Ever failed an exam in Veterinary school?

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

Hi I was wondering if any of you current students or actual Veterinarians (thinking back to their school days) have ever flunked an exam?

Not the whole course, just an exam.
If you did, how did you come back from that? Did you have to change your
study habits or just study more?

Yup. It happens. Life goes on.

At OSU, there got to be a point (during about second year) when we had so many tests in such a short period of time (I think we had like 5 tests in two weeks) that you couldn't ace them all unless you gave up all other activities, meaning eating and sleeping. As long as you don't make a habit of failing exams, it all works out.

Originally Posted by SilverSpyderGT

Yup. It happens. Life goes on.

At OSU, there got to be a point (during about second year) when we had so many tests in such a short period of time (I think we had like 5 tests in two weeks) that you couldn't ace them all unless you gave up all other activities, meaning eating and sleeping. As long as you don't make a habit of failing exams, it all works out.

Same here. Last semester we had a run of exams that fell twice weekly for 4 weeks straight. By the end of it you are essentially studying test to test and there is no way to keep up with the influx of information. I don't know that I *failed* any of them, but I got more C's than anything else just because gunning for an A on one exam did mean failing another. The one or two exams I have failed, I just made a point to study more thoroughly for the next exam in that class, and maybe alter my study habits a bit. I'm not entirely sure it wasn't due to the failed exam being from a particularly difficult professor that only taught that section of that course though. Or on a particular exam, having made the mistake of taking Sudafed the night before and being doped up but unable to sleep....

Absolutely. Happened to me several times. It happens to everyone - you just need to shrug is off and re-focus.

Originally Posted by anjabryn

Hi I was wondering if any of you current students or actual Veterinarians (thinking back to their school days) have ever flunked an exam?

Not the whole course, just an exam.
If you did, how did you come back from that? Did you have to change your
study habits or just study more?

Pshhya.... more than once. You try not to let it happen again, you try not to get too down on yourself because of it, but there isn't a whole lot else you can do if you're already trying your best. Depending on the class, it may help to study with someone or change your study habits. THat was my problem when I started. I wasn't studying the right way for myself and I had no idea until I tried a new strategy.

Also it might help to talk to your student affairs or counselor's office. They can help you figure out a different way to study or to pin point what your weaknesses are that are hindering you.

Originally Posted by SilverSpyderGT

I think we had like 5 tests in two weeks.

We had 8 tests last semester in between the time when we came back from Thanksgiving (November 28) to the time we got out for Christmas (Dec. 9). 12 days.

It depends on how you define 'fail.' Here it is technically defined as an F or under 55%, however you can be dismissed for D's (56%-64%) or a semester average of C-(65%-67%). I have had several D's on exams, I have never had below a C- in any course.

My theory is that I start the semester doing as well as I can to build a buffer in for crazy classes. I map out all my exams ahead of time and try to be on the alert. During second year we had 2-4 exams or quizes every week except two. We also had professors that took random attendance and liked to call out and dress down students in the class. I always had a brief discussion with the professor to see if they had advice, talked to the top performers in that subject to see how they are studying, and did what I needed to get past it. Dwelling on it is damaging and unproductive.

I also learned to ask for what I needed. I did very badly on a practical in a microscope lab first year because I was blinded by the scope work and couldn't read the exam paper. It wasn't a problem in lab (lack of timed activity) but when I had 1 minute per question, I was blinded out. A filter helped immensely, and that professor smoothed the way for me over the next 2 years by explaining the issue to other professors, who didn't question his motivations (but may have questions mine.) I also attended a seminar on mnemonic learning for memorization and learned the peg number systems & some other methods that improved my retention of facts.

Originally Posted by sumstorm

It depends on how you define 'fail.' Here it is technically defined as an F or under 55%, however you can be dismissed for D's (56%-64%) or a semester average of C-(65%-67%). I have had several D's on exams, I have never had below a C- in any course.

My theory is that I start the semester doing as well as I can to build a buffer in for crazy classes. I map out all my exams ahead of time and try to be on the alert. During second year we had 2-4 exams or quizes every week except two. We also had professors that took random attendance and liked to call out and dress down students in the class. I always had a brief discussion with the professor to see if they had advice, talked to the top performers in that subject to see how they are studying, and did what I needed to get past it. Dwelling on it is damaging and unproductive.

I also learned to ask for what I needed. I did very badly on a practical in a microscope lab first year because I was blinded by the scope work and couldn't read the exam paper. It wasn't a problem in lab (lack of timed activity) but when I had 1 minute per question, I was blinded out. A filter helped immensely, and that professor smoothed the way for me over the next 2 years by explaining the issue to other professors, who didn't question his motivations (but may have questions mine.) I also attended a seminar on mnemonic learning for memorization and learned the peg number systems & some other methods that improved my retention of facts.

my guess is that since anjabyrn is at ross, their policy is like ours and anything below a 70 is an F

Originally Posted by jmo1012

my guess is that since anjabyrn is at ross, their policy is like ours and anything below a 70 is an F

Actually, my point was that many folks coming into vet school consider a C+ or even a B+ failing. While truely failing is a F, and even then, having enough D's or C-'s can result in failing out. I gave our percents as the distinctions between those grades here, not as a comparision across schools. Particularly since in my exhaustion, I put up the wrong scales as well. 64-73 is a D here, 74-82 is a C.

Do not worry about it too much. I made a D in clinical pathology because of lousy teaching by the two professors who actually wrote the required textbook at Georgia. They would teach one way and then seem to test another way (ie memorize our book verbatim and regurgitate). Very little of the testing concentrated on solving actual problems. However, it did make me a member of the Student Peon Club,in which you had to make at least one D. Learned more about clinical pathology when I took medicine courses as you could then relate tests to clinical signs, actual diseases and treatments. At Georgia, anatomic pathology was more integrated in this way and I guess that is why I liked pathology so much. Testing in veterinary school is so hit and miss in terms of evaluating what you know that I ended up relying on my "gut" feelings if I actually could understand the information in the complete context of handling and understanding what goes on in an actual case.

Originally Posted by sumstorm

Actually, my point was that many folks coming into vet school consider a C+ or even a B+ failing. While truely failing is a F, and even then, having enough D's or C-'s can result in failing out. I gave our percents as the distinctions between those grades here, not as a comparision across schools. Particularly since in my exhaustion, I put up the wrong scales as well. 64-73 is a D here, 74-82 is a C.

haha ohh misread!

Originally Posted by sumstorm

Actually, my point was that many folks coming into vet school consider a C+ or even a B+ failing. .

SO true. I consider failing a D, which at LSU is a 65-73%. Because although it's not an F, we are only allowed 6 hours of D's in a semester and 10 hours over all 5 years. And it puts me at a place where I have to make grades that I wouldn't normally even make anyways in order to actually pass the course with a C.

If you're like me, you consider a C passing. There are some people in my class who personally consider less than an A to be somewhat of a fail.

Yup, sure did. Just keep swimming.

I don't remember actually failing a test. I probably did. However, I honestly never looked at my final grades in any of my classes after I passed the second semester of anatomy, which was taught by a man that was insane (two people could have the same answer and one would be marked wrong and he wouldn't change it)... I just figured that if there was a problem, I would get a call.

I have no idea of my class standing or final GPA. Unless you want to do an internship or a residency, it doesn't really matter. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating not learning the subjects, but as one of my mentors told me, don't let school get in the way of your education. So, if you have to choose between doing a RAVS trip and studying for a test, choose the RAVs trip and try to apply whatever you are studying to what you see on the RAVs trip.

Sure did. While I failed a bunch of quizzes that didn't count for much, I only totally bombed (waaaay bombed) a couple tests. One I remember real well was for toxicology. We had 5 exams in one week right before spring break. That class was the last test. I was so exhausted from all the other stupid exams and getting ready to take off for my glorious spring break that I fell asleep studying. I only studied 1 hour for the whole thing. I got a fantastic 55%. Kicked butt on the other tests, so it wasn't a big deal.

Most classes make you only keep a respectable average. However, there are some evil classes where you can't fail a single test. Failing one test means doing a re-take, if you fail that you fail the entire class. Ugh. I feel stressed just thinking about it.

I can think of a true fail (an F) on one test. D's on a couple. The F was hard because it was in my first semester so I definitely questioned whether or not I was cut out for vet school, but I just kept going and working hard. As someone else said, just keep swimming.

Thanks to all who responded. I am just going to work my butt off for the rest of the semester.
Including this whole weekend!

Originally Posted by elefante7

I can think of a true fail (an F) on one test. D's on a couple. The F was hard because it was in my first semester so I definitely questioned whether or not I was cut out for vet school, but I just kept going and working hard. As someone else said, just keep swimming.

Yep. It went something like this:

"Meh, there's always hype about the anatomy exam--no way it's as bad as people are saying. So what if I've been too sick and passed out to study like I should? I was there for the whole dissection and we reviewed all the time, I'm sure I'll be--HOLY S@#& WHAT WAS THAT???!!!"

Fortunately, that was the first exam of the course, so I learned my lesson and got my act together for the next two. I also take comfort in the fact that the class average was below failing for that exam (although I was a bit below the class average. Just a bit. ). The moral of the story is that in anatomy there is absolutely no substitute for unending, soul-crushing hands-on review until blood vessels invade your dreams.

my whole class (okay probably not all 77 but most!) just failed an anatomy exam

Originally Posted by anjabryn

Hi I was wondering if any of you current students or actual Veterinarians (thinking back to their school days) have ever flunked an exam?

Not the whole course, just an exam.
If you did, how did you come back from that? Did you have to change your
study habits or just study more?

I fail more times than I pass

Usually I have to retake the exam in my holidays. I think it is most useful to find your lecturer and ask him/her to sit down with u and go through the paper and see what went wrong.

We have five exams starting tomorrow and going through Wednesday. Fun fun. It's finals week, but the block ends in the middle of the week. We just had two exams, on Thursday and one Friday.

I failed one of my exams this semester. I spent a whole day thinking "I am a horrible vet student. I am going to fail out and have to call Mom and tell her..." I was miserable and on the verge of tears the whole day.

Then I sucked it up, studied smarter, and got a B on the next one. I was still very, very nervous going into the other exams. I like to think that for most classes, you can afford to screw up one exam (note: doesn't work in those classes with two exams!). But since I had already messed up on one, I didn't have a buffer anymore.

I also came into vet school thinking that a B was borderline, a C was failing. I liked A's (don't we all??). I managed to maintaint an A/B average last semester, but I think I'll be getting a C in GI phys. Oh well. It will be nice once it happens, I think-- I won't be so nervous about keeping my A/B.

Originally Posted by theunraveler

I fail more times than I pass

....so how do you pass vet school? Just curious.

Originally Posted by libster06

....so how do you pass vet school? Just curious.

In Australia at most universities, you get offered a "supplementary" exam, or resit, if you fail the class by a narrow enough margin.

There was a girl in my class who sat atleast one "supp" (sometimes more) per semester until she finally failed one subject outright. Took her three years though.

Its not a method I am particularly fond of - for instance, the girl in my class was obviously doing something wrong and didn't address the problem until it was too late.

That being said, yes I've failed a test. Can't remember which one lol but I know I definately have. You really do just have to pick yourself up and focus on the next thing

Originally Posted by sunshinevet

In Australia at most universities, you get offered a "supplementary" exam, or resit, if you fail the class by a narrow enough margin.

Well that'd be nice to have, considering I just found out I failed a test today! Not only did I fail it, it's also the lowest grade I've ever made (that I can remember... but so low that it couldn't really muddle together with any other terrible grades I've gotten). So, yea, take courage OP... it happens. When I figure out how I'm going to make it out of this, I'll let you know.

EDIT: nvm, I'm 99% sure it was a scantron issue and I have to go in and check to see if my answers are out of order. I still don't know if I made a great grade, but I'm almost positive I didn't get the current grade I have.

I thought mine was a scantron issue too. (B/C other students had one) Nope, not me.
I also need to figure how to get myself out of this.
Studying like crazy, is my only answer/solution.

Originally Posted by libster06

Well that'd be nice to have, considering I just found out I failed a test today! Not only did I fail it, it's also the lowest grade I've ever made (that I can remember... but so low that it couldn't really muddle together with any other terrible grades I've gotten). So, yea, take courage OP... it happens. When I figure out how I'm going to make it out of this, I'll let you know.

EDIT: nvm, I'm 99% sure it was a scantron issue and I have to go in and check to see if my answers are out of order. I still don't know if I made a great grade, but I'm almost positive I didn't get the current grade I have.

Pretty much 100% certain i failed an exam this morning!! Oh that pharmacology. she is one cold bitch

Originally Posted by GellaBella

Pretty much 100% certain i failed an exam this morning!! Oh that pharmacology. she is one cold bitch

This cracked me up! Sorry for your failure! I am not looking forward to Pharm (I have it next semester).
Immunology is getting me this semester.

Originally Posted by GellaBella

Pretty much 100% certain i failed an exam this morning!! Oh that pharmacology. she is one cold bitch

That was a seriously out of control test. If you failed I'm sure everyone else did too... at least the next pharm exam is only 9 lectures and does not feature a certain scary German guy?

Originally Posted by GellaBella

Pretty much 100% certain i failed an exam this morning!! Oh that pharmacology. she is one cold bitch

Sorry GB

I certainly don't miss the physical, mental and emotional flogging that is pharm

First radiology exam in first year! Failed that ish.

It was open book/open notes so I figured meh on the studying or preparing at all, and then only made it through half of the questions or so before time was up and had to speed-half-randomly-pick the rest of them just to have SOMETHING down.

Also many, many lab practical portions of anatomy exams were either a fail or near-fail, usually between 65-75 or so. Lucky for me that I tended to be good at the written portions.

Originally Posted by nyanko

First radiology exam in first year! Failed that ish.

It was open book/open notes so I figured meh on the studying or preparing at all, and then only made it through half of the questions or so before time was up and had to speed-half-randomly-pick the rest of them just to have SOMETHING down.

Also many, many lab practical portions of anatomy exams were either a fail or near-fail, usually between 65-75 or so. Lucky for me that I tended to be good at the written portions.

I also failed the first radiology exam - though ours was not open notes. Tomorrow is the second exam so I've been reading this thread for encouragement... I'm glad I'm not the only one with Radio problems!

Make that 3 for "failing" the first radiology exam (by 1%...with the curve). Everyone says the next two exams are better though, so I'm hopeful!

Originally Posted by nyanko

Also many, many lab practical portions of anatomy exams were either a fail or near-fail, usually between 65-75 or so. Lucky for me that I tended to be good at the written portions.

Lucky for you, you DIDN'T get into Penn in hindsight or you would have joined me in the crash and burn department. Anatomy lab practicals were 85% of the grade, written exams 15%.

I have proudly failed 2 exams, both in the same class unfortunately (1 barely though).

Yeah... due to my anatomy failures, I will be spending the first half of my summer in the lab. I have crashed and burned after each exam in that class. I wonder if the formalin will be worse on the eyes in the summer heat?

Ha! I failed quite a few. You just pick yourself up, identify what needs to be changed in your study habits (if possilbe), and then just keep swimming!

Failed my first exam ever in neuro block. 57. I'm not very good/disciplined enough at rote memorization of pathways. Still managed to get a B- in the course, thanks to the behavior and ophtho portions.

speaking of failing...my friend just returned back to the states on what was supposed to be a break from Ross University. She was in the vet prep program and failed. Apparently you have to pass EVERY course to pass and be accepted into the actual vet school. She passed 6/7. The class she failed was with 69%...four points and she would have passed the course...the final was what messed her up...she said it was extremely hard and she has ridiculous test anxiety. I don't think she didn't know the material (her previous test grades were a B and 3 C's)...I honestly think she freaked herself out because so much was riding on the finals with acceptance in. She thinks this was her way into vet school and thinks its not gonna happen now.

Right now she is going to focus on finishing her masters...she was approved to finish after she was done with vet school. I have told her that she still has a chance. She only applied to a few state schools, and only one time. But she said it could take up to three tries applying and she doesn't want to do that. I don't know anything about vet schools and how they admit. Can anyone give me advice to give to her?

Her undergrad GPA was 3.3 (she has told me this is low for vet school which is crazy to me), her current grad GPA is 3.5 (5 classes left), she has 2 yrs private practice experience, 1 yr experience at Banfield and was a volunteer tech at UF animal hospital in more than one department...not sure which ones but I can ask her

Not to be mean, but it could take even more than 3 tries..

Did it take you that many tries? She told me how one of her undergrad classmates had a 3.8 GPA/no vet experience, but animal experience/862 GRE...tried twice at state schools didn't get in so tried offshore and got in. From what I have heard from her and seen from different threads (I saw a thread with statistics and a few had gpa/GRE/experience that was not too different from her) there is no real rhyme or reason for how students are chosen.

I don't think multiple tries is bad. She could work in her time between and pay off some of her grad school loan debt. Thanks for your input though.

Originally Posted by treetop1188

She told me how one of her undergrad classmates had a 3.8 GPA/no vet experience, but animal experience/862 GRE...tried twice at state schools didn't get in so tried offshore and got in.

From what I have heard from her and seen from different threads (I saw a thread with statistics and a few had gpa/GRE/experience that was not too different from her) there is no real rhyme or reason for how students are chosen.

There is a fair bit of rhyme and reason. The things I bolded are huge red flags - no vet experience will get you automatically struck off the list at most schools - and 862 is low for the GRE (and even I know this and im an Aussie student ). Given than schools get so many applications with 3.6+ GPA, thousands of hours of vet experience, animal experience and GRE's of 1200+, there are very good reasons to not admit the above applicant.

I reckon the best way you can help your friend is get her on this site. That way she can tell us her story, her full stats (GRE?) and why she doesn't want to apply to vet school more than once. There are heaps and heaps of posters on here who are multiple applicants that can give tonnes of advice as to the way forward.

That said, also the format at Ross with vetprep isnt that harsh. At the end of the day, you need to pass every subject in vet school to pass vet school. At my school, fail more than 2 exams in fourth year and they automatically kick you out. (Though we run on a slightly different system to the states).

That GPA is not a deal-breaker, but if all of her experience is in small animal, she'd probably have to beef up those numbers and get some more diverse experiences (large animal, wildlife, shelter med, that sort of thing. Research wouldn't hurt either). Basically, she needs more experiences, awesome letters of rec, and a great personal statement. If she has a compelling reason for the lower GPA (illness, family issues, ect.) including that will go a long way to evening the odds. Candidates with worse stats have gotten in. The way the application process is structured, though, you have to really want it. Some people just wear out and want to get on with their lives.

Not quite sure on the GRE. I just know she took it twice. But I'm guessing it was not her target. I do know she said if she would have not been in prep she would have been able to repeat that course.

You are right on harshness though. She said it wasn't bad. She said the worst part was having all her exams on one day and the way one of her professors would test. Apparently one of those professors that seems to have those questions that don't really test your knowledge. I had plenty of that in my undergrad with engineering. No matter how well I knew the material, some their test questions were meant to make me feel stupid and like I didn't know anything...and that professor gave the final she failed.

I think she will be fine, but she is beating herself up right now. Just wanted to make sure I twas giving her sound advice as far as continuing to pursue what she is passionate about. I thank you guys for the input.. I'm not sure if she knows about this...I found it doing a google search. But I will tell her about it and get on here.

Originally Posted by treetop1188

She said the worst part was having all her exams on one day and the way one of her professors would test. Apparently one of those professors that seems to have those questions that don't really test your knowledge. I had plenty of that in my undergrad with engineering. No matter how well I knew the material, some their test questions were meant to make me feel stupid and like I didn't know anything...and that professor gave the final she failed.

Gotta say, a lot of exams in vet school can feel like that. You study your hardest for weeks and still come out feeling like you were being embarrassed for 50 minutes straight.

Originally Posted by BigMountainVMD

Yeah... due to my anatomy failures, I will be spending the first half of my summer in the lab. I have crashed and burned after each exam in that class. I wonder if the formalin will be worse on the eyes in the summer heat?

I hear anatomy labs are the coolest spot on campus in summer. Might be better than you think.

Originally Posted by sumstorm

Actually, my point was that many folks coming into vet school consider a C+ or even a B+ failing. While truely failing is a F, and even then, having enough D's or C-'s can result in failing out. I gave our percents as the distinctions between those grades here, not as a comparision across schools. Particularly since in my exhaustion, I put up the wrong scales as well. 64-73 is a D here, 74-82 is a C.

These people need a big fat

At my school, failing a class resulted in dismissal - period. You could repeat the year, though. Also more than 2 D's in one semester equaled dismissal. I can't remember the cutoff though...I think it was somewhere around 65-69 was a D, below that was F.