sick during exam

[meddoc2009]

A classmate of mine got sick during a shelf exam. During the exam she went to the bathroom and vomited. She couldn't finish the exam, and told this to the proctor at beginning. During 30 min warning, she stated she was dizzy to transfer the answers but managed to fill them in the book.
Does anyone know what the policy is for exams if a student get sick and is unable to fill in the bubble sheet.
Does it count as a fail? OR does it count as cancelation of the exam?
I know that for mcat and usmle, you could cancel the exam if you are sick. Do same rules apply to shelf exams?

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[Jolie South]

If the bubble sheet is completely blank, I suspect that they treat it like the person never completed the exam. Unlike the USMLE, I really don't think failing a shelf, especially when due to illness, is that big of a deal. You just retake it and, unless your shelf scores are reported on your transcript, no one will know or care. Shelf exams are not "high stakes."

 

[CWWinning]

I would hope they show her the same empathy they expect us to show patients.

 

[meddoc2009]

the reason why i am asking is because when she met with the dean of the school, they have told her that she should not have taken the test if she was sick. they are still counting it as taking the test, even though proctor acknowledges that she said she was feeling sick before the exam and at 30 min mark and couldn't complete it because she was so sick. a mutual fried was killed 2 weeks prior to the exam.

dean has told her the best she can get is satisfactory in the class, even though she has had honors in all other aspects of the course.

if there is any nbme policy that states what to do in case of illness would you please send it?

 

[Jolie South]

Why don't you google it or go to the NBME website yourself?

 

[meddoc2009]

i've tried googling it and looking at NBME all morning and last night.
there is nothing that specifies the rules.

 

[WellWornLad]

a mutual fried was killed 2 weeks prior to the exam.

That's sad, but what does this have to do with anything? Did they die from some sort of test-induced intestinal illness?

There are protocols for retaking tests if you are unable to sit for the original test, or if you fail. Once you start the test, there is no backing out. It was a poor choice for your friend to start the test if she wasn't sure she could finish it. Tough, but a "satisfactory" is not the end of the world.

 

[meddoc2009]

well there are protocols.... when we take boards or mcat, you can cancel your exam and not have a score reported. my question is if it also applies to shelf exams?

i think the death of a friend was traumatic to her. just a statement. it was traumatic to me. and i know taking an exam would have been stressful at that time.

 

[Jolie South]

well there are protocols.... when we take boards or mcat, you can cancel your exam and not have a score reported. my question is if it also applies to shelf exams?

i think the death of a friend was traumatic to her. just a statement. it was traumatic to me. and i know taking an exam would have been stressful at that time.

That's certainly understandable, but in that case she should have talked to the dean/clerkship coordinator about the circumstances. I know of several people at my school that have taken shelf exams later due to conferences or other events.

 

[DrBowtie]

Its all up to your school. They buy the NBMEs. They don't count nationally for anything.

They either let her retake or not.

 

[meddoc2009]

she did talk to the coordinator about the death, and was encouraged to take the exam even though she didn't think she could do it. on top of that she got sick the morning of the test.

this person has never gotten sick before an exam previously during 3 years of school. this just seems rediculous!

reason, why i am looking for some guidelines to help her present to the school. she did very well on all other shelves. this shelf is in her specialty. again, she had all the answers on the answer sheet.