Didn't get Honors on my home subI -- am I cooked?

[hihihhiitsme]

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Hi, as the title suggests. I just got back my grade from my home sub I as a pass (school does pass, pass with accommodations, honors). How bad is this in regards to how programs view applicants? I'm freaking out a little especially because applications are due (very) soon and otherwise I have gotten honors in most of my other classes as well as Pass with Accommodations in my other away.

I would appreciate any advice, thank you for all your help!

 

[operaman]

Definitely doesn’t look good. In my field if ent that’s usually a fatal blow to any application. Probably the same in other surgical subs for sure. Maybe not quite as bad in fields like IM or peds.

What field are you looking at?

 

[hihihhiitsme]

Definitely doesn’t look good. In my field if ent that’s usually a fatal blow to any application. Probably the same in other surgical subs for sure. Maybe not quite as bad in fields like IM or peds.

What field are you looking at?

Hi! Thank you for your response -- unfortunately I'm interested in ortho...

The confusing thing is that all of the feedback I received form the attendings was incredibly positive so this grade is a bit shocking to me.

Do you have any advice about how I should handle this?

 

[Dral]

So was this a gen surg sub-I?

 

[slopes23]

This is going to be tough for ortho tbh. I would book a meeting with the Ortho clerkship director as well as your med school advisor and see where they think you stand, your med school advisor can also give you an honest assessment of your other options as well.

 

[hihihhiitsme]

So was this a gen surg sub-I?

It was a ortho surg sub-I! Which I realize doesn't look too good

 

[hihihhiitsme]

This is going to be tough for ortho tbh. I would book a meeting with the Ortho clerkship director as well as your med school advisor and see where they think you stand, your med school advisor can also give you an honest assessment of your other options as well.

Hi! I've spoken to my advisor and he said to just not use my home letter.

But my clerkship director is a little hard to reach so most communication and decisions come from the residents.

Basically now I'm deciding if I should (a) not use the letter, but I'm worried that will be a bad signal or (b) have a narrative letter instead, (3) or some other option that falls from the sky

 

[RockClimberMed]

Hi! I've spoken to my advisor and he said to just not use my home letter.

But my clerkship director is a little hard to reach so most communication and decisions come from the residents.

Basically now I'm deciding if I should (a) not use the letter, but I'm worried that will be a bad signal or (b) have a narrative letter instead, (3) or some other option that falls from the sky

Not using a home letter when you have a home program is going to raise some eyebrows too js

 

[slopes23]

Hi! I've spoken to my advisor and he said to just not use my home letter.

But my clerkship director is a little hard to reach so most communication and decisions come from the residents.

Basically now I'm deciding if I should (a) not use the letter, but I'm worried that will be a bad signal or (b) have a narrative letter instead, (3) or some other option that falls from the sky

Unfortunately, hard to reach may be a subtle sign that they are trying to give you. During your clerkship, were you able to get close with any of the attendings? Ideally you would have had a talk with them requesting feedback and use that conversation to get a lay of the land of where they think you stand (as well as potentially ask them for a LOR).

Did you do enough away rotations to be able to have LOR from not your home program?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You need to find out what the cause of the grade is.

 

[operaman]

Hi! Thank you for your response -- unfortunately I'm interested in ortho...

The confusing thing is that all of the feedback I received form the attendings was incredibly positive so this grade is a bit shocking to me.

Do you have any advice about how I should handle this?

Priority one is figuring out the reason for the grade. Keep pushing for a meeting. They know what a big deal this is and anyone giving out such a grade should have the cahones to look the person in the eye and tell them why.

You do want to be sure this wasn’t an error and mistakes do happen. If it sticks, then yeah I think do whatever you can to keep that grade hidden from other programs.

You would also do well to start putting a backup plan into place. Probably a bit last minute to do that now unless you already had one cooking given that I think eras goes to programs tomorrow. You may want to adjust your fourth year schedule to give you some rotations in your backup field so you can build relationships and get good letters. If you don’t match then you’ll have a lot to figure out in a short time. Have that plan in place early whatever it is - research year in new field, prelim year with new application in new field. You’ll have a much stronger backup application if you use this time to cultivate it.