QUOTED: Unsatisfactory on transcript

[NotAProgDirector]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi,
I really want to go into surgery, but unfortunately I have a unsatisfactory in pharmacology and have to remediate it this summer. This is the only bad grade I have on my transcript but I know that a lot of surgical residencies prescreen and if there is even one bad grade they don't look at your application. Because of this I am pushing the start of rotations and taking the Step 1 later. I hope to get a good grade on step 1 and during clinical rotations but I am not sure if that will be enough to get me into even a bad surgical residency. Should I take a year off to do research or should I just study hard and do well on step 1? I am really afraid that this one course is going to ruin my chances of being a surgeon.

What's done is done. Other than remediating the pharm grade, you need to make your application look as good as possible. I'd suggest:

1. No further unsatisfactory grades.
2. Do as well on Step 1 as possible.
3. Do not take a year off for research unless you really want to.
4. Perhaps try to get invovled with a small, clinical research project while a medical student but only if it doesn't affect your grades / Step 1. Those are the most important things.
5. DO well on your clinical clerkships.
6. I expect if all else goes well, you will get interviews in surgery.
7. If not, or you don't match in surgery, that's when it's time to take a year to do research.