From Merit Scholar to Expulsion — my nightmare first year of medical school at UT Southwestern (UTSW).

I was careful to confirm my eligibility for both funding options, so I reached out to UTSW’s Financial Aid Advisor, Lindsay Partridge, who confirmed that my veteran’s benefits did not nullify my scholarship in any way (since it wasn’t a loan or additional scholarship, but a benefit that I earned for serving in the United States Air Force for 7+ years). Additionally, I checked with my vocational rehabilitation counselor, and she, too, confirmed that there were no conflicts. However, once both funding sources were confirmed, UTSW’s financial aid department significantly delayed dispersing of funds, even applying my VA funds to the second semester before eventually processing a refund. Looking back on it now, there was an odd pre-determination that my scholarship would not be valid beyond the first semester. <a href="https://medium.com/@paj88/from-merit-scholar-to-expulsion-my-nightmare-first-year-of-medical-school-at-ut-southwestern-ada4797f6700">Click Here</a>