MD & DO Difference between clerkship honors and clinical grades in resdiency apps?

[pericardium]

Hi everybody
I was just wondering if earning honors is different from earning a good clerkship grade? I'm looking at the 2018 NRMP program director survey, and it seems like earning an honors is considered to be completely different and less important than your actual grade in a clerkship. Am I right in my thinking?

Picture below for reference

Table from another article "Selection Criteria for Residency: Results of a National Program Directors Survey" in 2006

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[MSTP18]

“Awards or special honors in clerkships” sounds different to me than “getting honors in a clerkship” in the sense that you got an A. For the latter table, I suspect that “number of honors” is JUST that: number of honors. “Clinical grades” is more general: final grade, shelf score, doing well on certain components, comments, etc.

Also, “number of honors” would include electives and Sub-Is where people tend to be a lot more liberal with honors than the required clerkships. Same for the first thing. “Clinical clerkships” includes more than just “required clerkships.”

 

[pericardium]

That's a good point, although schools differ in grading scheme's. My school you can get an A in a clerkship and still not get honors if whoever writes your eval doesn't check a box saying you deserve honors

Maybe the discrepancy has to do with differing honors criteria between schools.

 

[MSTP18]

That's a good point, although schools differ in grading scheme's. My school you can get an A in a clerkship and still not get honors if whoever writes your eval doesn't check a box saying you deserve honors

Maybe the discrepancy has to do with differing honors criteria between schools.

Great point/example. At my school if you were in a certain percentile you got honors, no ifs, ands, or buts.