School of Medicine Registrar Services

Edinburg Medical Education Building 1.117

Phone: 956.296.1494 in Harlingen: 956.296.1626

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm

Wednesdays/Fridays in Harlingen or by Appointment

Role of Office of SOM Registrar Services

The Office of SOM Registrar Services is charged with the registration of all medical students, maintaining accurate and confidential academic records, publishing the academic calendars and course catalog. Other services provided are enrollment verification, certifications of good standing, and the completion of special forms that require such certifications. This office is also in charge of processing applications for away rotations either via the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) system, or outside of VSLO for our Home students. We also provide students with Notary Public services by appointment.

Registration

The Associate Registrar for SOM is charged with student registrations for all levels. First and Second year medical students are enrolled for all required coursework for the upcoming year. Third year clerkships will be conducted using a lottery selection procedure. The order for selection will be reversed when selecting Fourth year schedules.

Enrollment Policy

Students enrolled in the M.D. program are not permitted to enroll in courses or degree programs in any other school/college of the university or any other institution of learning unless specifically approved in writing by the Senior Associate Dean of Education and Academic Affairs.

Tuition Refund

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine (UTRGV SOM) policy for tuition and fee refund payments to medical students is governed by Texas Education Code Title 3, Chapter 54, Subchapter A, Section 54.0056, and is described at: https://www.utrgv.edu/ucentral/registration/dropping-withdrawing/index.htm

Notice of intent to withdraw must be made in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and copied to the Associate Registrar for SOM, and Associate Director of Financial Aid for SOM. The institution will terminate student services and privileges at the time of the student’s withdrawal.

Ref. Pol. # EAA031

Academic Calendar

Upon approval by the Department of Medical Education (DOME), Academic Calendars will be published annually by the Associate Registrar for School of Medicine. You will find the Academic Calendars for all years on the SOM Registrar Services web page.

Notary Services

As an added service to our medical students, Notary Services are provided by the Associate Registrar for SOM at no cost to the student, but by appointment only. Student’s should send an email to SOMRegistrarServices@utrgv.edu requesting an appointment for Notary Services. Appointments available in both, the Edinburg and Harlingen Campuses.

Enrollment Verification & Letters of Good Standing

Medical students can request an enrollment verification (EV) or a letter of good standing (LOGS) by completing an Enrollment Documentation Request form located in the "Forms" section of the SOM Registrar Services web page. Once completed and signed, student will submit this form to the SOM Registrar Services, via email to SOMRegistrarServices@utrgv.edu. Please allow 72 hours for processing.

Confidentiality of Medical Student Educational Records

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) has policies and processes that adequately protects the confidentiality of student records; provides students with access to their records in a timely manner; and provides fair and effective mechanisms for students to challenge information in their student records.

The Associate Registrar for SOM is responsible for maintaining permanent records and documents pertaining to each matriculated student’s progress through medical school. These records include application materials, medical school course evaluations, official transcripts of all medical school coursework, documentation of grade changes, official dates of enrollment, Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), documentation of dismissal or withdrawal, copy of diploma, copy of Federation of State Medical Boards and other state licensing regulations. The procedures used in managing these records are consistent with the established standards and existing regulations put forth by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) in conjunction with the American Association of Medical Colleges and Committee on Student Records (AAMC COSR).

A student’s educational record is considered confidential. The SOM’s Office of Registrar Services provides access of student records to faculty and administrative staff with a legitimate educational need. Students have the right, under the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA), to inspect and review their educational record.

Medical student educational records are confidential and available only to those members of the medical school faculty and administration with a need to know, unless released by the student or as otherwise governed by laws concerning confidentiality.

Specifically identified medical school officials, with a legitimate educational interest, have access to the educational record without student consent. These include the following, on a need to know basis:

Dean
Associate Dean for Educational Affairs
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Associate Registrar

Access will be granted to others with an educational need to know without student consent with approval by either the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or Associate Dean for Educational Affairs.

Other individuals, such as a faculty member who wants to see student assessments to write a letter of recommendation, are granted access to the record only with the students’ written permission.

Procedure

The faculty member or other individual requesting to see the student record must contact the student directly to request access to the student’s record.
To grant access, the student must complete the FERPA Release Authorization form available on the UTRGV Student Enrollment Forms page (https://www.utrgv.edu/ucentral/student-resources/student-forms/enrollment-forms/index.htm) and submit it to the Associate Registrar for the School of Medicine at SOMRegistrarServices@utrgv.edu.
The Associate Registrar for the School of Medicine will then notify the person making the request that access has been approved by the student and will release the record accordingly.

Ref. Pol. # EAA058