Does academic cheating occur in medical school?

mac_kin · Jan 11, 2010

Just out of curiosity, do you find that students cheat in medical school? I remember way back in undergrad, the medical hopefulls who were so paranoid with getting into medicine, I knew of several who would cheat once in a while because they couldn't stand the difference between an 85 and a 90 on a test.

Anyway, does this still go on in medicine? I would assume once you are in med school it's a little bit more relaxed because you've gotten in, and you will be a doctor. Or is it still crazy and competitive??

howelljolly · Jan 11, 2010

I dunno. But that non-academic, social kind certainly does.

Stixman28 · Jan 11, 2010

maybe you can add an I dont know option to your poll.

All I have seen is that upper classmen will give A LOT of info about their tests from last year to some folks in my class. That's a form of cheating i suppose.

KeyzerSoze · Jan 11, 2010

Stixman28 said:
maybe you can add an I dont know option to your poll.

All I have seen is that upper classmen will give A LOT of info about their tests from last year to some folks in my class. That's a form of cheating i suppose.

Meh. Not if everyone has equal access to it.

ChubbyChaser · Jan 11, 2010

Im sure it happens...but it seems like it would be harder to cheat in medical school then in undergrad, and im sure its not as prevalent as undergrad.

Droopy Snoopy · Jan 11, 2010

KeyzerSoze said:
Meh. Not if everyone has equal access to it.

Even if there's not equal access, getting some "Oh yeah Dr. Smith always tests heavy on the urea cycle" over beers with upperclassmen isn't any different from picking up a sweet job opportunity or the results of the latest RCT data on statins at a conference, or so I believe. Passing round exact old questions in violation of school policy is cheating, and asking yourself whether you'd put the info in an email to the prof and the rest of your classmates should relieve any ambiguity you might have about any specific information passed on to you.

I don't think a large percentage of students ever cheat off a neighbor's paper (or anything blatant like that), and the ones that do aren't doing it on a 'regular' basis. Misuse of stimulants etc. is probably more widespread, but different people will consider that cheating or not.

student89 · Jan 11, 2010

Happens everywhere...
I think anyone who dares cheating in med school doesn't deserve the degree.. not even close.. for his/her own sake... should run away quick...and have a sit as far away as posible 😱

reedman · Jan 12, 2010

it probably happens everywhere, but i don't think it happens often. people just have too much to lose in medical school. im sure most med schools would dismiss a student for cheating even once.

thesauce · Jan 12, 2010

We had a couple of guys get kicked out for texting answers to each other.

matlabsux · Jan 12, 2010

Of course it goes on. You think medical students are any more ethical than law/pharm/dental/PhD students?

I think in professional school it happens less often, but it still happens. whenever you have people under enormous academic stress, some will seek any way out.

I've seen people sharing answers to old exams, finding online exams and using them in class, checking books/notes during exams (on a bathroom break). It's a problem in all fields and all schools. don't get angry, get over it and don't let it be you.

reedman · Jan 13, 2010

you can't cheat on the boards, so eff those people.

swirldog · Jan 13, 2010

Stixman28 said:
maybe you can add an I dont know option to your poll.

All I have seen is that upper classmen will give A LOT of info about their tests from last year to some folks in my class. That's a form of cheating i suppose.

I call it successful networking.

swirldog · Jan 13, 2010

thesauce said:
We had a couple of guys get kicked out for texting answers to each other.

They deserved to get kicked out. For one thing, they left electronic evidence which shows they can't think things out too clearly. Chances are they would have bungled their first malpractice suit and been left bankrupt, so maybe this was all for the best.

matlabsux · Jan 13, 2010

swirldog said:
I call it successful networking.

I would bet that the #1 form of "cheating" in prof schools is the above type. Upperclassman trying to help out the underclassman by providing old exams, remembering old questions, etc...

sincity college · Jan 13, 2010

Anyone in professional school who thinks cheating constitutes upperclassmen telling underclassmen what to expect on exams / recalling questions doesn't deserve to be in said professional school. Probably the most ridiculous assertion of cheating I've heard of... That's the school / professor fault for recycling questions and/or the student's fault for not having any friends

genswim24 · Jan 13, 2010

sincity college said:
Anyone in professional school who thinks cheating constitutes upperclassmen telling underclassmen what to expect on exams / recalling questions doesn't deserve to be in said professional school. Probably the most ridiculous assertion of cheating I've heard of

Depends on the school. In our schools Honor Code that every student signed at the beginning of 1sy year it states that we are not to write down any part of a question from a test in any manner and we are not allowed to discuss specific test questions with anyone who has yet to take the exam. This includes 2nd years talking to 1st years, etc. You can discuss topics such as "oh they love to tag the vasculature in the GI", etc without problems though. I am not naive enough to think that it does not occur here but there are people who have been reprimanded and put on probation for said violation in the past few years.

boaz · Jan 13, 2010

70%? Shocking. Just shocking.👎

umean2tellme · Jan 14, 2010

I'm sure there are people who cheat. Med students are still people and some people, when put in certain situations, will cheat. I'm sure more people think about it than actually do it but either their conscience stops them or the fear of getting caught and thrown out does. I just don't think cheating in med school will get you that far b/c at some point, if you don't know your stuff you'll get exposed. Peoples' lives are at stake so consistent cheating can hurt a lot of people in the long run.

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