low gpa for residency 2017

[gnrh11]

I am more like a C+ B- student (class of 2017). I still have a lot of school ahead of me. How is the 2017 residency shortage looking? Any words of advice other than "get better grades"? I know I need to do that.

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[dyk343]

If your grades are not top notch do not apply to top notch externships. You would be setting yourself up for failure. Apply broadly at CASPR/CRIP.

Best grades = best residency, bad grades = not as good of a residency. There are exceptions to this and I am sure someone will try to correct me... But from what I have seen this trend is true. The best students in my class went to the best residencies.

 

[newres64]

There is still plenty of time for you to get your grades up. It's always good to show improvement through the years- shows you have the capacity (and the desire) to learn and improve yourself. That being said, I just want to touch on a pet peeve of mine- the "best residency". IMHO there is no such universally agreed upon "best residency"- they all have their strengths and weaknesses. The "best residency" is the one you want the most.

 

[TemplePodiatry]

I would say that grades matter to a point. Yes the "top" residencies require you to be in the top 1/2, 1/3, a 3.0 GPA or sometimes a 3.2 GPA. Now sometimes that can be waiver if you rotated there. You are only a 1st year and you have plenty of time to raise your grades. Seeing how my class from temple matched this year, I can honestly say that grades are just one factor and really NOT the main factor in getting a residency. Every year great students scramble and students ranked very low match. Just work hard and improve throughout your time at your school and you can easily get your grades to a mid to high B. Just pass your boards first time and you should be fine.

Good luck!

 

[dyk343]

This way when you choose clerkships you will be picking programs you know you are competitive for, offer decent training, etc. If you have free time I would also visit possible programs you may be interested in clerking at before you make final choices. Some students may argue that the point of clerkships is to get to know the program but I've seen plenty of students clerk at programs they had no business clerking at (its not that hard to clerkship months a top programs) only to be denied an interview when CRIPs come. You are investing time, money and stress towards trying to match into the programs you are clerking at. Make sure you know they will count.

Ankle breaker basically said what I was trying to relate in a much more elegant way. Just because you are not a top student does not mean you will not get a good program, but the better the grades the more likely you will match into good program. With that said... if you have high grades but are completely intolerable as a person you are up against a brick wall as well. "People" people with lower grades may match into a great program with low grades. It's a balance issue.

But still when it comes down to it/looking at my graduating class. Top students got great programs. General trend and I stick to it.

 

[rushrhees]

Grades are only a part of the whole residency package, you have your externships, networking, and LORS as other aspects. Make sure all those others are good if the grades are lacking. At Temple I heard this 4th year matched into Penn presby which is supposed to be one of those platinum grade residencies and was not top 25. It can be done.