Do You Like Your Pre-Clinical H/HP/P/F System?

[MedPR]

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Looking for some feedback from students currently (or formerly) at a non-P/F med school. The more I've learned about it, the more I think I want to be at a P/F school, but I would like to hear more opinions about the other option.

Is H/HP/P/F really that horrible?

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

Looking for some feedback from students currently (or formerly) at a non-P/F med school. The more I've learned about it, the more I think I want to be at a P/F school, but I would like to hear more opinions about the other option.

Is H/HP/P/F really that horrible?

Shouldn't you post this is the medical student forums? It might get more answers that way.

 

[MedPR]

Shouldn't you post this is the medical student forums? It might get more answers that way.

Idk. I regularly see premeds post questions directed at med students in there only to have them moved here.

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[Cinclus]

I like being at a P/F school. It makes you a little less crazy.

 

[MedPR]

I like being at a P/F school.

I think I'd like the too, but I am wondering if non-p/f is a deal breaker or was a deal breaker for anyone?

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[A Nony Mouse]

I believe the Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail system can be a positive. I asked an M3 friend about this and she described someone having Honors in a class as a way to shine out in your talent. Although she had an old curriculum, as she described it, if you had lots of biochemistry in college you might do Honors for Biochem to show your strength there. Therefore, it is not something the top of the class just continually happens to achieve each semester, but something students trade off actively pursuing. Everyone has a different background and can have that opportunity to stand out with the honors system. I'm pretty awesome at histology and would probably pursue honors there if possible; however, I'd be content with just passing anatomy as I've never had it as an undergrad. (though I have no idea how my schools new curriculum will grade)

 

[Ismet]

The grading itself isn't an issue, as pre-clinical grades don't really matter when applying to residency. It's the type of behavior and competition that results from the grading system, which is entirely school (and class) dependent. I'm NOT saying that every school/class that has that kind of system has a competitive nature, but it can be a major contributing factor to the class dynamic. I was deciding between 2 schools last year, one that is H/HP/P/F and one that is P/F. The Second Look tour guide for the H/HP school even said that about 40% of his class was "typical gunner" competitive and antisocial. I realize that's n=1, but Second Look will give you a pretty good vibe of the individual school and their dynamic.

 

[Barcu]

I haven't had any problems. People are going to compete everywhere. Is it worse at a H/HP/P/F school? Maybe. But I still don't think it's a huge issue. We still have a collaborative class. You tend to just ignore the annoying ones.

I don't think there is anything wrong with preferring a P/F school. However, grading systems should not be a make or break deal like they are made out to be. In fact, I think it should be quite low on the list of factors. There are many more important ones.

 

[darkjedi]

If there were one thing I could change about my school, it would be the H/P/F grading system. I've been told that in the end it doesn't really matter, and that it actually helps you if you are looking for competitive specialities. However I am really enjoying our 1 semester of just P/F and dreading H/P/F. We'll see how I feel about it in a few months.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I am at a H/P/F school. It affects me very little because I am not trying for honors, and I like that people who work really hard can get rewarded for it. I just value my free time more than some, and I don't want to fill it with additional studying. But it's nice that there is an incentive for people to do very well and show their strengths. I might want to try to honor future blocks that I'm really interested in.

Also, my class is totally non-competitive and we all help each other out. I don't know what anyone's grades are (other than myself). We have a non-curved 70% P and 90% H system, so there's no reason NOT to help out fellow classmates.

 

[abruzz75]

So for schools that are P/F, how do students differentiate themselves in preclinical years?

 

[TheMightySmiter]

So for schools that are P/F, how do students differentiate themselves in preclinical years?

Probably experiences like research. You can maybe try to follow around a bunch of attendings in the hopes of becoming a familiar face later, but since I'm still an M1, I have no idea if this is helpful. Research for sure, though.

 

[darkjedi]

So for schools that are P/F, how do students differentiate themselves in preclinical years?

Some schools have "fake" P/F where they still internally rank the students. For schools with "real" P/F really have no way of differentiating students in pre-clinicals and rely on clinical grades for things like AOA.

 

[Ismet]

So for schools that are P/F, how do students differentiate themselves in preclinical years?

Research/ECs/leadership/internal ranking

 

[mcloaf]

If there were one thing I could change about my school, it would be the H/P/F grading system. I've been told that in the end it doesn't really matter, and that it actually helps you if you are looking for competitive specialities. However I am really enjoying our 1 semester of just P/F and dreading H/P/F. We'll see how I feel about it in a few months.

I will be eagerly awaiting your report about the change to H/P/F. Your school is one of my first choices right now (should I get lucky in March 😳 ), but I was a little concerned about this as well.

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

Shouldn't you post this is the medical student forums? It might get more answers that way.

No, MedPR posted this in the right forum. All pre med threads should be posted on pre-allo or pre-osteo. The mods will routinely move threads made by pre-meds from the med student forum to here. Plenty of med students come to here to answer questions like this.

My school is H,P,F. The school does rank students secretly but I still find it to be a much less competitive environment then my UG was. There are still the students who stress themselves silly to honor each class. I like it cause is gives the students that want to shoot for the top a nice goal line where it doesn't necessarily punish the majority of students who score a P.

 

[darkjedi]

I will be eagerly awaiting your report about the change to H/P/F. Your school is one of my first choices right now (should I get lucky in March 😳 ), but I was a little concerned about this as well.

Good luck! You might have to remind me for that report though, haha

 

[chronicidal]

I am at a H/P/F school. It affects me very little because I am not trying for honors, and I like that people who work really hard can get rewarded for it. I just value my free time more than some, and I don't want to fill it with additional studying. But it's nice that there is an incentive for people to do very well and show their strengths. I might want to try to honor future blocks that I'm really interested in.

Also, my class is totally non-competitive and we all help each other out. I don't know what anyone's grades are (other than myself). We have a non-curved 70% P and 90% H system, so there's no reason NOT to help out fellow classmates.

You're going to be ranked against your classmates, so it affects you. Everyone says their class is non-competitive but you don't know how it would be if your preclinical grades did not contribute to your rank.

 

[nysw]

Looking for some feedback from students currently (or formerly) at a non-P/F med school. The more I've learned about it, the more I think I want to be at a P/F school, but I would like to hear more opinions about the other option.

Is H/HP/P/F really that horrible?

I'm at a curved H/HP/P/F and I don't think it's that horrible at all. That said, I think it depends on the atmosphere of the school. Everyone here is pretty chill, and there's only a few handful of people that really try to honor. I personally don't feel additional stress (compared to if I was at an P/F) unless I want to place more stress on myself and work for an honors. Maybe this is because I'm not worried about not passing a course, and I want to challenge myself to score above the median. -shrug.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

You're going to be ranked against your classmates, so it affects you. Everyone says their class is non-competitive but you don't know how it would be if your preclinical grades did not contribute to your rank.

I meant that it doesn't affect my attitude, and it doesn't. I do the best I can while keeping my sanity, and I don't spend my time worrying about my class rank or whether I'm honoring. I simply learn the most that I can. I have my own personal expectations, but they have very little to do with those of the rest of the class. I have never once felt that I need my classmates to do poorly so that I can look better. If my grade is below an average, I judge how much I studied and what grade I was expecting. If I worked really hard but scored below average, I'm still happy--I just make a mental note that I'll need to study that section more for Step 1. If I slacked off and scored below average, I work harder for the next exam.

Don't spend too much time worrying about anything pre-clinical. Do the best you can and study your butt off for boards. If your school is true P/F, cool, but if not, you still still do just fine as long as you are working hard.

 

[abruzz75]

Some schools have "fake" P/F where they still internally rank the students. For schools with "real" P/F really have no way of differentiating students in pre-clinicals and rely on clinical grades for things like AOA.

Research/ECs/leadership/internal ranking

Would someone mind explaining what internal ranking means?

 

[MedPR]

Would someone mind explaining what internal ranking means?

Your school ranks you within your class, but doesn't publish to residency programs. I think it's primarily used to determine AOA.

 

[darkjedi]

Would someone mind explaining what internal ranking means?

It means that the administration still internally tracks your exam scores and class averages in comparison to your peers.