Student Affairs
Withdrawal
At the School of Veterinary Medicine, the faculty and staff are committed to student success. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students in need of support should contact the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), which will assist the student in reaching the appropriate SVM and/or University student support services.
Overview of Withdrawal Process
At the School of Veterinary Medicine, the faculty and staff are committed to student success. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students in need of support should contact the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), which will assist the student in reaching the appropriate SVM and/or University student support services.
Matriculated students may elect to withdraw from the UMES SVM DVM program at any time for academic, health, or personal reasons. The Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (ADSA) will meet with the student to review the request and ensure the student understands the academic, programmatic and financial repercussions of withdrawal.
During this meeting, the student will receive specific instructions on how to withdraw and may be given specific re-enrollment terms based upon the circumstances of the withdrawal. A follow-up e-mail will be sent by the ADSA or OSA to the student’s official University e-mail account outlining the withdrawal instructions, requirements for re-enrollment (if applicable), and reminders to contact appropriate offices (e.g. Financial Aid and University Housing). Students are strongly encouraged to save this information in an accessible location as continued access to a student’s University of Maryland Eastern Shore e-mail address is not guaranteed.
Initiating a Withdraw
To initiate withdrawal from the DVM program, the student must declare their withdrawal intent in writing to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (ADSA). The ADSA will then follow the process outlined in the “Overview” section. At all times during this process, a student seeking a withdrawal must continue to follow the Attendance and Excused Absence Policy until the withdrawal is complete.
Academic Repercussions
Years 1 through 2
Students who withdraw after the semester starts and prior to the UMES SVM withdrawal deadline (see UMES SVM Academic Calendar for current deadlines) receive course grades of “W” which do not affect the student’s academic standing. Students who withdraw after the withdrawal deadline will receive an “Incomplete (I)” for all incomplete courses and must complete the course(s) by the end of the following semester per University policy otherwise the student will be issued a failing grade for the course(s). Students who stop attending classes without completing the withdrawal process will automatically receive an “F” in all enrolled courses per University policy.
Year 3
Completed rotations will receive a course grade of “Pass (P)” or “Fail (F)” as outlined in the course syllabus. Incomplete rotations will be given a course grade of “W” which do not affect the student’s academic standing, if the withdrawal is requested prior to the UMES SVM withdrawal deadline (see UMES SVM Academic Calendar for current deadlines). Students who withdraw after the withdrawal deadline will receive an “Incomplete (I)” for all incomplete rotations and must complete the rotation(s) by the end of the following semester per University policy otherwise the student will be issued a failing grade for the rotation(s). Students who cease to attend clinical rotations without completing the withdrawal process will automatically receive an “F” in all incomplete rotations in which they were enrolled per University of Maryland Eastern Shore policy.
Programmatic Repercussions
All students who withdraw must appeal as described in the UMES SVM Student Handbook for readmission. Students who are in the National Guard or an Armed Services Branch are exempt from this process and will be automatically readmitted after submitting a copy of official National Guard or Armed Services deployment orders. The date of deployment must align with the semester withdrawn from the DVM program.
Students withdrawing for medical and/or mental health reasons must provide a “return-to-work” or “return-to-school” letter from a licensed medical professional to the ADSA before appealing for readmission. This letter will be placed in the student’s academic record.
Financial Repercussions & Reimbursement
Because the UMES SVM DVM program is a highly competitive process with limited seats, the SVM has a college specific tuition and mandatory fee reimbursement policy and procedure.
Withdrawal before or during the first three days of the semester
The DVM student will receive full tuition and SVM fee refund. Enrollment-related costs (e.g. background check fees and seat deposits) are non-refundable. Refunds are processed by the Comptroller’s Office; the student should review the Comptroller’s website for additional details.
Withdrawal after the first three days of the semester
The DVM student will not receive a tuition and fee refund. The student has the right to submit an appeal for an exception to the tuition and mandatory fee refund policy if extenuating circumstance(s) exist. To initiate an appeal, the student must submit a written request to the SVM Dean within three University business days from the date of withdrawal. The written request must include the reason for the appeal and third-party documentation (if applicable) supporting this appeal. The SVM Dean may request additional relevant materials deemed necessary for the decision process. If the student refuses to grant access to the records or materials, the SVM Dean may deny the request without further review. A decision will be provided to the student and the Comptroller’s Office. The decision is final.
Students Serving in the Armed Forces
DVM students who are in the National Guard or an Armed Services Branch who withdraw due to official military orders are exempt from this policy and will receive full tuition and SVM fee reimbursement upon submitting a copy of the official orders of National Guard or Armed Services deployment. The SVM will notify the Comptroller’s Office, and the student should review the Comptroller’s Office website for additional details.
