What's a failing grade at your school?

[Toejam]

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At COMP, it's below 70%. Also, they have a cutoff point for the number of units you can fail in one semester before you get kicked out (I think it's 17.5). If it's under 17.5 you might be able to remediate during the summer, have to start over, or be kicked out. I "failed" (got a 69%) in anatomy and biochemistry (17 units) and they asked me to start the year over (from scratch).

 

[Elysium]

Toejam,

That totally sucks. Why would they make you take the entire first year over if you only failed 2 classes? That makes no sense to me at all. What are you going to do? Sorry to hear about that.

🙁

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Toejam,

That totally sucks. Why would they make you take the entire first year over if you only failed 2 classes? That makes no sense to me at all. What are you going to do? Sorry to hear about that.

🙁

It's all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[futuredo32]

At MSUCOM, for most classes, anything below 70 % in a class is failing, for anatomy, below a 78% is failing, radiology, below a 75% is failing.

 

[HokieDO]

At VCOM, less than 70% overall is failing. Several of the courses also have an additional requirement of at least 70% is required on the final to pass the course.

VCOM also offers remediation for classes. Though I'm not very familiar with it (whew! 😎 ), I've heard that you need to get a 90% in remediation to sucessfully complete 😱 . I'll find out for sure and update. 😳

 

[bustbones26]

At LECOM <70% = fail. Fail more than three classes in one year, no matter how many credits, you repeat the year (according to LECOM handbook). Unless of course you are an attractive female in the eyes of the pre-clinical dean, then they make special favors for you.

 

[daisygirl]

Below 70 is also failing at my school. My school does the H/HP/P/LP/F system and 70-74.9 is considered low pass. If one fails two major classes first year (i.e. anatomy, phsyio, etc), they will have to repeat the entire year. If one fails three classes second year, they will then have to repeat the entire year.

Toejam, I'm sorry to hear that you will have to repeat the year.

 

[drdrtoledo]

OUCOM <70% is failing for block exams and the OMM written. OMM practical is <75%. These are cumulative averages per quarter. Less than 65% on any exam automatically means remediation of the exam regardless of quarter average. Repeating is on a case by case basis decided by the Committee on Student Progress.
ATnS

 

[blackbulls]

its below 65

 

[Toejam]

Interesting. I guess they're all a little bit different. The problem at COMP is the rigors of biochem and anatomy. I can understand anatomy being as challenging as all get out, but biochem....??? Actually, the biochem prof has said that if you can't pass his biochem class you have no business being a physician.

 

[Ryan]

Interesting. I guess they're all a little bit different. The problem at COMP is the rigors of biochem and anatomy. I can understand anatomy being as challenging as all get out, but biochem....??? Actually, the biochem prof has said that if you can't pass his biochem class you have no business being a physician.

Man Toejam, I hope this guy didn't say that to you directly. Just the thought of it makes me .....grrrrrrrrr oh what the h3LL....[Starting Rant Now]

I'm sorry but is the biochem prof a physician???? Uhhhhh oops I just checked, no he isn't... by golly he is a PhD.... Hmmmmm a non-clinician making a judgment call about something he has no personal-experience with. I know a PHYSICIAN who had to repeat biochem at Stanford Medical School....oh wow he happens to be a current medical director at a major hospital...hmmmm...he also teaches residents and is well published and respected.....Oh wait he CAN'T have any real 'business' being a physician because he failed the all-powerful and all-important biochem class of medical school.

Okay sarcasm aside.... I do think that there should be a minimal amount of knowledge that we should have as physicians in biochemistry as well as the other major courses in medical school. Just because you have a PhD after your name and have been teaching at a medical school for X years does not give you, in any way shape or form, the ability to justify such silly blanket statements. They have no basis on which they can justify their claim. Some people have a talent for a particular subject or have been teaching it for so long that they forget how hard it was to learn it in the first place...so they tend to equate their ease with the subject compared to another's difficulty with that person being inept/stupid/incapable etc. This is something that drives me up the wall.
[End Rant]

Okay I feel better now. Sorry I just have a little bit o' stress I needed to let out.

-Ryan

 

[sia_simba]

At NYCOM, its one standard deviation below the average of the class is passing. Highest being 70 and lowest being 65.

If average for class is 75, and one SD is 10, then the passing would be 65.
If average for class is 85 and one SD is 10, then passing would be 70.
If average for class is 65 and one SD is 10, then passing would be 65.

All decimal grades are rounded up. 64.5 = 65.

 

[LloydDObler]

Toejam,

That totally sucks. Why would they make you take the entire first year over if you only failed 2 classes? That makes no sense to me at all. What are you going to do? Sorry to hear about that.

🙁

Why doesn't it make sense to have to repeat the year? It is a big deal to flunk 2 classes, I think. I am not a gunner, so that is not why I am saying this. I would just think that if you flunk more than one class that you need to probably figure some things out about your learning styles before moving on. Plus, how else would you make up the material before the next academic period starts? Biochem and anatomy are the two toughest classes of first quarter (IMHO).

 

[Elysium]

Why doesn't it make sense to have to repeat the year? It is a big deal to flunk 2 classes, I think. I am not a gunner, so that is not why I am saying this. I would just think that if you flunk more than one class that you need to probably figure some things out about your learning styles before moving on. Plus, how else would you make up the material before the next academic period starts? Biochem and anatomy are the two toughest classes of first quarter (IMHO).

It sucks because COMP is notorious for failing first years in Biochem. The professor is quite well known on SDN (if you care, do a search on COMP and you'll see quite a bit of stuff on the school and him specifically). COMP is also notorious for milking their students for money. I know this because I was 2 days away from attending COMP and decided not to because of all the negative things I've heard about the school. That's why I said it. As I said, if you want the full story, do a search. You'll be busy for hours...

 

[calidoc2004]

Maybe this is a naive question but im <MS1 still.

Do they grade on a curve? 70% cut off for Failing seems like alot of people fail each class. I just imagined that people ill be in school with will be some really top notch people. What happens if the curve is around 90% correct on an exam etc?

Hope this isnt too obvious a question. You guys are making me scared. 😱

 

[daisygirl]

Maybe this is a naive question but im <MS1 still.

Do they grade on a curve? 70% cut off for Failing seems like alot of people fail each class. I just imagined that people ill be in school with will be some really top notch people. What happens if the curve is around 90% correct on an exam etc?

Hope this isnt too obvious a question. You guys are making me scared. 😱

Depends on the school's policy. I'm assuming that most schools do institute a curve if the class' average is below passing. At my school, if the class mean was below an 80, then the mean was adjusted so that it would be an 80 (hence the curve). Without giving a long story (gist is curriculum changes), the renal final my class was subjected to had a 20 point curve 😱 . That is a real curve .

I attend an allopathic school, but I'm pretty sure what I've stated goes for an osteopathic school- in the end everything we learn is the same with the exception of osteopathic manipulation.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I "failed" (got a 69%) in anatomy and biochemistry (17 units) and they asked me to start the year over (from scratch).

Very sorry to hear that. No remediation possibilities? It doesn't seem like they are willing to help the student suceed, but more than willing to make you redo an entire year.

 

[Toejam]

Lots of students do get the feeling that they are more concerned with suctioning out your bank account vs. preparing you to be a competent physician.

As far as the biochem prof, I heard via a friend in class that the prof told him that he should not be a physician without passing his class.

 

[ussdfiant]

Toejam, I'm sorry to hear about your situation! At Temple you can only remediate one class over the summer in the first year. If you fail 2 you have to repeat the year. I can't believe that you have to repeat the year! 🙁

 

[bustbones26]

To Toejam,

My wife had a smart ass in her class once say, "If you can't get over a 69% in your classes, you don't deserve to be a physician!" Yeah, he was such a jerk that he went out and failed four clinical rotations because of his poor attitude.

There will be a lot of people, especially those that do better than you taht are going to hand you the bull**** line, "If you can't do (insert here) you don't deserve to be a doc. I say, B.S.!! Those people are just ignoramouses. YOu had a bad time, it happens, if you have the endurance to repeat, then do it, and become a kick a$$ physician!!!

 

[Ryan]

Well put bustbones... Toejam, I can't believe that you got a 69% while working!!!!!! I KNOW that I couldn't have even gotten a 40% (probably less). I worked full-time during undergrad, but that is NOTHING compared to med school. I'll I can say to you is ...

...

In awe,
-Ryan