Failed class and failed remediation

[Didntdoit]

I'm in year 1 at a Top 20 school on the East Coast.

Remediation was way harder than the course. Plus, the course director doesn't like me.

I am correct in assuming that that pretty much rules out anything competitive for me in medicine. F'in anatomy.

I have to retake the course as a second year.

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[gravitywave]

I'm in year 1 at a Top 20 school on the East Coast.

Remediation was way harder than the course. Plus, the course director doesn't like me.

I am correct in assuming that that pretty much rules out anything competitive for me in medicine. F'in anatomy.

I have to retake the course as a second year.

I don't know if this is true. My understanding is that failing first year courses is recoverable if you do everything else right from there on. Two strikes though.

Obviously you need to pass the course this time. Your school's advancement committee is going to become interested in you if it hasn't already. You don't want that.

 

[Didntdoit]

I don't know if this is true. My understanding is that failing first year courses is recoverable if you do everything else right from there on. Two strikes though.

Obviously you need to pass the course this time. Your school's advancement committee is going to become interested in you if it hasn't already. You don't want that.

They have been up my ... since the third week of school. I meant to make the above sentence a question. I didn't type in the correct punctuation.

They changed the format of the test in remediation from multiple choice to essays and didnt tell me. I studied for a multiple choice exam.

I don't want to repeat the year and am thinking of taking a leave of absence to decide whether or not to continue. I have been mega depressed for a while.

 

[deleted480308]

The question isnt can you get into med school, it is why are you failing undergrad anatomy twice.....you need to honestly assess that

 

[Mako555]

The question isnt can you get into med school, it is why are you failing undergrad anatomy twice.....you need to honestly assess that

GTFO




but seriously - hang in there OP. Try not to get down on yourself, overcome this, and you can still be whatever kind of doctor you want. I don't know if this sort of thing is easily overlooked or not but even if it isn't, you will be fine in the end.

 

[gman33]

I failed anatomy. I felt like **** at the time and for most of that year.
In the long run it had about no impact on anything.
Matched in the field I wanted at a great program.

If you still want to be a doc, just try to forget about it and move forward.

In a few years, you will look back and just kind of laugh at the experience.

As for the course, get some help and come up with a strategy that works for YOU.
My biggest problem was trying to do what other people told me I should be doing.

 

[Didntdoit]

I don't know if this is true. My understanding is that failing first year courses is recoverable if you do everything else right from there on. Two strikes though.

Obviously you need to pass the course this time. Your school's advancement committee is going to become interested in you if it hasn't already. You don't want that.

And I just got an avalanche of emails from the advancement folks.

 

[Didntdoit]

I failed anatomy. I felt like **** at the time and for most of that year.
In the long run it had about no impact on anything.
Matched in the field I wanted at a great program.

If you still want to be a doc, just try to forget about it and move forward.

In a few years, you will look back and just kind of laugh at the experience.

As for the course, get some help and come up with a strategy that works for YOU.
My biggest problem was trying to do what other people told me I should be doing.

Did it come up during residency interviews at all?

 

[justin8818]

I'm a fourth year and I repeated all of second year due to making a few C's. It has definitely come up in interviews but after I explain what happened they say something along the lines of "Okay, you did really well third year and on boards. Looks like you got your stuff together". I know my situation is more severe than failing one course, and your experience will likely vary, but I think it hurt the amount of interviews I received (in EM). We'll see how the match goes in a couple months...

 

[projectlogic]

I'm a fourth year and I repeated all of second year due to making a few C's. It has definitely come up in interviews but after I explain what happened they say something along the lines of "Okay, you did really well third year and on boards. Looks like you got your stuff together". I know my situation is more severe than failing one course, and your experience will likely vary, but I think it hurt the amount of interviews I received (in EM). We'll see how the match goes in a couple months...

I thought failing a course was a lot worse than getting some C's in your preclinical years (which is still passing)?

Did they question you based on the fact that you got C's or specifically because you chose/had to repeat a year?

 

[justin8818]

Specifically because I HAD to repeat a year.

 

[projectlogic]

Specifically because I HAD to repeat a year.

Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.

Good luck in the match!

 

[Bones DO]

I'm in year 1 at a Top 20 school on the East Coast.

Remediation was way harder than the course. Plus, the course director doesn't like me.

I am correct in assuming that that pretty much rules out anything competitive for me in medicine. F'in anatomy.

I have to retake the course as a second year.

Almost this exact same situation happened to me and I was thrown out of DO school. Consider yourself lucky that your school allows you so many chances...and don't squander this 3rd chance.

 

[mjl1717]

Yes, keep fighting..Thats what it is a long fight..Some have ups and downs..Most importantly dont give up..

 

[gravitywave]

I thought failing a course was a lot worse than getting some C's in your preclinical years (which is still passing)?

Did they question you based on the fact that you got C's or specifically because you chose/had to repeat a year?

Many, if not most, schools will question your ability to progress to the next level of the curriculum with a consistent history of borderline performance, even if you haven't failed anything. Collect too many low Cs and you'll be repeating a chunk of the curriculum, not just one class. Same goes for persistently marginal evals in clerkships.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Damn anatomy. That class is the bane of my existence. Do you want to know how much I hate it? I hate it more than my ex-girlfriend! And that says a lot... Okay, enough venting...

That's the one class that people end up failing. It still boggles my mind though. Anatomy is the hardest easy class you'll ever take. The material is simple, but the volume is suicidal. Why they do it like this is definitely beyond me. If you can redeem yourself, I'm sure you'll be fine. Best of luck!!!

 

[BeastInfection]

I'm a fourth year and I repeated all of second year due to making a few C's. It has definitely come up in interviews but after I explain what happened they say something along the lines of "Okay, you did really well third year and on boards. Looks like you got your stuff together". I know my situation is more severe than failing one course, and your experience will likely vary, but I think it hurt the amount of interviews I received (in EM). We'll see how the match goes in a couple months...

Jeez, they made you repeat a year for a few C's? My school is P/F, but if it were graded and forced to repeat years for scoring in the 70s on exams, I suspect a very large percentage of us (myself included) would be repeating first and second year. Seems harsh to me.

 

[TAWS]

Anatomy can be hard depending on the way your school teachers it. I personally find anatomy a lot harder if its condensed into a 6 week block rather than spread out through the whole year.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Anatomy can be hard depending on the way your school teachers it. I personally find anatomy a lot harder if its condensed into a 6 week block rather than spread out through the whole year.

It should be easier though to do the remediation class since you've already seen this material before. So unless you completely blew off a unit, it should probably be easier the second time around. Also not having any other classes to worry about during the summer helps.

 

[Textbookversion]

No sense focusing on the past or worrying too much about the future. Just buckle down and work hard.

The person who had to repeat a year due to C's... what the heck? They can do that to you?? What's the rule look like for that school? "X" number of "C" grades = repeat?

Everywhere of I've heard of 70% = you are golden.

 

[FIREitUP]

No sense focusing on the past or worrying too much about the future. Just buckle down and work hard.

The person who had to repeat a year due to C's... what the heck? They can do that to you?? What's the rule look like for that school? "X" number of "C" grades = repeat?

Everywhere of I've heard of 70% = you are golden.

i feel like if you have consistent history of borderline performance, then they may penalize you, i.e., more than just a "few" C's will do it.

 

[LeverArm]

I failed anatomy. I felt like **** at the time and for most of that year.
In the long run it had about no impact on anything.
Matched in the field I wanted at a great program.

If you still want to be a doc, just try to forget about it and move forward.

In a few years, you will look back and just kind of laugh at the experience.

As for the course, get some help and come up with a strategy that works for YOU.
My biggest problem was trying to do what other people told me I should be doing.

this!

 

[cubssox2000]

I've never heard of remediation for C's. Assuming that the A/B/C/D/F system is equivalent to H/HP/P/LP/F, that would mean people are taking classes over because they "passed" to many times. At my school if you get more than 2 "low passes" in a year or a single "fail" you have to repeat. It seems quite odd to repeat for multiple "passes".

 

[olecranon4]

A friend of mine is in his second year. He got two C'e but never failed, and his performance review board "wanted him to remediate the while year." I don't know much more than that.

 

[evilbooyaa]

A friend of mine is in his second year. He got two C'e but never failed, and his performance review board "wanted him to remediate the while year." I don't know much more than that.

Wow that's ridiculous. I definitely got a "C" (which is S in my school) in a few of my classes both 1st and 2nd year.

 

[ClyderMED]

how common are medical students failing a 1st year class (I know not a lot but if there are stats/data on this, that would be helpful). Not in medical school but worried that I might be one of those that fall behind regardless of hard I work/study.

 

[Bojack Horseman]

how common are medical students failing a 1st year class (I know not a lot but if there are stats/data on this, that would be helpful). Not in medical school but worried that I might be one of those that fall behind regardless of hard I work/study.

Just a guess, but probably not too often. If you can manage a heavy undergrad science curriculum while working a part time job, you should be fine in med school. It's all about time management, not procrastinating, and having a drive to study and succeed.

 

[FIREitUP]

how common are medical students failing a 1st year class (I know not a lot but if there are stats/data on this, that would be helpful). Not in medical school but worried that I might be one of those that fall behind regardless of hard I work/study.

we had 5 people from my class repeat MS1, and as far as I can tell there are several MS2's that are repeating their second year. This is out of ~185 students.

 

[FIREitUP]

how common are medical students failing a 1st year class (I know not a lot but if there are stats/data on this, that would be helpful). Not in medical school but worried that I might be one of those that fall behind regardless of hard I work/study.

we had 5 people from my class repeat MS1, and as far as I can tell there are several MS2's that are repeating with us. This is out of ~185 students.

As far as failing one class, I would say at least double that number (~10 students) have failed one class, since I know MS1's that remediated successfully.

 

[Poetic Silence]

I'm in year 1 at a Top 20 school on the East Coast.

Remediation was way harder than the course. Plus, the course director doesn't like me.

I am correct in assuming that that pretty much rules out anything competitive for me in medicine. F'in anatomy.

I have to retake the course as a second year.

 

[TAWS]

how common are medical students failing a 1st year class (I know not a lot but if there are stats/data on this, that would be helpful). Not in medical school but worried that I might be one of those that fall behind regardless of hard I work/study.

If you can take multiple choice tests, you will pass medical school classes easily.

 

[Textbookversion]

If you can take multiple choice tests, you will pass medical school classes easily.

If you work hard, you'll do fine. If you don't do your work, you'll fail. "Work" here means a fairly substantial amount of studying. I definitely wouldn't say it's "easy" by any stretch. I think it's more accurate to say that it's pretty difficult to fail if you put in the work.

 

[SpecterGT260]

.

They changed the format of the test in remediation from multiple choice to essays and didnt tell me. I studied for a multiple choice exam.
.

Essay is pretty standard....

No offense but you appear to be dressing yourself as a victim here. Don't do that. It will make any school committees tend to be less lenient.


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[K31]

how common are medical students failing a 1st year class (I know not a lot but if there are stats/data on this, that would be helpful). Not in medical school but worried that I might be one of those that fall behind regardless of hard I work/study.

You have to treat med school as a job. During preclinicals I would probably put in 40 hours per week between class and studying most weeks (significantly more in the week leading up to a block of tests), but it doesn't have to consume your life.

 

[FIREitUP]

You have to treat med school as a job. During preclinicals I would probably put in 40 hours per week between class and studying most weeks (significantly more in the week leading up to a block of tests), but it doesn't have to consume your life.

YMMV, depending on your class commitments, i.e., the amount of required nonsense.

 

[K31]

YMMV, depending on your class commitments, i.e., the amount of required nonsense.

True; I'm fortunate enough to be at a school where that's at a minimum.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Essay is pretty standard....

Say what?!

 

[deleted307836]

A friend of mine is in his second year. He got two C'e but never failed, and his performance review board "wanted him to remediate the while year." I don't know much more than that.

This doesn't seem very plausible. Why would someone have to remediate an entire year for receiving two C's, when a "C" is a passing grade in and of itself? There has to be more to that story, this story is wrong, or this is not at an American school. Does his school not consider a "C" to be passing?

 

[Work]

This doesn't seem very plausible. Why would someone have to remediate an entire year for receiving two C's, when a "C" is a passing grade in and of itself? There has to be more to that story, this story is wrong, or this is not at an American school. Does his school not consider a "C" to be passing?

our school has marginal pass, pass, high pass, and honors. i think two marginals (70-74.99) will flag you for remediation.

 

[VenusinFurs]

GTFO

This.

Don't be a buttmunch.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Say what?!

For makeups.

I've attended 3 separate universities and have never seen anything else. I'm not saying there aren't other options. Just saying he probably shouldn't act so blindsided.

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[VenusinFurs]

I'm in year 1 at a Top 20 school on the East Coast.

Remediation was way harder than the course. Plus, the course director doesn't like me.

I am correct in assuming that that pretty much rules out anything competitive for me in medicine. F'in anatomy.

I have to retake the course as a second year.

Having to retake a course by no means rules you out for competitive stuff, especially if you're at a top 20 school.

 

[gravitywave]

our school has marginal pass, pass, high pass, and honors. i think two marginals (70-74.99) will flag you for remediation.

exactly. Cs mean different things different places. plenty of US schools have policies like this. whatever the lowest passing grade is, it's not a good idea to collect too many of them.

 

[gravitywave]

This doesn't seem very plausible. Why would someone have to remediate an entire year for receiving two C's, when a "C" is a passing grade in and of itself? There has to be more to that story, this story is wrong, or this is not at an American school. Does his school not consider a "C" to be passing?

check your student handbook. lots of people don't know about these kinds of policies, even at their own schools, if they've never had any reason to look into it.

 

[deleted307836]

exactly. Cs mean different things different places. plenty of US schools have policies like this. whatever the lowest passing grade is, it's not a good idea to collect too many of them.

Good to know.

 

[Planes2Doc]

For makeups.

I've attended 3 separate universities and have never seen anything else. I'm not saying there aren't other options. Just saying he probably shouldn't act so blindsided.

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That's absolutely insane. I was under the impression that every medical school exam was multiple choice.

A written Gross Anatomy exam sounds suicidal!

 

[SpecterGT260]

That's absolutely insane. I was under the impression that every medical school exam was multiple choice.

A written Gross Anatomy exam sounds suicidal!

Nearly every one is. But remediation and make ups are special circumstances. The issue is that profs don't want to re write test questions and giving a student either the same MC test he or she just failed or giving a student one the other students took already or giving it after the key is released doesn't make a lot of sense.

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[Planes2Doc]

Nearly every one is. But remediation and make ups are special circumstances. The issue is that profs don't want to re write test questions and giving a student either the same MC test he or she just failed or giving a student one the other students took already or giving it after the key is released doesn't make a lot of sense.

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Wow that is absolutely horrible. I was under the impression that remediation would be easier since you have already seen the information. Having to do it, especially something like Gross Anatomy or Biochem in a written format is just horrible. If students facing remediation have the option to choose between different AAMC-approved summer remediation programs, then I hope that they would at least put forth the effort to find the easiest one. Now I understand how some people will still fail remediation.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Wow that is absolutely horrible. I was under the impression that remediation would be easier since you have already seen the information. Having to do it, especially something like Gross Anatomy or Biochem in a written format is just horrible. If students facing remediation have the option to choose between different AAMC-approved summer remediation programs, then I hope that they would at least put forth the effort to find the easiest one. Now I understand how some people will still fail remediation.

Well, each school will be a little different. Honestly... each class will be a little different.

While in med school, we have had classes that if failed, you get an essay cumulative test to avoid failing (when the final was otherwise non-cumulative). We have had them that if failed, you take the a new MC test generated from the same private MC question bank for partial credit, full credit, whatever, with the idea being to pull your total grade over the fail line. We had a couple classes that if failed in MS1 you would take them in the summer with the PA class. This was actually a little easier because they fly through MS1 in an abbreviated fashion and don't have a couple of our hardest professors. It is all over the place. Each class should have this in the syllabus or orientation materials or online if your school supports such things. If your school has a single policy for such things it will more than likely be the same for all classes. The point is that the OP really shouldn't be too surprised or blame failure on poor communication on the part of the school. Maybe.... just maybe that is the case, but in my mind it is much more likely that the OP didn't pay close enough attention and didnt ask the right questions when he found out he was going to fail a course.

It is somewhat of a moot point, however. He will retake the course with the year below him, and as long as it never happens again he will be fine. A high step1 score will offset a failed course pretty easily. But then again residency interviews is a very subjective process as well. The idea is that even if specific doors are closed over this, there will still be plenty of doors unaffected within any specialty he wants.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Well, each school will be a little different. Honestly... each class will be a little different.

While in med school, we have had classes that if failed, you get an essay cumulative test to avoid failing (when the final was otherwise non-cumulative). We have had them that if failed, you take the a new MC test generated from the same private MC question bank for partial credit, full credit, whatever, with the idea being to pull your total grade over the fail line. We had a couple classes that if failed in MS1 you would take them in the summer with the PA class. This was actually a little easier because they fly through MS1 in an abbreviated fashion and don't have a couple of our hardest professors. It is all over the place. Each class should have this in the syllabus or orientation materials or online if your school supports such things. If your school has a single policy for such things it will more than likely be the same for all classes. The point is that the OP really shouldn't be too surprised or blame failure on poor communication on the part of the school. Maybe.... just maybe that is the case, but in my mind it is much more likely that the OP didn't pay close enough attention and didnt ask the right questions when he found out he was going to fail a course.

It is somewhat of a moot point, however. He will retake the course with the year below him, and as long as it never happens again he will be fine. A high step1 score will offset a failed course pretty easily. But then again residency interviews is a very subjective process as well. The idea is that even if specific doors are closed over this, there will still be plenty of doors unaffected within any specialty he wants.

Good point! Considering that pre-clinical grades are at the bottom of the barrel of things that are considered important for residency placement, it's good to know that people can redeem themselves with Step 1. Still, I can understand how people feel horrible when they fail a class. We were mostly at the top of our class in college, and never really had problems academically. Then all of a sudden you just can't keep up, and must feel completely alone when others are passing.

Wow, the transition to medical school can sure be a slap in the face.