How much does class rank matter if you pass everything

[Kevin Baker]

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I was wondering if students could chime in on class rank and how much it matters if one is still passing all of one's core classes.

I'm a first year at a P/F school and have been teaching myself out of Step 1 review books, and expanding my learning with the regular class 'required' texts, but I have largely ignored class lectures and class notes. In some ways, this has been great as I feel like I'm getting good exposure to the basic sciences while ignoring the fluff any individual professor might add. However, my class rank has definitely fallen and I am clearly in the bottom half of the class, though in no danger of failing. Am I setting myself up for failure when match comes around? Is this a decent strategy?

 

[scotchtapetest]

I was wondering if students could chime in on class rank and how much it matters if one is still passing all of one's core classes.

I'm a first year at a P/F school and have been teaching myself out of Step 1 review books, and expanding my learning with the regular class 'required' texts, but I have largely ignored class lectures and class notes. In some ways, this has been great as I feel like I'm getting good exposure to the basic sciences while ignoring the fluff any individual professor might add. However, my class rank has definitely fallen and I am clearly in the bottom half of the class, though in no danger of failing. Am I setting myself up for failure when match comes around? Is this a decent strategy?

How can you be at a P/F school, not fail anything and be at the bottom half of the class?

Regardless,
Top 20% vs. Top 30% doesn't matter!
Bottom 10% vs. Bottom 20% doesn't matter!
Top 10% vs. Bottom 10% makes a difference!

Awesome/Bad board scores trumps it all. However, my experience has been that people with better class rank USUALLY do better on the boards (there are exceptions), so it is somewhat of a vicious cycle!

Good Luck!

 

[DrWBD]

How can you be at a P/F school, not fail anything and be at the bottom half of the class?

While your transcripts will show only P or F, numeric grades are recorded to determine class rank.

 

[rad0nc]

I was wondering if students could chime in on class rank and how much it matters if one is still passing all of one's core classes.

I'm a first year at a P/F school and have been teaching myself out of Step 1 review books, and expanding my learning with the regular class 'required' texts, but I have largely ignored class lectures and class notes. In some ways, this has been great as I feel like I'm getting good exposure to the basic sciences while ignoring the fluff any individual professor might add. However, my class rank has definitely fallen and I am clearly in the bottom half of the class, though in no danger of failing. Am I setting myself up for failure when match comes around? Is this a decent strategy?

A student with a 250 on step 1 in the bottom half of her class >> 210 on step 1 in top 10%

 

[sylvanthus]

Your a first year and your focusing on board review books already? I would say to focus on your courses (yes, even the fluff) and try and get a good class rank and worry about boards more during second year.

Alot of people seem to think if they somewhat blow off classes and focus on boards early, that they are going to rock the boards and that will make up for a poor class rank/grades.

But, do you want to risk the possibility of sucking on boards AND having a low class rank? Best to do well in your courses so your rank is decent, and then hit board review hard the 2nd half of 2nd year imo.

 

[Dissected]

But, do you want to risk the possibility of sucking on boards AND having a low class rank? Best to do well in your courses so your rank is decent, and then hit board review hard the 2nd half of 2nd year imo.

👍

 

[Goro]

Concur here. Board scores are much more important than class rank. But keep in mind that your board grades are very much dependent upon your med school grades. ie, if you're a good student, you'll probably do wll on boards, but if you're a bad student, you'll have the highest liklihood of doing poorly on boards.

At our school, the bottom 5-10% are the ones who most commonly fail COMLEX.

Does your school give shelf exams (either USMLE or COMSAE)? we found both are pretty good predictors of COMLEX success.

A student with a 250 on step 1 in the bottom half of her class >> 210 on step 1 in top 10%

 

[FutureDoc01]

What do you consider bad? Like all C's or mostly B's and a few A's?

 

[Kevin Baker]

What do you consider bad? Like all C's or mostly B's and a few A's?

I'm at a h/p/f school, but slightly below average passing all the core classes and honoring or above average passing the other other classes.

 

[valkener]

Your a first year and your focusing on board review books already? I would say to focus on your courses (yes, even the fluff) and try and get a good class rank and worry about boards more during second year.

Alot of people seem to think if they somewhat blow off classes and focus on boards early, that they are going to rock the boards and that will make up for a poor class rank/grades.

But, do you want to risk the possibility of sucking on boards AND having a low class rank? Best to do well in your courses so your rank is decent, and then hit board review hard the 2nd half of 2nd year imo.

👍 End of Thread

 

[Goro]

I should say "poor" not bad; they're not bad people. I mean "poor student" by getting low Cs (grades of 70-75). The people who just barely pass are the ones who perform the worst on COMLEX. But a high C (77-79)? They'll do OK.

What do you consider bad? Like all C's or mostly B's and a few A's?

 

[dermpathdoc]

A student with a 250 on step 1 in the bottom half of her class >> 210 on step 1 in top 10%

then there is a student who was top 10% who decides doesnt need to study for COMLEX and fails...

 

[DrUKDO]

In all my residency interviews, I haven't been asked about my class rank. I haven't been asked about my board scores either, they just wanted to know if I passed on my first attempt.

It really depends on where you want to go for residency: allopathic vs. osteopathic, specialized vs. primary care, on how much weight the program will put on class rank, board scores, and GPA.