Third Year Grades?

[FiveOClock]

I know third year grades are important but I would like to know just how important. According to match outcomes 2014, people with 250-260 have around 75%+ match. Are the people who do not match in this category typically people who did not receive enough clinical honors?

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[asmallchild]

I know third year grades are important but I would like to know just how important. According to match outcomes 2014, people with 250-260 have around 75%+ match. Are the people who do not match in this category typically people who did not receive enough clinical honors?

There can be a variety of reasons they don't match. Poor clinical grades and poor clinical performance in general is a big reason.

People can match with zero to few clinical honors (I did). But it is not the recommended way to go obviously. Honor as many classes as you can and more importantly, find out why you aren't honoring classes if that's the case. Those are errors you'll want to correct in time for your 4th year derm rotations.

 

[username456789]

It also depends on the school. My school gave honors to no more than 10% of the class because, you know, it was an honor.

There are a lot of ridiculous schools that give out like 25-40%+ honors or something silly like that. Totally different situation and obviously diluted the purpose.

 

[PhillyMed777]

It also depends on the school. My school gave honors to no more than 10% of the class because, you know, it was an honor.

There are a lot of ridiculous schools that give out like 25-40%+ honors or something silly like that. Totally different situation and obviously diluted the purpose.

Do residencies take into account if a school is stingy with clinical honors grades?

 

[username456789]

Do residencies take into account if a school is stingy with clinical honors grades?

In theory, as they do receive a colorful bar graph showing distribution of clinical grades and where you fall.....but in reality, I don't know how often people use that/look at in depth vs quickly scanning grades for "honors vs. not honors."

 

[asmallchild]

In theory, as they do receive a colorful bar graph showing distribution of clinical grades and where you fall.....but in reality, I don't know how often people use that/look at in depth vs quickly scanning grades for "honors vs. not honors."

Agreed.

My school was one where no more than 5% of the class received honors. It is a part of our dean's letter to show the distribution. I still had to fend off multiple questions in interviews as to why my performance declined from pre-clinical (all honors) to clinical years (all goods or very goods)

As a sidenote, it is OK to mention how stingy schools are at handing out honors grades as part of your response/defense. It comes off as less defensive if you can pick a minor and correctable flaw and then highlight ways you fixed it between 3rd and 4th year (almost everyone honors dermatology rotations. If you didn't, I'd seriously consider choosing another field). Simply railing against one's school and one's graders only makes it look worse in a sea of applicants who already have all honors (again, this is from my personal experience as someone with no clinical honors until late 3rd year)

 

[snowys435]

Agreed.

My school was one where no more than 5% of the class received honors. It is a part of our dean's letter to show the distribution. I still had to fend off multiple questions in interviews as to why my performance declined from pre-clinical (all honors) to clinical years (all goods or very goods)

As a sidenote, it is OK to mention how stingy schools are at handing out honors grades as part of your response/defense. It comes off as less defensive if you can pick a minor and correctable flaw and then highlight ways you fixed it between 3rd and 4th year (almost everyone honors dermatology rotations. If you didn't, I'd seriously consider choosing another field). Simply railing against one's school and one's graders only makes it look worse in a sea of applicants who already have all honors (again, this is from my personal experience as someone with no clinical honors until late 3rd year)

how did you defend this? I suspect I will be having the same issue if i decide to do derm. All a's and H;s pre clinical and 254 step as i mentioned. my third year grades are however A-'s. I am trying to improve but lets say this does not happen I am not sure how i'd explain it. it makes me a little discouraged and tentative about applying derm

 

[asmallchild]

how did you defend this? I suspect I will be having the same issue if i decide to do derm. All a's and H;s pre clinical and 254 step as i mentioned. my third year grades are however A-'s. I am trying to improve but lets say this does not happen I am not sure how i'd explain it. it makes me a little discouraged and tentative about applying derm

My big criticism was that I was quiet during clinical rotations. My response was that I didn't think quiet was a true weakness bur rather, more of a personality trait. That being said, in medicine, it is assumed you lack knowledge (or worse, are disinterested) if you are quiet. I told interviewers that even if it meant breaking out of my comfort zone, I made a conscious effort as I progressed throughout med school to present more at rounds, teach more to younger students, provide more in the way of a differential diagnosis, provide more comfort and counsel to patients, and if I had the opportunity to match in their program, that I would hopefully continue that maturation process as a resident.

I'm not sure how much that explanation helped to offset my poor clinical grades. But the program I matched into was looking for someone quiet who could get work done. All it takes is one program to match. (And I did live up to my promise to be a more vocal resident than student)

I agree it doesn't feel great applying for derm when everyone around you is seemingly a superstar. But if you want it, take a leap of faith and go for it.