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Pandemic matching
#11
(05-22-2020, 06:54 PM)Guest Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 06:44 PM)Guest Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 06:20 PM)neuron777 Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 05:47 PM)Guest Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 05:40 PM)Guest Wrote: IMHO all pass + 1 high pass in peds is a bit of a red flag clinically. Programs will vary in how much emphasis they place on clerkship grades but that record would raise some alarm bells for me

In you experience, do you take into account the school's grading system or is that too much detail to look into? At some schools, clerkship grades are solely dependent on meeting a shelf cutoff (>80th percentile) so even if you get great evaluations, it doesn't matter if you don't hit the shelf cutoff.

^ at my school they're making courses that were turned telehealth P/F only. So I'm going to end up with a P in IM and Neuro. I hear other schools are doing this as well. Doubtful that PDs/Screeners will take the time to read the fine print

Yeah, clinical grades are so subjective as well depending on grading system, length of clerkship, how busy the service is/how much time you have to study, etc.

Does the actual grade matter all that much? I thought that the commentary within the evals would be weighed more heavily as it is most indicative of your performance (as we all know you can get glowing reviews but not get the highest grade...)

For the most part no one reads those comments. I read them if they have a bad grade because either they'll have negative comments that are enlightening or they'll have positive comments, which means you got a bad grade on the shelf. Either way it's not good.
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#12
(05-22-2020, 07:22 PM)Guest Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 06:54 PM)Guest Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 06:44 PM)Guest Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 06:20 PM)neuron777 Wrote:
(05-22-2020, 05:47 PM)Guest Wrote: In you experience, do you take into account the school's grading system or is that too much detail to look into? At some schools, clerkship grades are solely dependent on meeting a shelf cutoff (>80th percentile) so even if you get great evaluations, it doesn't matter if you don't hit the shelf cutoff.

^ at my school they're making courses that were turned telehealth P/F only. So I'm going to end up with a P in IM and Neuro. I hear other schools are doing this as well. Doubtful that PDs/Screeners will take the time to read the fine print

Yeah, clinical grades are so subjective as well depending on grading system, length of clerkship, how busy the service is/how much time you have to study, etc.

Does the actual grade matter all that much? I thought that the commentary within the evals would be weighed more heavily as it is most indicative of your performance (as we all know you can get glowing reviews but not get the highest grade...)

For the most part no one reads those comments. I read them if they have a bad grade because either they'll have negative comments that are enlightening or they'll have positive comments, which means you got a bad grade on the shelf. Either way it's not good.

^ultimately no one cares about that stuff. If you have the pubs, step scores, and letters backing you up, you'll match.
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#13
^i disagree strongly with this commenter, at least at my program clerkship grades are strongly considered. Not saying that’s right or wrong but the OP shouldn’t be misled to believe “no one cares” about them because some programs definitely do
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#14
for the poster above, would you say that the comments about the grade are highly weighted?
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#15
(05-22-2020, 08:39 PM)Guest Wrote: ^i disagree strongly with this commenter, at least at my program clerkship grades are strongly considered. Not saying that’s right or wrong but the OP shouldn’t be misled to believe “no one cares” about them because some programs definitely do

Completely agreed. My program reads every evaluation as well and we certainly take notes. Patterns of comments can be highly enlightening.
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#16
Look man, ultimately the only reason people really care about grades and board scores is because theyre trying to see if you will pass the nsg board exams. Board fails really screw programs. At some point on the train they will ask why you got all passes, and the reality is that you're going to have to tell them something. I would really think about a way you can spin this so it doesnt make it look like you have poor testing skills. As far as evals, i didnt have a single person comment on any of my evals (other than letters) the entire trail. Those are my 2 cents, ultimately you just have to apply and pray.
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#17
The above hits the nail on the head. Caring about the steps is really just a surrogate for how you'll do on the written boards, which you have to pass to be a neurosurgeon. Passing that test is not super hard, but there is definitely a point at which a low step score puts you at risk for not being able to pass it, especially since you're being curved against people who are by and large elite test takers.

To be clear, when I say 'low step scores' I don't mean someone who got in the 230s which this forum would have you believe contraindicates matching, but actually low. Doing badly on shelf exams goes in the same bucket, and will likely be even more important as step 1 moves to pass/fail. I would also expect things like clerkship grades to get even more scrutiny this year for two reasons: 1) virtual interviews and 2) people looking more closely at the rest of the application when they still have the step scores to compare it to so as to have some guidance when pass/fail happens.

You need to be honest in your explanation, and if that explanation is that you're not a great test-taker, so be it. It's as good an explanation as any, but I wanted to harp on it a little because I think a lot of students think that explanation carries more weight than it actually does, because you still need to do well on the boards.
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