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Question about Grades Preclinical
Started by nycfella
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How important is AOA for gen surgery? What should I have on my transcript? I'm a 1st year and it looks like I'll be getting P's and maybe HP's. I doubt I'll be honoring anything anytime soon...Should I just count surgery out?
Seriously? You're like 1 month into med school and you want to give up on surgery because you aren't aceing first year?
Preclinical grades are not very important. You should try to do well in your classes because the material matters, but you don't need to give up on a career plan because of it.
As for AOA: I looked at last year's NRMP chart. 767 american medical students matched in general surgery. 673 of them did not have AOA.
I have to generally agree with Southern on the comments thus far... But, your already defeated approach in and of itself is what I would encourage you to look at closely. You should be studying hard and anticipating a good result. If you are not doing that, yes, I would encourage you to count surgery and other challenging training programs out of contention....I doubt I'll be honoring anything anytime soon...Should I just count surgery out?
JAD
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Seriously? You're like 1 month into med school and you want to give up on surgery because you aren't aceing first year?
Preclinical grades are not very important. You should try to do well in your classes because the material matters, but you don't need to give up on a career plan because of it.
As for AOA: I looked at last year's NRMP chart. 767 american medical students matched in general surgery. 673 of them did not have AOA.
I know, I know, I'm a ******, but I googled this stuff and most things I got said AOA is important. I guess I'm just a typical ******ed medical student who needs reassurance...thanks guys.
I know, I know, I'm a ******, but I googled this stuff and most things I got said AOA is important. I guess I'm just a typical ******ed medical student who needs reassurance...thanks guys.
1) Drop "******ed" from your vocabulary. It will offend people.
2) This is exactly what JAD was talking about - you seem to already have this very deflated, negative outlook. You have got to try and work on this - it will negatively affect your performance in school and your general emotional/psychologic health.
Typical medical student should get their reassurance from their actual performance. Too many folks try to follow the over-inflating reassurance of friends and buddies. Work hard, study, learn all you can, then look into the mirror and reassure yourself based on facts and data. As a physician, you are top dog (in whatever specialty) and thus having your "subordinates" or an online forum reassure you is silly and potentially dangerous. Stand-up and accept the responsibility and benefits of your position with each rung of the ladder you now climb. That is in large part why it is so often echoed to question posters that... they should research the field in real data i.e. publications/etc... and not just what you hear. Get real facts....I guess I'm just a typical ...medical student who needs reassurance...
JAD
N
njbmd
How important is AOA for gen surgery? What should I have on my transcript? I'm a 1st year and it looks like I'll be getting P's and maybe HP's. I doubt I'll be honoring anything anytime soon...Should I just count surgery out?
1) Drop "******ed" from your vocabulary. It will offend people.
2) This is exactly what JAD was talking about - you seem to already have this very deflated, negative outlook. You have got to try and work on this - it will negatively affect your performance in school and your general emotional/psychologic health.
Typical medical student should get their reassurance from their actual performance. Too many folks try to follow the over-inflating reassurance of friends and buddies. Work hard, study, learn all you can, then look into the mirror and reassure yourself based on facts and data. As a physician, you are top dog (in whatever specialty) and thus having your "subordinates" or an online forum reassure you is silly and potentially dangerous. Stand-up and accept the responsibility and benefits of your position with each rung of the ladder you now climb. That is in large part why it is so often echoed to question posters that... they should research the field in real data i.e. publications/etc... and not just what you hear. Get real facts.
JAD
Face the facts, most allopathic medical students are not going to achieve AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha) status. Many of those same students will be able to match into great General Surgery programs with consistent good grades in pre-clinical coursework and an excellent third year coupled with a strong USMLE Step 1 score.
AOA does not automatically give any guarantees that any specialty or residency program is going to be "salivating" over you. Yes, AOA does open doors but every specialty and every residency program may not be a good fit you in spite of what you "hear" out there on the "grapevine".
Do your best in your coursework. Decide right now that if you are not getting the grades that you want, you will change what you need and do better. Then plan on doing well from here on out. AOA is not going to "make or break" you in terms of getting into a good residency/specialty as many schools don't even have a chapter of AOA but they do have great academics that you can excel in at any point.
JADs last post is excellent advice so read it carefully and take it. Southern IM has some good advice above too. Your "reassurance" needs to come for your satisfaction that you have performed your best and not from external sources. Chill out, you have more medical school yet to come than behind you. Think of it as more opportunities to excel.
Thanks for all of the advice. My apologies for the immature language. I've got to study now.
regards,
nycfella
Now, you're making some sense! 😉
