructions for enrolling in courses, clerkships and/or electives.

This Reinstatement Policy is not applicable to former students who have been dismissed due to academic, Honor Code or student conduct reasons. Nor is it an alternative path for reconsideration of academic, Honor Code or student conduct decisions. Students who have been withdrawn from the COM for greater than one (1) calendar year since the last date of enrollment, must apply as a new student and compete for admission into the new M1 class, regardless of their former class status (e.g. M1-M4) or completion of USMLE Step tests.

APPROVAL HISTORY

Effective: 11/16/20

Revised: 3/15/21