Pritzker Pass/Fail

[Kikaku21]

Seeing as I may end up here in 2008, I was wondering what how the Pass/Fail system actually works. Specifically, I was hoping to find out:

1. When you take an exam, do they tell you how you did compared to the average? Is a P/F only reported on your transcript? What kind of self assessment can you do based on feedback?

2. Does this add pressure to do well on USMLE 1?

3. Seeing as you start getting graded for your 3rd year clerkships, does this make for a competitive atmosphere when you start your clinical years?

Thanks!

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[njbmd]

Pre-med issue and now thread is moved to pre-allo.

 

[EBI831]

Seeing as I may end up here in 2008, I was wondering what how the Pass/Fail system actually works. Specifically, I was hoping to find out:

1. When you take an exam, do they tell you how you did compared to the average? Is a P/F only reported on your transcript? What kind of self assessment can you do based on feedback?

2. Does this add pressure to do well on USMLE 1?

3. Seeing as you start getting graded for your 3rd year clerkships, does this make for a competitive atmosphere when you start your clinical years?

Thanks!

(1) yup they tell you your grade and the average you got. only the P/F written on transcript. and passing is a 60-65 in classes and if you fail you get a re-do. Self assessment? no idea, you get your test back (graded rather quickly) and you compare it to the answers posted on line and if you really want you can talk to profs about it. everyone's really helpful especially the 2nd years and your classmates...so that's where i go to find out stuff if i need help with anything.
2) ?????. i think every med student has pressure to do well on USMLE Step 1 based on what he/she wants to do. pritzker really doesn't care about the boards so the only pressure is that which you create for yourself. honestly, i'm in my first year and i haven't given a single thought to the boards...and you shouldn't either ...yet. you get time off to study and i feel like no matter what med school you go to...given that a lot give you time off to study, what you get on the boards is your fault, not your schools. so what i'm saying is there's no pressure other than the pressure i put on myself to achieve.
3) i'm not a 3rd year but i know quite a few and they're still chummy with their classmates...it's not that competitive. i think reallly the main competition here is against yourself and what you envision yourself as being...classmates are nothing but a help as far as i know.

--good luck! i'd definitely give pritzker serious consideration!

 

[87138]

Pre-med issue and now thread is moved to pre-allo.

What the??

Seriously, this gratuitous "moving to pre-allo" stuff is ridiculous. How is asking current students about their grading system a matter for pre-allo?

 

[bishr]

What the??

Seriously, this gratuitous "moving to pre-allo" stuff is ridiculous. How is asking current students about their grading system a matter for pre-allo?

I 2nd that!

 

[pakbabydoll]

you still get a class rank in P/F so presure is still on.

 

[nosugrefneb]

(1) yup they tell you your grade and the average you got. only the P/F written on transcript. and passing is a 60-65 in classes and if you fail you get a re-do. Self assessment? no idea, you get your test back (graded rather quickly) and you compare it to the answers posted on line and if you really want you can talk to profs about it. everyone's really helpful especially the 2nd years and your classmates...so that's where i go to find out stuff if i need help with anything.
2) ?????. i think every med student has pressure to do well on USMLE Step 1 based on what he/she wants to do. pritzker really doesn't care about the boards so the only pressure is that which you create for yourself. honestly, i'm in my first year and i haven't given a single thought to the boards...and you shouldn't either ...yet. you get time off to study and i feel like no matter what med school you go to...given that a lot give you time off to study, what you get on the boards is your fault, not your schools. so what i'm saying is there's no pressure other than the pressure i put on myself to achieve.
3) i'm not a 3rd year but i know quite a few and they're still chummy with their classmates...it's not that competitive. i think reallly the main competition here is against yourself and what you envision yourself as being...classmates are nothing but a help as far as i know.

--good luck! i'd definitely give pritzker serious consideration!

100% agree.

you still get a class rank in P/F so presure is still on.

When it comes to Pritzker and a few other schools, this is absolutely false. No class rank here, internal or otherwise.

 

[pakbabydoll]

^ o, sorry I did not know.

 

[nosugrefneb]

Sorry, I was rushed earlier when I posted...I didn't mean to sound so rude.

You're right though: Most schools that are pass/fail do maintain some sort of internal class rank or other measure of relative performance, so Pritzker is unique in that regard, along with a few other schools. In my opinion, pass/fail with rankings is a different beast than pass/fail sans rankings.

 

[jackbauer]

yale doesn't rank... ever.

 

[Phoenix.]

yale doesn't rank... ever.

UVM said the same.

 

[Heimerfink]

i didn't realize how much pass/fail mattered before i got here. people are so helpful that i receive about 3 study guides before each test. also, in anatomy, someone ends up typing up all the lab board notes and sends them out in an email. there is no competitive atmosphere here at all. you find out your grade and the average after each test.

we have grades 3rd year so that's when you get ranked. before that, we're all on the same level. the school is one where they expect you to learn fast. however, the pass/fail system means that if you need a day off, you don't feel as guilty as you would knowing that your grade might fall a couple percent.

i cannot imagine going to a school with grades. it would be just another unneeded burden. go to a school with pass/fail. you have no idea how much it changes the experience. it's still pretty hard to pass, which is why a few people fail individual tests. you retake those and move on.

-pritzker ms1

 

[Kikaku21]

Pre-med issue and now thread is moved to pre-allo.

My questions were directed towards current medical students at Pritzker, NOT premeds. I carefully considered where to post my thread before posting. I do not appreciate you moving my thread.

Please move it back to the original forum.

 

[Phoenix.]

My questions were directed towards current medical students at Pritzker, NOT premeds. I carefully considered where to post my thread before posting. I do not appreciate you moving my thread.

Please move it back to the original forum.

Kikaku - I believe that your post was moved from Allo to Pre-Allo because it is an issue that is of interest specifically to Pre-Allo members. True, the best advice would come from current medical students, but there are many medical students who read through the pre-med forums and give advice here. If pre-meds could post questions about pre-med interests on the Allo forum, it would be glutted with pre-med issues, and not focus on current medical school issues.

For example, think of the MCAT Discussion Forum. That is the specific place to discuss the MCAT. Although members who have not yet taken the MCAT would like the advice of pre-meds who have already taken the MCAT, if they post an MCAT question/issue in Pre-Allo, their posts get moved to the MCAT Discussion Forum. Members who have already taken the MCAT peruse that forum and give MCAT advice when they wish to.

If you have any additional concerns about this please feel free to PM an admin, or njbmd in particular.