Is this rotation evaluation comment a big deal?

[premedpower8484848]

Hey all,

Just finished my very first rotation, Psych, a few weeks ago at a local clinic. It was 5 weeks long and I worked with 6 different attendants including the one who was the lead.

I worked hard and thought I did really well. The only thing is that one day there was a large accident on the freeway and it took me 50 minutes instead of 20 minutes to the rotation. Thus I was 15 minutes late. Unfortunately it was one of the days I was working with the lead attending. I explained my tardiness to them.

At the end of the rotation I had all 5 attendants other than the lead attending I worked with fill out an evaluation to help the lead attending compile a final evaluation. All 5 of the attendants gave me a 5/5 and provided me with glowing feedback.

However, I just received my final evaluation and the lead attending gave me a total grade of 43/50 with all of the comments being very positive but with one of the comments at the end saying that “I wasn’t always on time”.

I ended up getting a high pass on the rotation but this is really frustrating to me. I ended up with a high shelf score and did everything I possibly could. All 5 other attendings liked me a lot and I worked with them 80% of the time.

I plan to go into a competitive speciality and know clerkship grades/comments are important. Would this grade and that one negative comment the attending made make a big difference? If so do you think I should appeal this grade?

It’s honestly so frustrating when it feels like you tried so hard for 6 weeks only for one bad day or person who decides not to like you to ruin everything. I’m not sure how 5/6 attendants thought I was great while one decided I wasn’t very good when I was performing the same way with each of them.

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[cj_cregg]

Unfortunate that the attending decided to include that for a one-off. Some medical schools might consider not including that in the MSPE if it truly was a one time thing (and at my school, we even had a separate area in our evals to give feedback that would NOT be in the MSPE for stuff like this - where it was felt the feedback was warranted, but did not rise to the l level of needing to wind up in the MSPE and potentially affect career prospects). Might be worth checking into.

At my program, this comment would probably raise an eyebrow or two - most people have zero actual criticism in the evals. But, if it was an isolated comment and there were no other red flags suggesting a pattern of issues with professionalism, promptness, interpersonal communication, etc. then I don't think it would make or break you.

 

[Detailsmatter]

I personally would talk to your clerkship leadership about it. worst they say is nothing can be done. but as the person above mentioned "Student wasn't always on time" makes it sound like a recurring issue and seems like a red flag. I would stress it was a one time thing and that its not representative of your professionalism on the rotation and that it shouldn't be counted as a comment

 

[premedpower8484848]

Unfortunate that the attending decided to include that for a one-off. Some medical schools might consider not including that in the MSPE if it truly was a one time thing (and at my school, we even had a separate area in our evals to give feedback that would NOT be in the MSPE for stuff like this - where it was felt the feedback was warranted, but did not rise to the l level of needing to wind up in the MSPE and potentially affect career prospects). Might be worth checking into.

At my program, this comment would probably raise an eyebrow or two - most people have zero actual criticism in the evals. But, if it was an isolated comment and there were no other red flags suggesting a pattern of issues with professionalism, promptness, interpersonal communication, etc. then I don't think it would make or break you.

Thanks yeah I’ll definitely talk to them about it. There were no other red flags but it’s kind of frustrating considering I only was slightly late one day.

 

[Browns99]

I would appeal the HP, since as you noted, it was a one-time occurrence and everything else would support honoring the rotation. Any way to get information on the traffic/accident to show proof?

 

[operaman]

Would 100% appeal assuming you truly weren’t late or just barely on time any other point during the rotation. If it was truly a one-time event, I think you have a shot at getting it removed.

Start with the clerkship director, explain the situation as you did here. Ask if the lead attending would be willing to review their comments in light of that being a singular event with a very good reason and not reflective of your performance at any other point. You can reference the other glowing evals as well. Chances are that doc just forgot the context when doing evals.

If that doesn’t work, consider emailing that attending directly. Nothing to lose at that point. Just respectfully ask them to reconsider their feedback and wording on your MSPE since it doesn’t accurately reflect your performance over the whole rotation.

If I’m truth it was a recurring issue then you probably have to eat it and just do better next time so it isn’t a pattern.

 

[allantois]

Attending not attendant

 

[RunsOnCaffeine]

Start with the clerkship director, explain the situation as you did here. Ask if the lead attending would be willing to review their comments in light of that being a singular event with a very good reason and not reflective of your performance at any other point. You can reference the other glowing evals as well. Chances are that doc just forgot the context when doing evals.

I would just add that you should check with your school's rotations department prior to touching base with the lead attending. At my school, we were not allowed to reach out directly to the person about the evaluations - it had to be done through the department. A couple classmates got into trouble for doing so.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Talk with your clerkship director. That's a dumb reason to dock you points.

 

[cj_cregg]

Would also add - I think clarifying that you're not necessarily looking for a grade change, just concerned about the impact of the comments showing up on your MSPE would probably help your case here

 

[mistafab]

I am on the opposite end on this from others.

I think saying wasn’t always in time is a fair assessment. I think let bygones be bygones. If this is the worst eval you ever get then just move on. A HP won’t end your career. The comment won’t kill you. You’ll be fine.

Always trying to fix things that are imperfect is a foolish waste of time.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Show up early the rest of third year and you’ll be fine.

 

[0ncogene]

I would not appeal either. I would just take it as a learning point and move on. Just make sure you're always on time in the future and you will be fine. You'll look back in a few years, and you will see that this one comment was no big deal. However, if another attending mentions another tardiness while doing another rotation, then that would raise a red flag.