failed 2 classes, need advice please!

[watermelon1234]

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster here.

I've spent a while looking up some stuff about this but nothing of my specific case, so I thought I'd make a post. In summary, I failed pathology (by 1 question) and physiology my first year. Because of this, I've been put on the decelerated program at azcom. I had some personal things come up (death in the family around an exam-dense period), but nothing of an excuse I'd expect anyone (especially residencies) to care much about. I work hard and am I good student and I know I can do better. I'm extremely determined. I just... had a rough time first year and am really disappointed in myself.

Anyway, I'm wondering what my options are now. I talked to the clinical affairs person at my school and he said as long as I do well on boards and clinicals and don't fail anything else, many doors will still be open as far as EM and IM go... although I feel like his email was a bit rushed and he was saying it just to say it.

I know there's a correlation between not doing well in classroom with not doing well on boards, but I know I can do better. I guess I've been so into the idea of "just passing", that I haven't pushed myself like I usually do. This attitude will change for sure.

I'm certain many doors have closed, particularly in the super competitive fields... but what do you think about EM or IM (maybe subspecializing in IM too)??? I could really use some advice here. Thanks for all your help... really appreciate it.

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[jockdoc97]

you're class of 2016 or 17 then? keep at it, don't give up, and work your butt off! show the residencies you can do it, kill boards, andexcel in rotations. you got this! but i'm just a premed

 

[D4C]

Path is only in 2nd year at azcom, so he got knocked into class of 2017 if I'm not mistaken. Tough luck buddy, sorry about your loss. Best of luck to you next time.

 

[JustPlainBill]

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster here.

I've spent a while looking up some stuff about this but nothing of my specific case, so I thought I'd make a post. In summary, I failed pathology (by 1 question) and physiology my first year. Because of this, I've been put on the decelerated program at azcom. I had some personal things come up (death in the family around an exam-dense period), but nothing of an excuse I'd expect anyone (especially residencies) to care much about. I work hard and am I good student and I know I can do better. I'm extremely determined. I just... had a rough time first year and am really disappointed in myself.

Anyway, I'm wondering what my options are now. I talked to the clinical affairs person at my school and he said as long as I do well on boards and clinicals and don't fail anything else, many doors will still be open as far as EM and IM go... although I feel like his email was a bit rushed and he was saying it just to say it.

I know there's a correlation between not doing well in classroom with not doing well on boards, but I know I can do better. I guess I've been so into the idea of "just passing", that I haven't pushed myself like I usually do. This attitude will change for sure.

I'm certain many doors have closed, particularly in the super competitive fields... but what do you think about EM or IM (maybe subspecializing in IM too)??? I could really use some advice here. Thanks for all your help... really appreciate it.

Yep, you're screwed -- face it, you should probably just give up now and go flip burgers or work at Wally World. I mean, failing 2 whole classes your first year of medical school is surely a prognosticator that you'll be an incompetent physician and never really amount to anything...probably wind up treating syphillitic hookers in Havana....

Seriously? Dude (or dudette), I carried a low C average (i.e. between 70-75) average my entire first year and tanked our intro to path class by 3 questions. Had to repeat the year, grades jumped by 10-15% and then maintained a B/C average in 2nd year. Hit the national average on boards, both times and worked my ass off in 3rd year. Had offers by attendings to get me into IM, Surgery, EM if I wanted it. Family life was more important to me and I went with Family Medicine due to lifestyle.

Get your head out of your sigmoid colon and get to work. Worrying about it won't help and you never know what the future holds.....My surgery attending took me out to dinner at his country club near the end of the rotation and asked me if I wanted to get into Mass General Surgery -- told him my board scores weren't good enough and I had failed first year (driving 1.5 hours to class one way every day) -- he said, "I didn't ask you about your grades/board scores. I asked you if you wanted to do a surgery residency at Mass General."......indicating that he would go to bat for me if I wanted it.

You have to prove basic competence but a lot of it is work ethic, can-do attitude, never quitting and how you get along with people......

 

[jockdoc97]

Yep, you're screwed -- face it, you should probably just give up now and go flip burgers or work at Wally World. I mean, failing 2 whole classes your first year of medical school is surely a prognosticator that you'll be an incompetent physician and never really amount to anything...probably wind up treating syphillitic hookers in Havana....

Seriously? Dude (or dudette), I carried a low C average (i.e. between 70-75) average my entire first year and tanked our intro to path class by 3 questions. Had to repeat the year, grades jumped by 10-15% and then maintained a B/C average in 2nd year. Hit the national average on boards, both times and worked my ass off in 3rd year. Had offers by attendings to get me into IM, Surgery, EM if I wanted it. Family life was more important to me and I went with Family Medicine due to lifestyle.

Get your head out of your sigmoid colon and get to work. Worrying about it won't help and you never know what the future holds.....My surgery attending took me out to dinner at his country club near the end of the rotation and asked me if I wanted to get into Mass General Surgery -- told him my board scores weren't good enough and I had failed first year (driving 1.5 hours to class one way every day) -- he said, "I didn't ask you about your grades/board scores. I asked you if you wanted to do a surgery residency at Mass General."......indicating that he would go to bat for me if I wanted it.

You have to prove basic competence but a lot of it is work ethic, can-do attitude, never quitting and how you get along with people......

Interesting story. Not sure I buy it (no offense) but since 2007 Mass Gen has never had a DO in their program. Seems sketch that they would want an average DO.

 

[JustPlainBill]

Interesting story. Not sure I buy it (no offense) but since 2007 Mass Gen has never had a DO in their program. Seems sketch that they would want an average DO.

Attending Surgeon was a med school buddy of the Mass General PD and had already gotten 1 FMG into the program. He indicated he could get me a PGY1 slot and I would have to prove the rest which he had confidence that I could do with no problem. Nice to be thought of but I wanted to know my kids and family was more important to me.

 

[hallowmann]

Interesting story. Not sure I buy it (no offense) but since 2007 Mass Gen has never had a DO in their program. Seems sketch that they would want an average DO.

I believe it. A shockingly large amount of this field is based on who you know. If you know the right people, you could get anything. If the right people see you busting your butt and doing well, you can go anywhere. If you don't know anyone, you either need to network and show your stuff to people with pull or you better have an amazing CV.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

I believe it. A shockingly large amount of this field is based on who you know. If you know the right people, you could get anything. If the right people see you busting your butt and doing well, you can go anywhere. If you don't know anyone, you either need to network and show your stuff to people with pull or you better have an amazing CV.

I agree. Getting ahead in the adult world is largely about who you know.

 

[scummie]

I think you are going to be OK. Are you going to match derm? Probably not. However, if you don't mess up from here on out, you should be fine. I know multiple people that failed classes and still matched. It depends on what specialty you go into, but it seems like board scores are a lot more important than class rank, which is dependent on your grades. Heck, I know someone that failed classes but matched ACGME EM.

Definitely recommend networking, but more importantly figure out what went wrong this semester and make sure it doesn't happen again. You need to study this upcoming semester like your life depends on it. You've spent a lot of time and money getting to this place. Don't let physio and path keep you from reaching your goal of becoming a physician. Also, if you need help, ask for it. If you need a tutor, get one. Don't let anything get in your way (but keep your integrity of course).

It's hard for medical students to accept failure and that their best might not be good enough. This is just a speed bump in the road. Take a deep breath, learn from your mistakes and look forward to the future.

 

[235009]

Attending Surgeon was a med school buddy of the Mass General PD and had already gotten 1 FMG into the program. He indicated he could get me a PGY1 slot and I would have to prove the rest which he had confidence that I could do with no problem. Nice to be thought of but I wanted to know my kids and family was more important to me.

LOL

prelim surgery programs (the 1 year spot he is talking about) are the absolute least desirable spots in the match. Tons of them go unfilled because you work super long hours, are treated like crap and have zero guarantee of a spot after the first year. Most of those spots are dead-end and typically only turn into an offer to stay if a categorical intern in the program drops out. You're better off taking a categorical surgery spot in any other acgme accredited program than take this attending's offer!

 

[JustPlainBill]

LOL

prelim surgery programs (the 1 year spot he is talking about) are the absolute least desirable spots in the match. Tons of them go unfilled because you work super long hours, are treated like crap and have zero guarantee of a spot after the first year. Most of those spots are dead-end and typically only turn into an offer to stay if a categorical intern in the program drops out. You're better off taking a categorical surgery spot in any other acgme accredited program than take this attending's offer!

The offer I wound up taking, while turning out to be a major suckfest, gave me something surgery never could -- time with the family. After taking a long hard look at 3 of the school's surgery attendings (one was a CT cutter who was just an ass), I realized that the other two (granted, a small sample) had family issues -- one was divorced and had a strained relationship with the kiddos, the other knew grandkids better than kids and that's not what I wanted for my life. My family was there before medical school and will be there long after I move out of the clinical world and into management/admin or just plain quit practicing to do something else. No way in hell was I going to lose them on the altar of medicine/surgery.

point to the original poster was to quit being neurotic, pass the freakin' classes, bust ass and make your life what YOU want....and I hope I made my point.

 

[Goro]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. But residencies don't really care about your GPA from the 1st two years. Boards, LORs, and how you do in your clinical years are what count.

However, "just passing" is another way of saying "likely to fail COMLEX I" at my school. So don't settle for a 70. Settle for an 80.

Focus on developing better study and coping skills first, before worrying about residency.



I've spent a while looking up some stuff about this but nothing of my specific case, so I thought I'd make a post. In summary, I failed pathology (by 1 question) and physiology my first year. Because of this, I've been put on the decelerated program at azcom. I had some personal things come up (death in the family around an exam-dense period), but nothing of an excuse I'd expect anyone (especially residencies) to care much about. I work hard and am I good student and I know I can do better. I'm extremely determined. I just... had a rough time first year and am really disappointed in myself.

Anyway, I'm wondering what my options are now. I talked to the clinical affairs person at my school and he said as long as I do well on boards and clinicals and don't fail anything else, many doors will still be open as far as EM and IM go... although I feel like his email was a bit rushed and he was saying it just to say it.

I know there's a correlation between not doing well in classroom with not doing well on boards, but I know I can do better. I guess I've been so into the idea of "just passing", that I haven't pushed myself like I usually do. This attitude will change for sure.

I'm certain many doors have closed, particularly in the super competitive fields... but what do you think about EM or IM (maybe subspecializing in IM too)??? I could really use some advice here. Thanks for all your help... really appreciate it.[/QUOTE]

 

[pdxhopeful]

Well, I think you know it's not good. BUT - you are still in school, your failures don't have to do with character issues (academic dishonesty, etc.), and what's happened happened. What you can do now is do your utmost to not get another red flag. Rock your classwork next year, rock the boards, rock clinicals. Build the case that your more recent, more heavily weighted performance (by the time you're applying) is very strong.

 

[fireflygirl]

I would not get yourself worked up about your grades. You still have a ways to go. I have two friends that graduated after failing out their first year and while they had a lot of work to make up for it, they got their butts in gear and matched into one of their top 3 FM spots in a place like Philadelphia where there are often no open spots in most specialties, including FM. I myself took a year off to deal with some things and was a fairly average student with below average board scores that also matched into my top spot. The difference was that 1) I was not entering a super competitive specialty, 2) I made up in areas where I was deficient so while my grades and scores were average, my work on the wards and my knowledge as a med student was not. That's where I shined and in truth, I made strong connections with the people that mattered. As was said before, for a lot of specialties, the first two years don't matter as much - it's much more about your clinical practice and your board scores. And frankly, who you know and what connections you make during 3rd and 4th year can also go a long way too! Good luck and just put your head down and start over. This time, study smarter and study differently. Talk to someone who might be able to help you figure out your learning style or what you could do differently from now on.