Class Rank on MSPE

[Induc(junc)tion]

I just found out that my MSPE is finished. Only problem is that my class rank was not included (Im around top 15 percent). They say they are no longer able to change it. Am I screwed? I am applying for anesthesiology residencies this year. Do most people have their class rank included?

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[napoleondynamite]

I just found out that my MSPE is finished. Only problem is that my class rank was not included (Im around top 15 percent). They say they are no longer able to change it. Am I screwed? I am applying for anesthesiology residencies this year. Do most people have their class rank included?

Lots of schools don't include that info. My school doesn't even have a system for creating a class rank..so they don't even tell us where we stand (or programs either). Kind of sucks for people like you at the top, who it would benefit. But I certainly don't think it can HURT you. If programs really want to know how you did academically, I'm sure they'll peruse your transcript and quickly see that you were an excellent student. That's my take. Best of luck!

 

[p53]

Fellas....

Things are not ALWAYS as it seems. The MSPE does have class rank in it. They use "code words" to let program directors know if you were top 10%, top 1/3, top half, or bottom half of the class.

 

[allylz]

I just found out that my MSPE is finished. Only problem is that my class rank was not included (Im around top 15 percent). They say they are no longer able to change it. Am I screwed? I am applying for anesthesiology residencies this year. Do most people have their class rank included?

The MSPE is a standardized document used by medical schools so we all are meant to have the same thing.

The code words are "Superb" (top 5%), "Outstanding" (next 20%), "Excellent" (next 50%) and "Very Good" (bottom 20%) - correct me if I'm wrong, anyone. I read my MSPE for typos and it had "excellent" all over it. I read my housemate's, and it had "outstanding" all over it. You can't miss the code.

So never fear. Anyways, mr. top 15%, won't your grades demonstrate your superlative performance without the class rank? Don't worry so much, you're going to match well, anesthesia is competitive but it's not plastic surgery.

 

[p53]

The MSPE is a standardized document used by medical schools so we all are meant to have the same thing.

The code words are "Superb" (top 5%), "Outstanding" (next 20%), "Excellent" (next 50%) and "Very Good" (bottom 20%) - correct me if I'm wrong, anyone. I read my MSPE for typos and it had "excellent" all over it. I read my housemate's, and it had "outstanding" all over it. You can't miss the code.

So never fear. Anyways, mr. top 15%, won't your grades demonstrate your superlative performance without the class rank? Don't worry so much, you're going to match well, anesthesia is competitive but it's not plastic surgery.

The percentages vary by the school. For example, schools such as Washington University have a higher percentage of Superb and Outstanding. The assumption is that these medical schools have stronger students.

 

[Skywalker]

our school's code is apparently:

enthusiastically and highly recommend
highly recommend
recommend

 

[SurgeryChef]

The MSPE is a standardized document used by medical schools so we all are meant to have the same thing.

The code words are "Superb" (top 5%), "Outstanding" (next 20%), "Excellent" (next 50%) and "Very Good" (bottom 20%) - correct me if I'm wrong, anyone. I read my MSPE for typos and it had "excellent" all over it. I read my housemate's, and it had "outstanding" all over it. You can't miss the code.

So never fear. Anyways, mr. top 15%, won't your grades demonstrate your superlative performance without the class rank? Don't worry so much, you're going to match well, anesthesia is competitive but it's not plastic surgery.

So I've never heard of the "superb" code before. Have others, or am I just that far away from a description like that?

 

[bigdan]

I'd actually rather NOT have the rank mentioned.

I think we use not only the quartile that you are in mentioned in writing, but we then show a bar graph, highlighting which quartile you are in, just in case programs don't wanna read the words - they can just look at the pictures. Nothing like "bottom 25%" in flashing neon.

dc

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

So I've never heard of the "superb" code before. Have others, or am I just that far away from a description like that?

I have never heard of this "superb" code either! How many schools use this???
Is this code reserved for those students with the 260+ ?????

 

[Allygator89]

I have never heard of this "superb" code either! How many schools use this???
Is this code reserved for those students with the 260+ ?????

Lots of schools use this. And no, it isn't used only for students with 260+

 

[Wahoo]

At UCSF we don't use "superb" as one of the adjectives for the MSPE. It does pop up now and then on evaluations from individual rotations, but for our Dean's Letter it's just:
Outstanding (eligible by getting honors in > 1/2 of rotations)
Superior (eligible by getting honors in > 1/3 of rotations)
Excellent
Very Good
Good

Barcharts showing the breakdown of the percentage of students receiving each adjective and the percentage receiving honors in each particular rotation are printed on the back of the letter.

 

[futuremd1978]

So i just got my class rank and it was 52 of 120 something. Anyway, my school will only give your exact rank if you are in the top quartile but I am not. What are your thoughts on including the statement "2nd quartile" in my MSPE? Is it better to just keep it on there or not to show it in that case.

I thought i was gonna be a competitive candidate for internal med with >240 on step 1 and solid 3rd year grades (commendable in peds, internal med, surg and honors in ob/gyn), good letters, but "2nd quartile" sound so mediocre. What are your thoughts?

 

[Pox in a box]

So i just got my class rank and it was 52 of 120 something. Anyway, my school will only give your exact rank if you are in the top quartile but I am not. What are your thoughts on including the statement "2nd quartile" in my MSPE? Is it better to just keep it on there or not to show it in that case.

I thought i was gonna be a competitive candidate for internal med with >240 on step 1 and solid 3rd year grades (commendable in peds, internal med, surg and honors in ob/gyn), good letters, but "2nd quartile" sound so mediocre. What are your thoughts?

Putting "2nd quartile" to me says "I'm in the low-40's percentile."

 

[Allygator89]

Putting "2nd quartile" to me says "I'm in the low-40's percentile."

To me, it means, you are still in the top half of your class, although you aren't in the top 1/4. I wouldn't sweat it too much unless you are trying for an elite program, have no people skills, and your Step 2 score comes back singificantly lower than your step 1 score. Also, your grades were pretty decent, your LOR will be fine. What are your plans for residency? Top 10 schools?

 

[futuremd1978]

Well I guess my top programs I am applying to are the Harvard (Mass gen, Brigham), University of Washington, U of Chicago, Cornell, Columbia. But by Top 10 I am not sure which ones exactly fall there but I am sure Mass Gen, Brigham, Johns Hopkins, etc... fall into that category. Also checking out GW, Georgetown, BU, Tufts, Northwestern, UIC, Rush, NYU, Mount Sinai, Albert Einstein @ Beth Israel.

 

[sophiejane]

Ours gives us the option. They put in quartile, and let you choose if you want to include rank. I'm in the top 50%. Barely.

So, no...I won't be putting the dubious distinction of being #60/123 in my dean's letter. As far as they know, I'm #32.

 

[deleted109597]

Ours doesn't give percent quartiles, or thirds, or even halves. They just say you are x/xx. And leave it at that.
Ain't that a #$%#!