Can I still match in Anesthesia with this blemish?

[Stillachance]

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hey all

im a 3rd year right now and i just recently failed one of my rotations (surgery) dont know why I just couldnt pass the shelf for some reason, anyway I was really hoping to match into anesthesia. this is the only blemish i have on my record, I go to a state MD school, I have average grades up to this point and average step 1 score, have any one of you, or have you known anyone else, fail a rotation and still match into a decent anesthesia program? thanks for your help

😕

 

[NotAMD]

surgery is a brutal rotation in general, just pass it the 2nd time around and say goodbye to the worst times of your life.

it is a red flag? yes. are you dead? no. especially with a solid performance before that at or near the mean. i would take step 2 early and try to do well
you want to have this be the ONLY thing fishy about the app.

if you are a US grad from a good school with one failure, you will be able to get into a lot of second tier programs, you could fail a few rotations i am sure and get in SOMEWHERE, i mean some places you may be the only us grad and/or the hours may be more and/or in a strange location, but you will match.

 

[Stillachance]

thanks for the advice makes me feel a little better, when you say take step 2 early what months does early mean like july august september?

 

[Salt Creep]

I failed a class in the preclinical years. In 25 days, I can tell you whether I was able to match in anesthesia or not.

Not exactly the same (I think not passing surgery is a bigger red flag), but I agree you are not doomed. The pressure on you to do well henceforth is greatly increased though. - You need to demonstrate it was a fluke event that was not indicative of who you really are. You very well could have been ill the day of the shelf and got screwed, but if so, then you will do well going forward and it will be apparent.

 

[coprolalia]

Why did you really fail the rotation? Usually the Shelf only counts for a small percentage of your grade (at least that's the way it was at my school).

I think it's a big red flag. You gotta know surgery (at least above a failing performance) to do gas. Understanding the procedure and risks are a big part of what we do. Doomed? I don't know about that. But, you've got a steep hill to climb.

Good luck.

-copro

 

[halflife94]

Don't sweat it too much. Just pass the 2nd time around. There are very few perfect applicants and your ability to preform well on the surgery shelf really doesn't factor into your skill set as an anesthesiologist. Its not the end of the world there are far worse things you could have on your application than a failed shelf exam -HL

 

[Salt Creep]

Why did you really fail the rotation? Usually the Shelf only counts for a small percentage of your grade (at least that's the way it was at my school).

In some clerkships at my school, if you don't pass the shelf, you can not pass the course, regardless of your other grades. (So even if it all averaged out to a B, not passing the shelf automatically means a non-passing grade overall)

I think surgery was one of them.

 

[Stillachance]

yeah what salt creep said, I did fine on all the other grade requirements for the clerkship but you have to pass the shelf or else you dont pass the clerkship regardless

 

[nociceptor]

hey all

im a 3rd year right now and i just recently failed one of my rotations (surgery) dont know why I just couldnt pass the shelf for some reason, anyway I was really hoping to match into anesthesia. this is the only blemish i have on my record, I go to a state MD school, I have average grades up to this point and average step 1 score, have any one of you, or have you known anyone else, fail a rotation and still match into a decent anesthesia program? thanks for your help

😕

there are plenty of programs on probation that would take any US MD grad with a pulse (note must have pulse). I would suggest taking surgery as an elective before applications go out and making sure you pass with honors. Best of luck.

 

[dionysios]

I had people in my class that failed rotations and had to repeat the whole year and still matched into Anesthesiology. Study hard and crush the shelf and do well on Step 2.

 

[happyabe]

I agree with some of the above posts. You don't need to be a master at surgery; moreover, some programs like mine do require that you pass the shelf to pass the rotation. This is the case at some schools, perhaps yours too?

Work on doing well on Step II. The board exams far outweigh any individual rotation grade. Don't be intimidated. There's probably a solid reason you failed (i.e., perhaps you were sick, worked longer hours, etc.). Apply widely including some top-notch programs. Good luck!

HA

 

[Dr Serenity]

Usually the Shelf only counts for a small percentage of your grade (at least that's the way it was at my school).

In some clerkships at my school, if you don't pass the shelf, you can not pass the course, regardless of your other grades. (So even if it all averaged out to a B, not passing the shelf automatically means a non-passing grade overall)

In most of my clerkships, the shelf is a relatively HUGE part of the grade...anywhere from 25% to 40% of your grade. So, not doing well on your shelf could really drag someone's grade down. Also, at my school, you MUST pass the shelf to get a passing grade on the clerkship.

THANK GOD third year is behind me...

I say that knowing that what lies ahead makes third year look like a cakewalk...