Remediation and repeating 1st year.

[litgirl346]

Maybe someone can help me understand why my school does this. I failed 2 courses during M1 after taking my finals a day after a surgery. I passed both remediation exams and went on to 2nd year courses. I was surprised to see that my academic probation was not lifted after passing remediation. I failed another now in second year after my daughters birth. My remediation exam is scheduled and I am ready to take it. However, after meeting with the Dean he adviced that taking the exam will essentially just be a waste of time. The promotions committee will either ask me to repeat the year or withdraw. He added taking the exam and passing it will only strengthen the argument of repeating. I am now puzzled. What is the purpose of passing remediation? I have passed them all and to me I have passed my second attempt at the courses. How can I prepare for the promotions committee meeting?

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[Chelsea FC]

They look at all of your grades and I think they are worried that you lack the foundation moving forward and you need to take some time off to fix the problems you are experiencing. Alot of classmates deal with death, divorces and births and still able to pass their exams. Long story short they dont want you to fail STEP1 which will look bad on their end.

 

[litgirl346]

They look at all of your grades and I think they are worried that you lack the foundation moving forward and you need to take some time off to fix the problems you are experiencing. Alot of classmates deal with death, divorces and births and still able to pass their exams. Long story short they dont want you to fail STEP1 which will look bad on their end.

I completely understand that reasoning. However, what is the point of remediation exams? I have invested time in them and passed them all. This would make more sense if I failed the remediations.

 

[7331poas]

I completely understand that reasoning. However, what is the point of remediation exams? I have invested time in them and passed them all. This would make more sense if I failed the remediations.

Theoretically, if a student failed every course and successfully remediated every course, I think it would be best for that student to repeat a year.

The purpose of the remediation exams are for students who have a one-off event that caused them to fail a single course. In that event the student could just remediate and move on.

 

[Chelsea FC]

I completely understand that reasoning. However, what is the point of remediation exams? I have invested time in them and passed them all. This would make more sense if I failed the remediations.

After you passed the remediation classes 1st year you were placed on academic probation. This was a way of the school giving you a second chance but also keeping a close eye on you to make sure you dont make the same mistakes again. When you failed your 3rd course in 2nd year this means there might be something more going on that you need to take a year off to correct. The committee could meet and either dismiss you from school altogether(which is rare/harsh) or ask you to remediate the year based on the school's policies. The Dean who either sites on the promotions committee or works closely with them kinda already knows they will tell you to redo the year hence why he is saying that taking that exam isnt worth it.

He might be signaling about not taking the remediation exam because if you do and fail it might be schools policy to dismiss you which is not worth the risk of simply just repeating the year.

 

[differentiating]

Yeah, if you needed remediation for so many courses, it’s reasonable for them to have you repeat a year. It’d be one thing if it was a one-time issue, but the fact that you’ve struggled with multiple tests indicates that the problem hasn’t been resolved yet.

 

[Chelsea FC]

Regarding how to prepare for the promotions committee meeting. I see it a lot like an interview, dress business casual and tell your story and own up to your shortcomings. The fact that they give you a second chance 1st year means your chances are slim this time around so repeating the year is your best bet.

 

[Chelsea FC]

It sucks OP few students go through this, but get all the help you need and come back stronger.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I completely understand that reasoning. However, what is the point of remediation exams? I have invested time in them and passed them all. This would make more sense if I failed the remediations.

I think the point of the first two exams was that if you passed and from that point forward you had no issues on future exams, that would have been sufficient. However, if you need a second chance on an exam yet again... that shows your foundation just isn't where it needs to be right now.

Sounds like you have some good reasons why you were distracted during first year, but I would not take this as your school being uncaring or punitive--rather, you want to make sure that when you sit for step 1 you're as prepared as you reasonably can be, and so take this as an opportunity to tap the breaks a little bit and really solidify the material this time around.

 

[mistafab]

I think there is clear evidence that your school is doing what it can to set you up for success.

I would trust them. 1 year is a blink of an eye if it means a long and successful career in medicine.

 

[kb1900]

I think there is clear evidence that your school is doing what it can to set you up for success.

I would trust them. 1 year is a blink of an eye if it means a long and successful career in medicine.

Failures + 1 year to get your stuff together and then avg-above avg step 1 > Failures and then barely passing step 1 > failures then failing step 1

 

[hungrydoc710]

They look at all of your grades and I think they are worried that you lack the foundation moving forward and you need to take some time off to fix the problems you are experiencing. Alot of classmates deal with death, divorces and births and still able to pass their exams. Long story short they dont want you to fail STEP1 which will look bad on their end.

Good response.
Now let's hope for that Lampard appointment, yeah?

 

[hungrydoc710]

Another year of tuition owed?

From what I know, those who remediated at my school, you either passed or failed comprehensive exam - if you passed all good, but if you failed you got kicked out with potentially not being able to come back next year.

 

[Goro]

Maybe someone can help me understand why my school does this. I failed 2 courses during M1 after taking my finals a day after a surgery. I passed both remediation exams and went on to 2nd year courses. I was surprised to see that my academic probation was not lifted after passing remediation. I failed another now in second year after my daughters birth. My remediation exam is scheduled and I am ready to take it. However, after meeting with the Dean he adviced that taking the exam will essentially just be a waste of time. The promotions committee will either ask me to repeat the year or withdraw. He added taking the exam and passing it will only strengthen the argument of repeating. I am now puzzled. What is the purpose of passing remediation? I have passed them all and to me I have passed my second attempt at the courses. How can I prepare for the promotions committee meeting?

Remediation shows that you are minimally competent in those courses, as opposed to mastering the content.

The fact that they are requiring a repeat even with a remediation suggest that you were struggling in other courses. I suspect that you also had some type of understanding or contract that you would stay out of trouble, academically, after the first two remediations.

You're lucky, three failures like this at my school (and many others) and you'd be dismissed.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Remediation shows that you are minimally competent in those courses, as opposed to mastering the content.

The fact that they are requiring a repeat even with a remediation suggest that you were struggling in other courses. I suspect that you also had some type of understanding or contract that you would stay out of trouble, academically, after the first two remediations.

You're lucky, three failures like this at my school (and many others) and you'd be dismissed.

And mine

 

[deleted480308]

If they don’t kick you out you should thank them profusely and don’t give them another reason to see you in the future

 

[mrbreakfast]

At my school, failing multiple courses in a single year was grounds for repeating the year regardless of remediation status.

Consider this an opportunity to rectify your med school standing. The fact that you are failing multiple courses should send you a strong message. At my school, a student in your situation would have been asked to withdraw.

 

[nimbus]

My husband is an M1 and we have a 1 month old. I’m having such a hard time
adjusting to the new changes in less than 1 year (school, no employment, a baby). However, the hardest part has been the school time demand. He does try hard to spend time but it is always so “scheduled”. He once tried to give more family time but failed a test. I rather not let him know that I am exhausted and need more help with our 1 month. I know if I let him know how I feel, he will study less and help more but I fear he will fail the year. I would just like to know if this gets better, the loneliness is so hard? I am honestly so close to moving in with my parents for extra help for at least a month..

A little confused. You and your husband are both medical students. You are an M2. In January your husband was an M1 who had no time for family. But you didn’t know your husband’s time would be consumed by school? Strange.

 

[hallowmann]

A little confused. You and your husband are both medical students. You are an M2. In January your husband was an M1 who had no time for family. But you didn’t know your husband’s time would be consumed by school? Strange.

How do you know OP isn't the husband, and husband and wife just have one account?

 

[ciestar]

How do you know OP isn't the husband, and husband and wife just have one account?

Account sharing is so cringey

 

[Mass Effect]

Maybe someone can help me understand why my school does this. I failed 2 courses during M1 after taking my finals a day after a surgery. I passed both remediation exams and went on to 2nd year courses. I was surprised to see that my academic probation was not lifted after passing remediation. I failed another now in second year after my daughters birth. My remediation exam is scheduled and I am ready to take it. However, after meeting with the Dean he adviced that taking the exam will essentially just be a waste of time. The promotions committee will either ask me to repeat the year or withdraw. He added taking the exam and passing it will only strengthen the argument of repeating. I am now puzzled. What is the purpose of passing reIediation? I have passed them all and to me I have passed my second attempt at the courses. How can I prepare for the promotions committee meeting?

You're lucky you have the option of repeating the year. I was dismissed from medical school 4 months after starting because of what you describe here -- failed, successfully remediated, failed another course. Dismissed. I wasn't given an option to repeat the year. Fortunately, I went before the appeals committee and had the dismissal overturned (now an attending), but it was a tough road.

My advice to you is to go to the promotions committee and ask that they allow you to repeat the year. Emphasize the fact that you need to LEARN this material in order to be a competent doctor and that you embrace the opportunity to be given another chance now that you recognize your errors in studying/time management.

 

[litgirl346]

Update: Thank you for advice I was allowed to continue on. Read your Handbooks. Students have rights. I passed all remediations . Our handbooks states students show competency of a course by 1- acquiring a passing percentage of 80%
2-passing remediation.

I presented the facts, nothing more.

 

[Chelsea FC]

Update: Thank you for advice I was allowed to continue on. Read your Handbooks. Students have rights. I passed all remediations . Our handbooks states students show competency of a course by 1- acquiring a passing percentage of 80%
2-passing remediation.

I presented the facts, nothing more.

Im happy for you OP. Just make sure you're not putting yourself in a position to get dismissed if something else happens. I dont know the rules of your school but normally when Dean's are asking you to remediate they are normally trying to shield you from dismissal. Anyway if you ace all your remaining exams this is a non issue. Wishing you the best of luck!

 

[MSTP18]

After you passed the remediation classes 1st year you were placed on academic probation. This was a way of the school giving you a second chance but also keeping a close eye on you to make sure you dont make the same mistakes again. When you failed your 3rd course in 2nd year this means there might be something more going on that you need to take a year off to correct. The committee could meet and either dismiss you from school altogether(which is rare/harsh) or ask you to remediate the year based on the school's policies. The Dean who either sites on the promotions committee or works closely with them kinda already knows they will tell you to redo the year hence why he is saying that taking that exam isnt worth it.

He might be signaling about not taking the remediation exam because if you do and fail it might be schools policy to dismiss you which is not worth the risk of simply just repeating the year.

This was my thought too.

OP, glad things worked out. Unless the surgery was an emergency and the baby came early, then you might also want to work on/looking into whatever policies your school has for expected extenuating circumstances. What concerns me (and possibly the school) is that these failures were easily avoidable situations with better organization/planning. If I have scheduled surgery and need time off, the onus is on me to get that in motion and make sure the patient care I am responsible for gets done. Same thing with giving birth and maternity leave. It's one thing if your co-workers are scrambling to cover for you if you get unexpectedly hit by a bus, but if preparations could have been made and you simply failed to alert anyone, their response to the situation will be quite different.