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Please just let this thread DIE.
The topic has been beaten to death.
The topic has been beaten to death.
SDN always says basic science grades don't matter...
- Thread starter DeadCactus
- Start date
Attending here. I interview for our program. I've been at it 8 years now.
Its not at all a fair exchange, in terms of heart. You guys, and myself, when I was in your shoes, spend hours writing personal statements, tracking down letter writers, and getting into discussions like this thread.
On Monday before interviews there is a D-ring binder left on my office chair so I can't miss it. This binder contains all of the eras info--all of that hard work, all of that hope--for 20-30 applicants. Unfortunately, to earn my salary at this academic center I am only in my academic office on Thursday, after grand rounds. No way I am looking at it that night, as on Friday I have back to back procedures 7-11 and clinic 11-4, and an hour's worth of dictation and cleanup afterward. That means Friday night is spent with the binder at home, to try and figure out from this binder which of these strangers I should vouch for as a future colleague.
You guys put in far more time. It's not fair. All of my fellow interviewers are time-pressed and tired as well. That being said, here is the evidence-based data.
1) Unless a student fails, Basic science scores are meaningless. Med schools provide us with histograms which are supposed to let us recognize grade inflation, but I don't have time to look at them.
2) Unless a student fails, clinical rotation scores are meaningless. There are medical schools that give honors to 90% of the FP/PSY/rotation-x, and Hp to the other 10%.
Therefore, the better data when time-crunched are
1) Board Scores. No grade inflation there, and it is a NATIONAL board. Apples to apples to apples.
**MOST PERTINENT TO THIS THREAD**
HAVE SEEN LOW GRADES AND LOW BS BOARD SCORES.
HAVE SEEN OKAY/GOOD GRADES AND AVERAGE/LOW BOARD SCORES
HAVE NEVER SEEN FAILING/LOW/OKAY GRADES AND HIGH BOARD SCORES
my interpretation is that the only way to do really well on the boards is to do really well in BS. But if I ever saw the last of the three, I would consider the person a genius sitting above the game and rank them first. Then I would rethink that they were a loose cannon an change my mind.
2) Letters of Rec. A big name goes a very long way.
3) Personal statement. A good one can help you, but won't get you ranked higher or lower. The interview does that. It's like a diving board. You have to walk to the end of it and show the interviewer what you can do
Its not at all a fair exchange, in terms of heart. You guys, and myself, when I was in your shoes, spend hours writing personal statements, tracking down letter writers, and getting into discussions like this thread.
On Monday before interviews there is a D-ring binder left on my office chair so I can't miss it. This binder contains all of the eras info--all of that hard work, all of that hope--for 20-30 applicants. Unfortunately, to earn my salary at this academic center I am only in my academic office on Thursday, after grand rounds. No way I am looking at it that night, as on Friday I have back to back procedures 7-11 and clinic 11-4, and an hour's worth of dictation and cleanup afterward. That means Friday night is spent with the binder at home, to try and figure out from this binder which of these strangers I should vouch for as a future colleague.
You guys put in far more time. It's not fair. All of my fellow interviewers are time-pressed and tired as well. That being said, here is the evidence-based data.
1) Unless a student fails, Basic science scores are meaningless. Med schools provide us with histograms which are supposed to let us recognize grade inflation, but I don't have time to look at them.
2) Unless a student fails, clinical rotation scores are meaningless. There are medical schools that give honors to 90% of the FP/PSY/rotation-x, and Hp to the other 10%.
Therefore, the better data when time-crunched are
1) Board Scores. No grade inflation there, and it is a NATIONAL board. Apples to apples to apples.
**MOST PERTINENT TO THIS THREAD**
HAVE SEEN LOW GRADES AND LOW BS BOARD SCORES.
HAVE SEEN OKAY/GOOD GRADES AND AVERAGE/LOW BOARD SCORES
HAVE NEVER SEEN FAILING/LOW/OKAY GRADES AND HIGH BOARD SCORES
my interpretation is that the only way to do really well on the boards is to do really well in BS. But if I ever saw the last of the three, I would consider the person a genius sitting above the game and rank them first. Then I would rethink that they were a loose cannon an change my mind.
2) Letters of Rec. A big name goes a very long way.
3) Personal statement. A good one can help you, but won't get you ranked higher or lower. The interview does that. It's like a diving board. You have to walk to the end of it and show the interviewer what you can do
Last edited:
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Each block, I've been consistently getting one C and one B or A. I feel like I might have to carry around the scarlet letter "C" on my chest, even though I know some of my classmates are in a poopier boat than I and my heart goes out to them. I blame myself for being such an easily distracted lame-ass, but I also don't necessarily think I'm going to fail Boards. I am, however, going to have to study some facts from this year over the summer. In short...aaaaah! ****'s real!
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If the plural of anecdote isn't data, then the singular of anecdote certainly isn't data either.
