How Do Residencies View Withdrawals from Pre-Clinicals?

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Far7anR

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How to residencies view withdrawals from basic science classes?

I am an IMG who dropped Anatomy and had C's on everything else in first semester. I remedied my issues in the middle of the second semester and and looking at a B in anatomy, and an A and C in two other classes.

Assuming I keep myself straight from here on out as far as grades, and do well on boards, etc., can I expect to be forgiven for my first semester? Is withdrawing seen the same way is failing?

If it is worth anything, I am looking into IM, EM, neurology or oncology.

Thanks.
 
How to residencies view withdrawals from basic science classes?

I am an IMG who dropped Anatomy and had C's on everything else in first semester. I remedied my issues in the middle of the second semester and and looking at a B in anatomy, and an A and C in two other classes.

Assuming I keep myself straight from here on out as far as grades, and do well on boards, etc., can I expect to be forgiven for my first semester? Is withdrawing seen the same way is failing?

If it is worth anything, I am looking into IM, EM, neurology or oncology.

Thanks.

There is a high correlation of students not matching when they do not stick to the schedule for graduating with their class. The only hope you have now is getting 240+ on Step 1 and hope to still match because of not passing the first time, in anything.
 
wow u make it sound like its rather hopeless. does anyone have any experience or anecdotes correlating with this?
 
thanks for both of you for replying.

is there anyone who can actually give me a solid answer?
 
It depends on your reason for withdrawing. What issues were you having? Still, it will be viewed negatively and hurt you. In medicine you are rarely forgiven for slipping up. Even for legitimate reasons.
 
bad study habits and some personal issues.

kinda weird that people on studentdoc have said in the past that failing anatomy doesn't mean ur screwed if u do well from here on out, but a withdrawal is getting only negative responses :/
 
You are IMG, first negative (I am IMG as well); You dropped Anatomy and had to retake it the second semester, while getting Cs in the other 1st term classes and still getting another C in first year classes. Ok, they may not look at it as critically as I am right there about the Cs, but if you remediated yourself and still can only get Cs; you are highly unlikely to get a good board score.
 
I think you can remedy this situation. In reality, you had better remedy this situation. If you don't, you will have wasted tuition and years and effort assuming you don't have a backup. To be honest, unless you turn into some winged god of studying and success you probably won't get into oncology. Doesn't mean you shouldn't try. SDN views IMGs very negatively, but if you are an IMG, why listen to them. If you listen to them, you give up and you fail. You are already in an international medical school, you really have no choice. Making 200k a year as a IM doc is much much preferable to a failed medical school grad who is unemployed and in 250k debt.
 
Radiation-oncology is out for a carib grad without big publications. IM and ER are still doable, but EM is getting really competitive and you'd be competing against many people with good board scores, no withdrawals, and AMG. Its a huge uphill battle you'd better be prepared for.
 
You should drop out of school now and save yourself the additional debt. I'm not trying to be mean here, but you aren't going to match to residency.
 
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