How many exams have you failed?

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xanthomondo

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I thought this would be fun, and may even be relaxing for incoming students (to see that a lot of people fail tests, and they're still doing just fine)

How many exams have you bombed? What subject?

For me, I managed to get through MSI with only tanking 1 exam, Renal physio (60%)

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0 from the first 2 years....
 
I failed the first physio exam (cardio) because I didn't understand the emphasis on all those darn graphs!!! I thought the graphs were there to explain concepts but turns out I should have been using the concepts to understand the graphs. Did fine once I figured that one out.

I also failed the bacteria test for microbiology. The test was poorly written and ended up with a huge curve and I high passed the class. Some of my classmates failed that test and honored the class, ridiculous.
 
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none so far *pounds chest*
 
None fully, but I failed segments of tests in anatomy (2 writtens and 1 wet practical). I hated anatomy. I never fully failed a test when all 3 parts were put together.
 
I wish this were a poll.

I hesitate to use blanket statements, but it appears quite normal to fail or come close to failing an exam or two.

I think I failed my first micro test by one point. Oops. Fortunately we have a total points system for final grading, and doing well on subsequent exams helped.
 
Am I the only one who doesn't pay attention to what I fail? What is a fail anyway, under 75? I think I've gotten under 75 on one, pharm, and still got a B+ in the class... but really I've never been off the deep end of the curve. When I get a low score the rest of the class does too. Note to the incoming MS1s... if you fail a test you should just put it out of your mind and do better next time. No crying to mama about an F... it means nothing, got it?! Something most people learn in college... yeesh.
 
Out of curiosity, anyone know how common it actually is to fail an exam in med school? I mean, how many people have failed at least one exam by the time they graduate?

On the histograms our professors send out, it seems as if 1-3 people usually fail a given exam, so maybe I'd guess 15-20% of people have flunked an exam?
 
Am I the only one who doesn't pay attention to what I fail? What is a fail anyway, under 75? I think I've gotten under 75 on one, pharm, and still got a B+ in the class... but really I've never been off the deep end of the curve. When I get a low score the rest of the class does too. Note to the incoming MS1s... if you fail a test you should just put it out of your mind and do better next time. No crying to mama about an F... it means nothing, got it?! Something most people learn in college... yeesh.

So this isn't quite true at all schools. At mine depending on the class failing an exam can mean anything from having to retake the exam at the end of the year or risk failing the class to nothing at all as long as you still pull a passing grade for the whole class. If it was the former you better believe I would "pay attention" if i failed...not good times.
 
So this isn't quite true at all schools. At mine depending on the class failing an exam can mean anything from having to retake the exam at the end of the year or risk failing the class to nothing at all as long as you still pull a passing grade for the whole class. If it was the former you better believe I would "pay attention" if i failed...not good times.

You raise a good point. We have the latter at our school - a bunch of exams, but they all just count towards total points. So technically, you could fail an exam miserably and still pass with total points.
 
I don't think I've ever gotten a failing grade for a test, but I've failed individual parts (subjects) of tests (integrated curriculum). I think I got a 58 or something on one of our microanatomy tests, fortunately, there were only 12 questions, and the class average was in the high 50's, if I recall. :p I also failed the written part of the head and neck exam for some bizarre reason - I studied my ass off and was rocking practice questions - but did well enough on the practical to almost pull a B overall. That's all I can remember, but there were probably a couple more.
 
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2. Pelvis perinium lower limb written anatomy. Biochemistry test 2 on the pathways. To show how unimportant they are I got a 245 on step 1. I also did pretty well in M2.
 
none in the first 3 years.
 
My lowest exam grade in the first 2 years was the Physiology final in MS1 (81%). Oddly enough, come to think of it, I've only broken 95 on a major exam once. I guess I'm just consistently boring and predictable.

I've tanked 2 quizzes in the first 2 years. Mid 50's on a Physio cardio quiz. And barely broke 50 on our last Pharmacology segment quiz (which I intentionally threw), which had absolutely no effect on my grade because it was dropped and I still Honored. :D
 
2. Pelvis perinium lower limb written anatomy. Biochemistry test 2 on the pathways. To show how unimportant they are I got a 245 on step 1. I also did pretty well in M2.


Nice work on Step I. Were you studying for it as you went along during M1 and/or M2?
 
Two. I failed an anatomy practical purely on my own merits. Also walked in at 9 instead of 8 for a biochem exam thanks to effin' daylight savings, talk about fulfilling a nightmare. At least I didn't show up without my pants!
 
i have had a rough day upon finding out i failed a physio test by 2 points--this was the first exam and its topics were neurophys and body fluids. i took physio in ugrad and did well. i m completely shocked. any pointers on studying med school physio? we just started cardio today. this is the first test i've failed in medical school.
 
I'm a medical student. I don't fail exams!:sleep:
 
So far, I've failed two exams. I'm an MSI.

I failed the Neuro I final with a whopping 59. It was worth 80 percent of our course grade, so I had to repeat in summer and I passed with an 83 on the second try.

I also failed the Biochem final with a 62, but passed the course.

But guess what? I'm doing the best I can, and I'm still going to be a doctor!
 
I didn't fail any exams. Like not ever. But its been public school the whole way, so I still can't read
 
Two. I failed an anatomy practical purely on my own merits. Also walked in at 9 instead of 8 for a biochem exam thanks to effin' daylight savings, talk about fulfilling a nightmare. At least I didn't show up without my pants!

:laugh:
 
So far, I've failed two exams. I'm an MSI.

I failed the Neuro I final with a whopping 59. It was worth 80 percent of our course grade, so I had to repeat in summer and I passed with an 83 on the second try.

I also failed the Biochem final with a 62, but passed the course.

But guess what? I'm doing the best I can, and I'm still going to be a doctor!

hopefully...
 
I scored an impressive 52% on my head and neck anatomy practical (in fact, I vividly remember inventing names for several mystery muscles). Luckily, I scored a 95 or so on the written, so it averaged out to a passing grade.

That was the only exam or quiz I've ever had a problem with.
 
I wonder what you said before the edit, lol.

I'm sorry though--my previous comment was harsh and uncalled for. I'm sure you'll make a fine physician:)
 
No worries.

I let my ego get the better of me for a brief moment, but then put it in perspective, lol.
 
Me: 245 on Step I but failed psychiatry shelf. Damn, that exam got me. Absolutely no clue how it happened. Retaking it in a week, and I've studied my butt off for psychiatry.

Pimp me for DSM-IV, I'll kick yar ass
 
Well, only one semester in but I've failed aspects of tests. Passing overall but I did get below 70 on my second lab practical.
 
Me: 245 on Step I but failed psychiatry shelf. Damn, that exam got me. Absolutely no clue how it happened. Retaking it in a week, and I've studied my butt off for psychiatry.

Pimp me for DSM-IV, I'll kick yar ass

2nd try on this psychiatry shelf in 37min. Good luck for me!
 
good luck yeast:luck:

Thank you :) I just spanked it. There are maybe 8-10 for which I was not 100% sure, but everything else was very straightforward. Also, considering the fact that I will be curved with a bunch of MS3s who are taking shelf exam for the first time, my chance of passing is astronomically high. All I need is a passing grade.
 
Anatomy lab head and neck practical. And I came darn close to failing truncal anatomy as well.

Didn't stop me from becoming a gen surg resident....
 
Anatomy lab head and neck practical. And I came darn close to failing truncal anatomy as well.

Didn't stop me from becoming a gen surg resident....
Failed 3 classes. Micro by one point, Pharm by 5 points and Clinical neuro by 18 pts. Made all 3 up over the summer and BAM I'm back in the game. Switched my style of studying and I'm getting B's in cardio system. Nothing to it
 
I just failed my first anatomy practical by a point, and I'm kicking myself in the ass because I changed two right answers to wrong answers and two more I had the right answer but was not specific enough. I know it's still early and I can pull it up, and I passed my written exam fine. This has convinced me once more cramming is bad; I watched TV before my written and crammed before practical.
 
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i passed the entire anatomy block with a final grade somewhere between 69.5% and 69.9% (it rounded up to 70%=pass). I've never come close to failing anything else so I try to just block that part of my life out of my memory.
 
Failed a physio test first year with a 68%. I had gotten high grades on several previous tests in the couse so I sort of let myself not study because I knew I couldn't fail the course anymore. I think I still hit the class average for the course overall.

More impressively I failed my first microbio test (only two tests in the course) with a truely awful 55%. I tried, too. I just studied wrong. I did rather well on the second test and ended up just barely passing the course, but I basically didn't do anything other than eat, sleep, and study in between those two exams.

Finally, to all the medical student stereotypes that are posting on this thread just to say they haven't ever failed anything: WTF? Do you go to AA meetings to say that you can drink responsibly? Or to weight watchers meeting just to let everyone know that you have a fast metabolism? At funerals do you casually mention the fact that you're still alive right now? I just don't get people.
 
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Finally, to all the medical student stereotypes that are posting on this thread just to say they haven't ever failed anything: WTF? Do you go to AA meetings to say that you can drink responsibly? Or to weight watchers meeting just to let everyone know that you have a fast metabolism? At funerals do you casually mention the fact that you're still alive right now? I just don't get people.



To be fair, they're answering the question posed in the thread title. I don't see the problem.
 
Our class average for the first anatomy practical was 69%.
 
To be fair, they're answering the question posed in the thread title. I don't see the problem.

I took this quote from the first post:

I thought this would be fun, and may even be relaxing for incoming students (to see that a lot of people fail tests, and they're still doing just fine)

To imply that this thread was not really for the people that never failed anything. I see your point, though.
 
I just failed my anatomy practical and written :( .... for those of you who changed your study habits what did you do?

*i had a lot of emotional stress due my engagement being broken up a few weeks ago...but not sure if that had anything to do with it :(
 
I just failed my anatomy practical and written :( .... for those of you who changed your study habits what did you do?

*i had a lot of emotional stress due my engagement being broken up a few weeks ago...but not sure if that had anything to do with it :(

I'd be willing to bet that had everything to do with it.

There are 2 ways to improve in med school from studying: Do it more, or do it more efficiently. I suggest both. Don't be drastic about it, changes take time. try things that others are doing and see if it works for you. If it doesn't, drop that and move on to something else.
 
I barely passed my first round of exams, and the class averages where ridiculously high. I'm sure I'll end up failing at least one exam this year.
 
I barely passed my first round of exams, and the class averages where ridiculously high. I'm sure I'll end up failing at least one exam this year.


Nah try not to take that attitude. See if you can find out from some of your friends what they're doing that works for them if they scored well. And try to figure out what did you in. Was it too many detail-oriented questions? Or are you having trouble with the big picture?
 
I barely passed my first round of exams, and the class averages where ridiculously high. I'm sure I'll end up failing at least one exam this year.

One thing I wouldn't dwell on is the class average. At my school anyway, many of the students come from post-bach programs where they take the entire first year of medical school before actually matriculating. They go through the identical courses (with identical exams) twice around, so this obviously puts them at a huge advantage (yet they might not actually know the material that well.) Some students can even elect to do a two year program, where they pretty much take the first two years of medical school before actually entering. It seems unfair but from the school's perspective thats $$$ in their pocket.

Make sure you're learning the material, though. You should be able to teach the processes/facts to someone else off the top of your head. Sometimes if you try doing that you'll see you'll learn things, and it will stick in your head.
 
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