Failed Emergency Medicine Clerkship- Any Advice?

[bobeanie95]

Hi all! Haven't been on this forum for awhile. Long story short I failed my EM clerkship rotation. EM was one of my first rotations back since the 6 month med school COVID quarantine and I was going through some personal issues. The clerkship was condensed from 4 weeks to 2 weeks and I never received feedback during the rotation.

I passed my shelf exam and OSCE. However, I missed the pass cut-off by 2 points and there were concerns about professionalism since I submitted two assignments late and I slept through the online didactics which was the day after my overnight shift.

As of now it seems that my transcript will have a Fail and I will need to re-take the clerkship next year. A school dean and a clerkship director know about my situation and they both encouraged me to start an appeal process.

However, I am trying to mentally prepare for how this will impact residency if the fail stands. To give you some perspective, I am at a top 3 medical school, have passed all my other pre-clinical exams and clerkships. I am interested in applying to psychiatry.

The whole situation has been stressing me out and I would love to hear any feedback/suggestions. Thank you!

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[Sriddymopboi]

Hi all! Haven't been on this forum for awhile. Long story short I failed my EM clerkship rotation. EM was one of my first rotations back since the 6 month med school COVID quarantine and I was going through some personal issues. The clerkship was condensed from 4 weeks to 2 weeks and I never received feedback during the rotation.

I passed my shelf exam and OSCE. However, I missed the pass cut-off by 2 points and there were concerns about professionalism since I submitted two assignments late and I slept through the online didactics which was the day after my overnight shift.

As of now it seems that my transcript will have a Fail and I will need to re-take the clerkship next year. A school dean and a clerkship director know about my situation and they both encouraged me to start an appeal process.

However, I am trying to mentally prepare for how this will impact residency if the fail stands. To give you some perspective, I am at a top 3 medical school, have passed all my other pre-clinical exams and clerkships. I am interested in applying to psychiatry.

The whole situation has been stressing me out and I would love to hear any feedback/suggestions. Thank you!

Seems like you have 2 options here... btw, are you a 3rd year?

1. Appeal and most likely get handed a makeup assignment (either writing an essay) or might even have to do some weekend shifts to make up for it
2. Don't appeal and then your residency program competitiveness gets tanked.

Which option would you rather choose?

 

[bobeanie95]

Seems like you have 2 options here... btw, are you a 3rd year?

1. Appeal and most likely get handed a makeup assignment (either writing an essay) or might even have to do some weekend shifts to make up for it
2. Don't appeal and then your residency program competitiveness gets tanked.

Which option would you rather choose?

I submitted an appeal letter this week offering to make up written assignments and additional weekend shifts. Yes, I'm a third year.

 

[ciestar]

They make you sit through didactics even after an overnight? My residency program doesnt even make me do that.

 

[Dr. Doctor MD]

Hi all! Haven't been on this forum for awhile. Long story short I failed my EM clerkship rotation. EM was one of my first rotations back since the 6 month med school COVID quarantine and I was going through some personal issues. The clerkship was condensed from 4 weeks to 2 weeks and I never received feedback during the rotation.

I passed my shelf exam and OSCE. However, I missed the pass cut-off by 2 points and there were concerns about professionalism since I submitted two assignments late and I slept through the online didactics which was the day after my overnight shift.

As of now it seems that my transcript will have a Fail and I will need to re-take the clerkship next year. A school dean and a clerkship director know about my situation and they both encouraged me to start an appeal process.

However, I am trying to mentally prepare for how this will impact residency if the fail stands. To give you some perspective, I am at a top 3 medical school, have passed all my other pre-clinical exams and clerkships. I am interested in applying to psychiatry.

The whole situation has been stressing me out and I would love to hear any feedback/suggestions. Thank you!

Honestly even with a fail and remediation (worst case scenario) I think you'll be completely fine. You're applying psych which is not competitive and you go to a "top 3" school. Despite what some people say online and in person psychiatry is still not "competitive" especially if you're flexible on location. Sure a fail is a red flag and will look bad, but assuming everything else is fine, you'll have no issue matching somewhere in psych, and honestly it might even be at a pretty decent place. However, I would imagine that a fail would likely bar you from the more prestigious/top tier psych programs.

 

[7331poas]

why the hell is a top 3 medical school screwing over one of their medical students. admins man

 

[Tenk]

You should not be penalized for missing didactics after a night shift, assuming it was a true night shift and you got out at like 6-8 am. I’d fight that since usually programs even allow this for residents and that would probably bump you up.

 

[Mass Effect]

Hi all! Haven't been on this forum for awhile. Long story short I failed my EM clerkship rotation. EM was one of my first rotations back since the 6 month med school COVID quarantine and I was going through some personal issues. The clerkship was condensed from 4 weeks to 2 weeks and I never received feedback during the rotation.

I passed my shelf exam and OSCE. However, I missed the pass cut-off by 2 points and there were concerns about professionalism since I submitted two assignments late and I slept through the online didactics which was the day after my overnight shift

None of the bolded matters and has the potential to make your case worse. Don't use it in your appeal.

Why did you submit the assignments late and how late? I agree that you shouldn't be expected at didactics after overnights, but if that's the rule, that's the rule and it's the rule for everyone which means that you should adhere to it, regardless how you feel about it (how you feel about it goes in the end-of-rotation feedback).

Was your overnight truly overnight? I had a student once tell me he couldn't come to didactics due to an overnight. When I looked into it, it turned out the resident let him go home at midnight, so definitely not an overnight.

Yes this will hurt you, even for psych. It likely won't close all your doors or anything, but an MS3 failure in ED is a big red flag and something 99% of your competitors won't have on their application. If there's any notation of unprofessionalism on your transcript or in your Dean's letter, I'm afraid that'll hurt even worse.

Upon appeal, you need to admit to your shortcomings (without any excuses), apologize, and tell them you're willing to do ED for one of your MS4 electives and see if they will change the MS3 grade to Pass contingent upon successful MS4 completion of the rotation. Then take ED in July of your MS4 year and ace it.