The joint TCU and University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) School of Medicine announced their incoming 2019 class recruitment will not include reserved seats for TCU students.

Accreditation, the certifying process that determines if an educational program meets proper standards and requirements, was the main factor in this decision.

“The School of Medicine received its accreditation through the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which doesn’t allow medical schools to reserve seats,” said Maricar Estrella, Director of Digital Development and Content Strategy for the School of Medicine.

The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University have also been accredited by the LCME and are not allowed to reserve seats. As a result, most TCU students are not bothered by this decision.

“I was a little surprised at first, but I think it makes sense and it gives everyone an equal chance,” said Grace Newell, TCU senior neuroscience major.

Newell also said that she felt she did not gain the advantage of being a TCU student during the application and interview process.

The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine will allow students to gain experience seeing patients during the first week of class and Newell said that is why she applied there.

“That helps keep empathy with students consistent throughout the whole four years,” Newell said. “Going into medical school, most students really want to help patients, but over time they begin seeing cases as a body part that needs to be fixed instead of a person who needs to be fixed.”

The joint medical school hopes their modern approach will encourage numerous college students to apply for their first incoming class in July 2019.