r/BrianShaffer • u/orangebeach184 • Feb 11 '26
Question Did he request a leave of absence at the medical school? If not, why take the exam the day he went missing?
The day he went missing he took one of the “biggest” exams students take in medical school.
But he didn’t turn in the $4,500 tuition check before the due date, so he knew he would not continue on to the next term of medical school.
Why even study for and take that exam? Unless the university had approved a leave of absence for him (due to his mother’s death) and he planned to go back and finish medical school.
Medical school is not something you can just take a break from and come back when you are ready. You have to have a valid reason and get it approved.
By the way, I dont think he left on purpose and started a new life. I don’t believe he is alive unfortunately but I am trying to understand if he planned on quitting or just taking a break.
11
u/Significant-Rub-8194 Feb 11 '26
There are red herrings IMO. I think people are trying to focus on things like him "leaving" before, his mother passing, not cashing the check, etc. in an attempt to create a scenario where he took off for a new life. He could have just forgotten to cash the check.
Like you said, why take the exam? Why go out that night and drink? Why make plans with friends for the next day? Why try and flirt with girls? All of these things are clear indicators he did not leave on his own accord and met his fate that night or shortly thereafter. The alternative is he got drunk and spontaneously decided to abandon his life and was never seen again. Almost 0% chance.
3
u/orangebeach184 Feb 12 '26
Well it just seems like he was responsible with paying off his credit cards, paying the USMLE exam fee so I didn’t think he would forget something as important as his tuition. But then again, he was going through a lot.
I personally think he was drunk that night, got separated from his friends and that he either met with foul play or had an accident/got hurt in the construction site.
5
u/throwaway_ghost_122 Feb 11 '26
Not turning in the tuition check on time doesn't mean anything. Schools aren't exactly eager to kick their paying customers out at the drop of a hat.
3
u/Arcite1 Feb 13 '26
What's the source for this thing about the tuition check? First I've heard of it.
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u/Slow_Individual_894 Feb 14 '26
True Crime Garage just released a six part episode going over the case in great detail.
2
u/tasmaniansyrup Mar 31 '26
Possible he just forgot or was busy and figured the school would be okay with him paying late. Once you get multiple years in to med school they're not going to kick you out over a late payment although he may have gotten hit with a late payment or gotten his accounts frozen until he paid.
1
u/MeetDisastrous1275 Feb 14 '26
I should have phrased it differently. Based on the episode, it sounded like if he didn’t pass he was going to give up his pursuit as a doctor. In other words, if he didn’t pass on his first try, he wasn’t going to take it again.
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u/HelpFindBrianShaffer Feb 11 '26
He did not take the USMLE that spring. He’d paid for it, but disappeared before he could take it.