Why Students Fail in Medical School.
One of the biggest myths in the medical school process is that once you get into medical school, it is relatively easy to STAY in medical school. Each year, approximately 5% of those who enter fail one or more courses or fail out of medical school entirely. Why does this happen after being subjected to a selection process that is very stringent?
The biggest reason for students failing a course or failing out of medical school is an inability to put in the study time that a very competitive medical school curriculum demands. A sizable proportion of freshman medical students may have been able to get through their undergraduate studies by the “last minute knowledge cram” method, only to find that they are in deep trouble fast.
Most of these students will adjust their time management skills and do well enough to pass their coursework but some are not able to make the transition from undergraduate to medical school. These folks find themselves behind their class very quickly and fail to catch up enough to pass. Courses like Gross Anatomy and Biochemistry quickly knock them out of the freshman class.
Another small proportion of students will have too many personal demands to keep up with their studies. They may be parents or spouses or they may have personal illness that actually prevent them from the mastery of their work. In these cases, a wise Dean of Students will offer a Leave of Absence before the student finds himself/herself in academic difficulty. It pays to alert your Dean of Students at the first sign of personal trouble. Often the Dean can alleviate the problem and get the student back on track. Again, sometimes the problem is so pervasive, that only a Leave of Absence will allow the student to take care of personal matters and return to academics without penalty.
Few medical students are intellectually unable to master the curriculum. While the amount of information to be mastered is massive, the difficulty of the material is fairly average. This means that the key to keeping yourself academically sound is disciplined study habits that enable you to digest this large body of information in a short period of time. Most students study daily and keep a rigorous study schedule even on weekends.
Many students will become caught in the “no one else is struggling so I must be stupid” trap. Every medical student from time to time will struggle with something. Most students figure out what they need, ask for help and get the task accomplished. Some students will become depressed and procrastinate. Procrastination is the enemy of good scholarship and leads to more depression. Again, chatting with a few classmates or the Dean of Students can often put your problems into perspective and give you new ides that get you on your way.
Here are a couple of examples that illustrate my points above:
Janet A. was newly married and entered medical school. Her husband worked as a high school teacher and had a eight-year-old daughter by his previous marrige. Two months into medical school, Janet discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy zapped her energy level and made the demands of medical school more difficult. In addition, she was having difficulty getting along with her new step-daughter who was unhappy that they had moved from another state. She got behind in her studies, especially Gross Anatomy, and struggled with her other courses. She ended up failing both her Gross Anatomy lab and lecture exams and barely passed her Biochemistry exam. On top of her worsening academics, she miscarried and was absent from class for one week.
Solution: The Dean of Students recommended a medical Leave of Absence for Janet. She started with the next year’s class and did very well. She was able to take the time for family counseling and was able to devote full time to her studies.
Chris P had eagerly awaited his medical school acceptance. He had been happy and enthusiastic during orientation week attending all of the social events and developed a lively group of friends and study mates. When classes started, he kept up but partied very hard on the weekends spending Saturday night in the clubs and Sundays recovering from his Saturday night partying. Few people were able to keep up with him. By the second block of exams, Chris found himself just barely passing his coursework yet he continued his active social life. He always said that he “needed to let off steam” in order to concentrate on his studies.
By the end of the first year, Chris found that he needed to take two courses in summer school in order to be promoted with his class. He was able to pass one summer course but failed the other summer course and was dismissed from his class.
Solution: Chris applied for readmission at the end of the summer and was denied. He applied for re-admission after sitting out for a year and was re-admitted. When he returned to school, his discipline and study skills were outstanding. He was able to finish medical school and enter residency.
James P had entered medical school witht he idea of becoming a child psychiatrist. He had extensive experience teaching inner city children (had been a high school teacher) and was the author of several books on innovative teaching methods for children at risk. He embraced his studies and did well on his first block of exams. About halfway through the material for the second block of exams, James decided that he was not interested in medicine at all. He went to the Dean of Students and withdrew from medical school. He later completed his Ph.D in clinical psychology and very happily practices his vocation.
The three medical students above, illustrate the most common reasons that medical students fail. It becomes very difficult to catch up with your studies if you get behind. Many people are overwhelmed with the sheer volume of material to be mastered but make the adjustments necessary to do what is needed. A small proportion of medical students do fail and fail out of school. An even smaller proportion decide that medicine is not what they thought it would be and elect to leave.
The bottom line is that medical school demands a student with good study skills and a strong work ethic. While having a photographic memory will help with pre-clinical materials, the strong work ethic will get the student through the clinical years and through residency.
I just failed in an exam i wrote really well. There’s no option of re evaluation, or re totalling. I know I did the exam well and that I dont deserve to fail. How do i cope with this?
To Dr. L:
I don’t understand how you can fail an exam that you said you did “well” on. Either you passed the exam or you didn’t pass the exam. In any event, you should go over your work with your instructor(s) and find out exactly what went wrong. You can’t do “well” and fail on the same exam.
As a first year medical student ,as soon as I entered the exam room I felt that I have already failed the exam, I have even got panic attacks. I am now repeating the semester. I failed once and afraid to fail again. I honestly have apassion for medicine. Can anyone help?
To Karla:
If you are having panic attacks, you should seek out some professional counseling before you start retaking exams. Find a counselor at your school who is well-versed in helping students with these types of issues. Do not feel that you must figure out how to handle your panic state on your own but take advantage of every resource that is available until you get the help that you need.
Thank you. I am now at home and just started some proffessional help.
To Karla:
Great to hear that you are going to get some professional help to get you past your exam anxiety. If you needed to change a tire on your car, you would use tools (jack, lug wrench) to help you get the job done. Seeking some professional help is getting some tools to help you pass your exams and get your career on track. Good luck.
Hi,
I recently failed an offshore med school. Partly because for the first time ever i was so far away from my family and parly because my heart wasnt truly into it. I have always been interested in Pharmacy and after being dismissed decided not to make an appeal at the offshore medical school and change my careers to something I really am passionate about. How will me faiked an offshore med school affect me applying to a Pharmacy program?
me failing***
To Navi:
Don’t make excuses for your poor performance. You were not able to successfully complete your medical education at your school of choice and it’s done. You move on after carefully making sure you won’t repeat your performance in your future academic endeavors. With that being said, your failure might keep you out of some of the more competitive pharmacy schools regardless of the reasons for that failure. Some of the more competitive schools have more applicants than spaces and wouldn’t want to risk a coveted space on someone who has prior academic problems. After those schools, you want to have an objective and well-rehearsed explanation for your academic difficulties that doesn’t involve “being so far away from home”, homesickness and other examples of immaturity. You want to convey that you are mature, objective and most importantly, ready to work as a professional who with a high ability to do the job. Anything less than taking complete ownership for your past mistakes and moving forward will not bring admission to graduate-level professional programs like pharmacology. Good luck.
I commiserate with you Navi, but please be encouraged and persevere in whatever you decide to do. Honestly, I truly believe being away from home for the first time gravely affected my first attempt with Comlex Level I, and believe me you, I was quite mature at 31! Still, I persevered and eventually passed. Thus, I do not doubt that could have had an impact on you. I’m not saying you’re using that as an excuse, I’m just highlighting how human might actually be. I’m beginning to think we exalt becoming a physician way too much. Don’t get me wrong, I want to practice one day too. But sometimes I think we are too hard on ourselves. “Failure” for those of us who are unable to achieve the goal (as smoothly as our colleagues), is linked entirely too much to how we feel about ourselves. Look at it this way, you haven’t “failed” at anything, especially if you gave it everything. There are many out there whom have yet to pursue careers at all. Not unlike yourself, I’m exploring options more suited for my passions as well. There is a community of “us” who apparently use what we’ve learned as student physicians and become leading contributors to medicine! And some actually go BACK to medical school! Hahaha! You are not alone. One thing is for certain, if Pharmacy is truly your passion, the desire will never leave you…and that goes for practicing medicine too. Please be encouraged. We all need a reality check once and a while. You may have missed the mark, your ego is probably a bit bruised, but you have not “failed” at anything. If you have time to read “Strength In What Remains” by Tracy Kidder, I encourage you to do so. It’s a phenomenal read about a young man who was in his 3rd year of medical school (go figure right), escaped bloodshed in Burundi and Rwanda, only to arrive in America with $200, no English to speak of and wound up attending Columbia U, medical school at Dartmouth and alongside PIH has committed his life to service in his birthplace. Be encouraged girlie, it’s not over.
I just found this blog and have really enjoyed reading it. I am about to plug my program for a certain demographic reading this blog, so please, Dr. NJBMD, feel free to remove this post if you deem it inappropriate. I have many former students who would be willing to submit in my stead.
I have been an educator for the past 15 years, and I have worked exclusively with struggling or failing medical students for the past eight years at the Medical HELP Program at Marshall University. Some of them have learning issues, some have attention issues, but many of them were bright enough growing up and going through undergrad that they simply never had to learn how to study. As Dr. NJBMD notes, “the bottom line is that medical school demands a student with good study skills and a strong work ethic.” I believe a large percentage of struggling or failing medical students have the work ethic but they do not know how to acquire “good study skills.” This specific issue–effective study skills at a medical school level–is a mystery to many (including some learning specialists), but once mastered, can unlock bountiful potential. The acquisition and mastery of these skills is key for many repeating medical students. If you cannot unlock these skills using Dr. NJBMD’s advice, turning to a program that will help you is not a bad idea. There is help out there.
It is encouraging to see stories of success here. I will forward this blog to my students!
I have been following this blog for sometime now, as it is quite interesting to see the following. I began to research situations like my own last year and recognized students not unlike myself have a great need for support. But your posting is one of the first of its kind. First, I would like to say thank you on behalf of all of us. You are right, there is help out there and I want it. It’s been 3 weeks and 5 days since my dismissal from medical school. I was literally one board exam and 5 rotations away from completion. Since my dismissal, I have written emails to every Osteopathic Dean in the country, the NBOME, I’ve spoken with several attendings and P.A.’s, researched Public Health Schools and determined what I am to do with well over a 1/4 million dollars in debt (as least for now anyway). I refuse to stop moving. Frankly, I think I’m still running on pulses of adrenaline, or should I say pulses of shock. But after weeks of malnutrition, sulking and the constant deliberation of what my next steps should be, I decided to apply to a few Schools of Public Health. Moreover, if I haven’t lost interest my intentions at this point will be to start from scratch.
I’ve done the research and am disappointed that none of my hard work will be accounted for. I ultimately decided against applying to Physician Assistant programs. As I’ve mentioned, I spoke with many contacts, read a book and got a lot of great information. I agree, P.A.s have a flexibility that I don’t think any physician could ever exercise. The idea of having a skill is exciting. But the bottom line R. Jennings, my dream was to become a Physician. This is certainly not to put the role of a P.A. down, nor am I unappreciative of the process of an opportunity to provide care from that perspective. But, I and I alone fought tooth and nail to get into medical school, to STAY in medical school. I borrowed the money. I attended all the classes, labs, presented cases and worked my butt off on rotations. When it came to remediating what was needful, I did all of it. No one else, just me. To find out that none of this will be accounted for is disheartening, makes no sense and is essentially forcing me to start over anyway. Thus, I decided to do just that. I always said I would NEVER do it, but this time I will do it the right way.
You’ve hit it dead on. I don’t think I quite learned adequate study skills. I did not realize this until I researched a few psychiatrists and psychologists last year, only to find out that there is nothing wrong with me. The diagnosis: “testing anxiety”. Okay, after taking the same board exam 4 times, I’ll give them that. But after four years of medical school, I truly believe that my problem is a skill that can be learned and the treatment is not Xanax.
The first time around I took the MCAT three times, never determining why I ever acquired a competitive score. This time I hope find out, which is why I was excited to see your post. And in the meantime I will be applying to school, but instead of P.A. school, I’ll apply to a few schools of public health. By earning a Masters in Public Health, I believe I will not only acquire the knowledge and skills needed of a global health expert, but a well-rounded physician. Med school wasn’t a complete waste. I realized in the last 12 months, I have a passion for mission work. So again, I’ve done my research. Johns Hopkins, Tulane and Boston U all have great Public Health programs. Since I have the time now, my prayer is that favor is on my side. Unfortunately, I’m now forced to crossover. It will take me a few years, but once I’ve tackled this feat, (and haven’t lost interest), my plan is to go after a M.D./Ph.D (in Pathology and Lab Medicine). In addition to great Public health programs, each of these institutions, have great research resources exploring a particular area of my interest. Howbeit, it’s the M.D. portion that will require the MCAT.
I tried to contact a Martin Jolley. I’m told he’s the expert in study skills training and test-taking techniques. But after our initial contact, I never heard from him again? R. Jennings, your post is rather timely and I would much like to discuss my particular situation in more detail if you don’t mind. I can’t keep running from this issue. I won’t. It’s equivalent to running away from my aspirations. As you are well aware, there are always going to be competency exams. They are the only way to hold healthcare professionals accountable. To be honest, I enjoy research more than practice. But I don’t deny a passion for informing my patients as their “doctor”. I’ve always envisioned myself placing the stethoscope to a child’s chest. I’ll just have to re-earn the right to do so. My hope is that the allopathic world will accept me, especially since I’ll have determined how to take and ace a standardized exam:) I hate to say it, but I have not given up. How might I contact you?
To Aiesha:
If you put “Medical HELP Program at Marshall University” into your web search engine, you will be taken to the program at Marshall University. The website contains a contact e-mail link that can put you in contact with this program. Past medical students at my universities have been pointed to this program with success in many cases. It is a well-known program for students (and other professionals) who need this type of instruction.
My caution for you would be to explore this program and others like it before you spend another tuition dollar. Right now, you have an extraordinary amount of education debt that isn’t going to go away. With this enormous debt burden, you will have to address a means of getting this taken care of before you enter any graduate program without out taking care of your academic skills needs. Good luck.
Aiesha,
Sorry for the slow response. I do not have a very active blog presence. Feel free to check out the Med HELP website: http://www.marshall.edu/help/medical, and I encourage you to contact me at the office. My direct line is: 304.696.6315. Call any time and leave a message and times to contact you, and I should get back to you within 30 minutes to 48 hours. I would enjoy talking to you about your particular situation. Part of my role at the Medical HELP Program is to advocate for struggling/failing medical students, and I spend several hours each week just talking with people.
A problem with “studying” is that it is a generic term that reveals nothing about the mechanics underlying the process. Culturally, we lack the specific terminology needed to assess and modify this whole extremely convoluted process. Most (successful) medical students either possess innate study methods or they figure out a process that works. For the struggling/failing student, this is not always the case. These students were mostly successful before medical school, but at some point their previously-effective skills (cramming, re-copying notes multiple times, being able to get enough from lecture to pass, making note-cards, etc.) are negated by the density and speed of medical school. We specialize in providing the discrete study mechanics to offset this issue.
Test-taking, particularly USMLE-style clinical vignettes, is likewise something that can be addressed from a tactical, methodological approach for certain struggling test-takers. I hear a lot about “test anxiety” which drives me a bit crazy. In my experience, generalized anxiety is a real issue that blocks test performance. Situational anxiety, like you are describing, can likely be addressed with the intervention of purposeful strategies that pull back the curtain on these questions, show the mechanism underneath, and essentially “upload” a process for you to deploy while interfacing with the questions to make you consistent, effective, and accurate while reading and answering the questions. Granted, I am not a doctor and cannot speak with authority on matters such as anxiety, but the above-mentioned insights seem merited. Likewise, test-taking ultimately depends on students having an adequate knowledge base (which relies on the way the information has been encoded via study methods). I always tell my students that I cannot “see” the test-taking errors if the knowledge deficits are too great. This can often be assessed fairly quickly, which is why I recommend that people contact me.
Hey Drnjbmd,
First off, thank you for answering all these questions. Helping one person ends up helping a lot of others. My story: I went to a Caribbean Medical school, knowing that I was not prepared for it, but I stuck with it anyway. I struggled trying to get the hang of studying the material because my undergraduate degree was engineering, which is completely different. A month before finals, someone close in my family passed away, so I returned to the US for one week and fell really behind. I ended up failing Anatomy and barely passing Biochemistry. I was dismissed and my appeal did not work. Now that I am home, all I can think about is if I try going back, will failure happen again, something that is making me really depressed, not to mention the disappointment I have to hear about everyday. According to your other responses, someone who has been dismissed from a Caribbean medical school has no chance of getting into a US medical school. I am taking my MCATs again, but also have to take pre-reqs for PA programs to use as a backup. What are your thoughts on my chances of getting into a US medical school. Even if the Caribbean school accepts me as a first termer, it is to draining to return. My dream has always been to be part of the neurology field. It is the only thing I am passionate about.
To Mary:
It is very difficult for a person who was dismissed from an offshore school to “restart” in a school in the United States. You can call a few schools to see their policy but I can tell you that the two schools where I serve on the admissions committee would not consider you for admissions into medical school (both are allopathic; one private and one state). Still, you can ask questions, tell your story and see what you can learn about the process. The problem is that you will have to state on your application (if you are truthful), that you previously matriculated in an offshore school. They will contact your school and find that you were dismissed for academic reasons; appealed and were not readmitted. In short, your answer to that question will determine your fate in the United States no matter how passionate or how compelling your reasons for not achieving academically. Again, make some inquiries with schools here and see if someone might consider you before you invest in taking the Medical College Admissions test again.
As for Physician Assistant programs, you need to make some inquiries there too. Some programs will not consider applicants who have been academically dismissed from offshore medical schools(won’t take graduates of offshore medical schools that can’t pass USMLE either). You need to make sure that you don’t apply to programs that will automatically screen you out because of previous medical school matriculation. This is not to say that all PA programs will do this but this is to say that it isn’t worth wasting your money on applying to programs that won’t consider you. Also consider that PA schools are extremely competitive in some cases (our PA school received over 600 applications for 25 slots; average uGPA is 3.65) which is something that you need to look into carefully. There is a PA forum that can give you information as to which programs might be less competitive and those programs that might consider you with your previous academic difficulties. Good luck
When I came across this blog, my thoughts were “I don’t have time to read all of this, I need to find work ASAP.” But then I realized (chuckling) I have quite a bit of time on my hands, “what the heck yo.” It sounds as if my story is not that uncommon. I too have “hustled” to become a physician for some time now. Not unlike some of my colleagues on this post (yes, you are colleagues at this point), I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 6 years old. Unbeknownst to myself, I had no idea what was in store. To make this short, sweet and to the point, I went to college, worked in research for a few years, interviewed at numerous post-bacc programs/PA programs, somehow got “back-doored” into the COM via a dual-degree program, earned my Masters in Biomedical Sciences, entered the COM, struggled every step of the way, passed Level I in 3 attempts, soared on my 3rd and 4th year clinicals, failed Level II in 2 attempts, didn’t graduate with my class of 263 (of which only 2 were African American females; I being the “other one”) in 2011, studied for 9 months for the same exam (Level II), got dismissed from my institution, was diagnosed with GAD and test anxiety, appealed the decision (which was reversed) and studied for that board exam 6 months more only to now sit on someone else’s Queen-sized mattress typing on a blog while I try to figure out: “Lord, what am I to do now?”
It’s funny the things we put ourselves through all for the sake of a “dream”. But I’ve never been a quitter. My dad used to always tell me “you’ll be successful at whatever you do.” And quite honestly, in the back of my mind I will somehow, someway figure out how to earn my “terminal doctorate” (as I learned this morning from DoctorJay:). I had just 5 months remaining: Cardio, ER, IM and 2 Sub I’s. I find it extremely hard to accept that with all the preparation and battery of tests my walk is over, finished, done. I have well over a quarter million dollars in debt. This can’t be the end.
Nonetheless, I’m a fighter. I’ve already applied to several research positions; for this is where my minimal experience lies. It’s unfortunate I didn’t seek a skill prior to all this. For surely phlebotomy, EMT, cytology or ANYTHING would find me work in my desperate condition. But then again, research has been a bit of a foundation for me. Perhaps this is the direction God would have me go. I don’t know. I’m flying by the seat of my pants, hoping there is an institution out there that would indeed take me as a 4th year student. I just want to finish for Christ’s sake.
And then there’s the idea of the Peace Corps. Mission work is my passion. Guatemala and D.O. Care changed my life. How would I combine my desire to study Sickle Cell with my passion? What to do, what to do? Any ideas DoctorJay?
To Aiesha:
First of all, I am not DoctorJay. He is my very esteemed colleague but I am Drnjbmd who is a bit of a different character though DoctorJay and I have more than a few things in common. Second, I am a bit confused by your post since you have addressed several things. If I am off base, let me know but you first duty is to complete your studies. Are you currently dismissed from your school because of failure of Step II? If this is not the case, then you do step by step, taking each step as it comes until you reach your goal.
Now, if you are dismissed and have no chance of returning to your school, with $250,000 in debt, your options for getting that much debt forgiven/paid are going to be very difficult without completing medical school or something that pays in the six-figure range. One option might be to apply to PA school (it’s going to take you a minimum of 27 months to complete this) but having a PA certifications (which you would be able to accomplish because you have a strong background with your medical school classes), could put your salary level at the $110,000 level (after 3 years if you opt to be a PA that works in surgery or anesthesia) and would make you eligible for loan forgiveness (Public Health scholarship that pay each year for each year served in an underserved area). PA is also good for armed forces which can offset some of your debt if you practice in the armed forces (one year for each year served). YOu could also work your Peace Corps mission as a PA too as they are currently recog
Phlebotomy, cytology and Peace Corps while great professions would not erase or make a dent in your large amount of debt. You don’t want to default on student loans at that situation can affect future employment (can’t be employed in any Federal agency), home purchase or even being able to enter additional training. I hope some of my suggestions are helpful and that you get this behind you and you get yourself on your way to something that you can love and work well in. Good luck.
5%, are you kidding me? That’s not even the number failing out that is the number “failing a course or failing out”. Seems like that rate is far to low to me.
If you are in the bottom 5%, maybe you shouldn’t be a doctor. I don’t want you operating on me.
To Mike:
Medical school (and any professional school for that matter), is very different from undergraduate school where there is a huge difference between an A and a D. The person who fails a course is not more incompetent than the person who receives an A because the coursework is more performance-oriented rather than grade oriented. Failing a test or a module in a course does indicates that the student needs more time to master the tasks of that test or course rather than an inability to understand or do the work. This is why most people remediate the material and go on to pass and perform without difficulty. Having to repeat a test, course or module does not indicate that a person will become an incompetent physician or will have any difficulties with “operating”. Most physicians practicing today failed something in medical school but re-mediated the material and went on to great careers in any specialty. Grades in medical school are pretty meaningless after completion of residency and board certification. If you have been under the care of a physician, chances are, they failed something at some point in their medical school work; re mediated it and went on from there. Because of this, most schools, including the ones with which I am affiliated, do not rank students and have gone to a Pass/Fail grading system. If a student fails something, they remediate and the fail becomes a pass.
I am a medical student from last year, and I’m doing a study on the subject. and I need some material to support my study.
i´m from portugal and sorry for my improve ingles. thank you
hello, I wonder if there is any study or thesis to talk about it. taniarebelo22@live.com, send me if you have. thank you
The post is really insightful
Hello,
Thanks for your post. The reason I failed courses in medical school was due to poor study habits. I have since taken a leave and will go back next year. Do you have suggestions or recommendations for me on how I can improve my study habits? What should I do during this year to make sure I come back next year and finish strong?
Thanks
To Chris:
Look at some of the suggestions that are in some of my other posts. I have addressed just about everything in terms of getting the huge volume of material mastered efficiently. The biggest factor in your success will be you ability to put your unsuccessful year behind you and hit the ground running. Make no apologies for past mistakes but learn from them and keep moving forward. Approach the material with an open mind and vow that you will get it mastered. You may want to spend some time with a Dean or trusted faculty adviser who would be willing to go through your study habits objectively. If you are not near your school, find one of your undergraduate professors and see what you can come up with. While you are away, look at your notes and look at your tests (if you have them). Try to analyze where you make mistakes so that you don’t repeat them. The most important thing to remember is that when you get back, you will have every opportunity to do well in your studies. Don’t “beat yourself” for having to take a LOA for personal re-evaluation. In the end, you will be a better physician for this. Your future patients will not care how long it took you to get through medical school if you are a caring and competent physician who solves their health problems. In the end, that’s what you came to medical school to learn. Good luck.
Dear Dr. NJBMD,
Do you think you could do a post on anxiety/depression in medical school? I think this would help a lot of students. I think one of the reasons I did poorly in med school is because I became very anxious about falling behind, and once I actually fell behind, I lost confidence in my ability to catch up. This created a downward spiral and I ended up doing very poorly. If you could create a blog post about how to manage anxiety/depression in medical school, that would be very helpful. It would also be helpful if you could talk about how to balance hobbies and other activities with schoolwork.
Also I found that the only place I can study is at a cubicle in the library. I live alone and have my own apartment with a separate room from my bedroom that I created as my “office” but I am never able to study at home, and just end up procrastinating. I also tend to get lonely living/studying alone but still value having my own space and bathroom, so I chose not to get a roommate. Instead I have now made it a priority to stay at the library everyday until late at night to study in a cubicle.
Thanks!
Hi again.
I had posted last year around this time about failing the first 2 units of medical school in my first year. I have since then taken a leave of absence and come back to this school. I have been doing great this time around and just wanted to encourage others who might be in the same situation.
Failure is not the end! The important thing is not to give up and to of course figure out your study habits and what went wrong the first time you failed. I know that if I can do it so can you all! Hang in there guys!
Ms 22
P.S – Your blog entry helped me out last year when I was feeling depressed and frustrated. Thank you!
Hi Ms. 22,
Do you have an email address where I could contact you? I am in the same position—you can see my post below. Indeed this blog has been very helpful and I greatly thank Dr. NJBMD for the great advice she has given.
Hey Tom,
You can contact me via ms22medstudent@gmail.com
I am really glad I took the leave of absence and would be glad to talk to you about my experience.
Hello,
After 2 months into medical school, I failed anatomy and biochemistry. I also barely passed physiology. My med school advised for me to take a leave of absence. They told me there will not be any grades on my transcript if I take a LOA. I will receive a W for all the courses I have taken this year and will start again next year in August. I’m planning to do some self-studying on my own, and I have improved my studying strategies. My question is if I do well next year and get good grades and good board scores, do I still have a chance of obtaining a competitive specialty?
Thanks!
To Tom:
Chances are, you won’t have too much of a problem getting into a good specialty if you do well in your coursework, on boards and in your clinical rotations. Your transcript is going to show withdrawal and you will be asked to explain (on ERAS and on any licensure application) why it took longer than 4 years for you to complete medical school. This fact may be problematic for some specialties and some residency programs thus you need to be prepared for this. If you had extenuating circumstances that caused your failures (personal illness, family illness etc), your MSPE should (and will) address these. You should know what the Dean states in this document before it goes out (Nov 1 of your fourth year) because your residency ERAS should go out much sooner and should address why you took more than four years to complete the curriculum (you want your answer and the Deans explanation to be the same).
If you had purely academic problems, you need to be sure that these are addressed and corrected before you begin your repeat of first year. It’s going to be vital that you don’t fail anything during the rest of your medical school experience (pre-clinical or clinical). In short, you can’t have any deficiencies so be prepared for this. You also need to know that many competitive specialties will prefer people who are AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha) which you won’t be a candidate for since you are repeating; this is less problematic if your school doesn’t have a chapter. Again, you need to be prepared for this even though there are no grades on your transcript (you have a transcript and you were on LOA.) In short, LOA doesn’t wipe out everything but most things.
Do your best and correct anything that caused academic problems for you. After you are done with pre-clinical subjects and boards, you can see where you land but don’t focus on the competitiveness or noncompetitiveness of a specialty before you have your academics under control. It’s purely a waste of time since no matter what you do, you don’t have the luxury of failing anything. Good luck.
HI THERE,
I HAVE FAILED MY FOUNDATION YEAR IN THE COLLEGE AND I SIMISSED FORM THE COLLEGE IN THERE ANY WAY I CAN REAPPLY TO THE SAME COLLEGE OR IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS TO STUDY MEDICINE BY APPLING TO SICIENCE COURESE AND THEN REAPPLY TO STUDY MEDICINE
PLEASE HELP !!
To Nour:
It would seem that you are not in the United States and therefore, I don’t know how your medical college admissions system works. Your best course of action is to speak to one of the deans at your college and see if you have any options there. You might also speak to other medical college deans of admission for their input. You may be able to reapply at your school after performing well in additional coursework or you may end up going overseas for admisison.Good luck.
i have been asked to withdraw from medical school after failing the resit, i appealed which was turned down as well. iam feeling extremly depressed after working so hard to get into one of the best medical schools . after considerable thought iam now wanting to change my career path by doing a degree in chemistry and managment , can i apply in the same uni or will they reject me for my failure in medicine here also i need to do some relevent course work in chemistry to put in my personal statment. despite applying to sooo many places i have had no luck can anyone suggest some thing and what kind of work experince to apply for at student level sice most places only offer work placments for current students at unis . thanks
To nicola:
The answer to your questions depends on the university of your studies. Some universities will not admit you to another school within their campus if you have failed out of one of their schools. Other universities have very separate schools within the same campus and will base their admission decision on whether you meet their specific admission requirements regardless of previous failure. Before you apply, you should make some inquiries.As for student employment, most universities have to only offer employment to students because of funding regulations. You might look for services that work with the university but are not “through” the university. Often contract companies will operate research labs, student services and other things. Again, you have to make some inquiries in order to find information. Good luck
Hello,
I am not sure to address this question too, I would just hope that someone can offer me some advice. I’ve spent the last 10yrs dedicatiing every waking moment to doing what is necessary to get into medical school, and later to become a physician. It always has been my only passion, my lifes motivation to become a doctor; its the only thing i know. My grades in undergrad were ok/good, but my MCAT score was horrible. I attended a postbaccalaureate program, did well ad was admitted based on my performance in that program to the school affiliated with that postbacc program. in conversations with basically all other schools, I was repeatedly told that I had no chance and if Ii were ever offered an opportunity at the postbacc school that I should take it (this was the sentiment of Caribbean schools as well). I was admitted to a US osteopathic school and started this past august. I do not know how or why this happened but I failed out with a 69% in 2 courses and was asked to withdraw. I do not know what to do now. Medicine was my life and i am now stigmatized with a record of failing out of medical school. I feel this will prevent me from having any professional career.
I am lost and need help….
To John:
Your first step is to meet with the Dean of Student Affairs and see if there are some avenues for you to be readmitted to the school that you failed out for after sitting out a year. Many schools will readmit a student after that student shows strong evidence of scholarship remediation. Do keep in mind though that no LCME-accredited medical school is going to take a student who left one school “not in good standing”. If medicine is truly what you want, then you correct what caused to you to fail and convince whomever (committee or school administration) to allow you to return with your new study/scholarship skills. If it turns out that you have exhausted all avenues of returning to your former school, then look into other careers that might be satisfying for you. There are many ways and avenues to participate in patient care beside being a physician. Many of patient-care careers/professions can be quite satisfying if examined closely. Every year, a number of medical students will not be able to return to their school either for scholarship reasons or personal reasons. There is no “stigma” in finding out that medicine is not going to be the career for you. What you do after you get over the loss of your medical career is find something satisfying that you can accomplish and excel. It doesn’t matter what “others” tell you it matters most what you tell yourself. Right now, you need to know your options at your school which means that you need to speak with your Dean honestly and openly being as objective as possible so that you can make any corrections necessary. Good luck.
If for example his appeal is nt accepted, would it be possible that he can go to the USA to just do the 4th and 5th year therfore beocome a docter; and if yes what universities.
To Naseem:
It is highly unlikely that a student dismissed from an overseas school would be allowed to enter/transfer to a school here in the USA. Your friend would likely have to start at year 1 and then, because of the dismissal, would likely not be eligible for admission to medical school in because of previous matriculation and dismissal, would be unlikely to receive interview invitation. Transfers to schools here in the US (extremely rare) generally take place between LCME- accredited schools and involve students who are in good standing (eligible to return to the school that they are leaving). The best course of action would be to find another school in your country and attempt to gain admission there or to make sure that the appeal is on sound grounds and will not be rejected.
Hi, first of all thank you for the reply, may I ask for example if his appeal is again rejected is it a possibillity he can go to another university and just do the fourth and fifth year in the UK or even abroad. Once again many thanks for also this opportunity
To Naseem:
What happens depends largely on what the reason for the dismissal (academic versus conduct), the rules that govern your school based on the grounds for the dismissal. Here in the USA, if an appeal is not accepted and if you feel that the ruling is unfair, you can seek legal counsel. Sometimes it works especially if the reason for the dismissal has been corrected or ameloriated. Again, every case is different and if you are not in the USA (things are more uniform here with regulations for medical education by the LCME), it’s very difficult to make any sort of prediction.
Hi, I have a question regarding a fellow friend who has recently failed his fourth year in another words his penultimate year studying medicine,his appeal has got rejected by the exam board but however he has the chance to appeal again on the 28th july to the actual university. My question is; can someone please tell me regarding whether they think his appeal will get accepted.
To Naseem:
If you are not in the USA, it is very difficult to guage whether or not your friend’s appeal would be successful. Here in the US, there are mitigating circumstances that might allow for a successful appeal of a failure in fourth year but outside of this country, all bets are off as there are variable standards and regulations. I would hope that your friend is able to get good representation and advice in terms of handing this situation but the support of friends and faculty that know him well can do nothing except help. Good luck to your friend.
Hello Drnjbmd,
I appreciate a blog such as this and I believe I found it at the right time. I was dismissed from medical school last year after failing 4 self exams (peds, med, surgery, neuro) during my 3rd year rotations. I was allowed to take 2 of them over (peds and surgery) and passed 1 (surgery). I had issues during the pre-clinical years. I failed biochem and cellular medicine/genetics class at which point I flexed my 1st year schedule in order to complete 1 year of courses over 2. With this flexed schedule I passed all my 1st year classes. When taking my second year classes I had a full course load and failed 3 classes at the end of the year. I took the re-examination for all of the failed classes and passed 2 of them. I was brought in front of the academic standing committee and asked to repeat the entire 2nd year curriculum, including classes I passed. I complied, took everything over again and did not fail any of the classes. I proceeded to take my USMLE step 1 and passed (with just the minimum passing score) on the first attempt. As I entered into my third year the problem arose with the shelf exams and I was brought in front of the academic standing committee for the second time. However, this time they voted for dismissal, which I appealed to the Dean of the school and when he did not over turn the committee position, I was dismissed. I spent a total of 5 years in school at this point.
I am writing here today because after all this I know that my heart lies in medicine and I still wish to continue. I have been applying to other schools and did get accepted to one of the off-shore medical schools but because they do not accept financial aid, I have a tough time funding my education. Therefore, I am left to look towards US schools which have been quite unsuccessful up to this point. Most schools do not take students who have been dismissed or seeking advanced standing which greatly reduces my pool of choices.
My question to you is as an applicant applying for advanced standing positions into the 3rd year class, how can I strengthen my application given my “colorful” medical school transcript? I have been tested for a learning disability, went to counseling, continued to participate in medical missions aboard and shadowing physicians during my year out of school. Is there anything I can do to further ensure not only myself but other schools that I am capable and competent enough to finish?
To Ajay:
Unfortunately, the LCME gives medical students 6 years to complete a four-year curriculum. You likely would not be able to complete your schooling in one year and thus, it’s going to be very difficult to convince an LCME-accredited school to accept you. Since you left your original school, not in good standing, you don’t qualify for admission to another school in advanced standing (again LCME-accredited). At this point, offshore is your most viable option (and thus the funding problems). If you could get your original school to accept you (with documentation of your learning disability and accomodation needs), you might be able to finish here in the US. It’s probably worth the effort to appeal their decision and petition for readmission. Good luck!
hi ajay..may i ask u which medical school that u got accepted when u applied after u dismissed from your medical school?it’s just that my brother has a same problem with u..he’s already in 4th year medical school and failed his final exam..now he is currently looking for other medical schools that can accept him for advance standing position into 3rd or 4th year..but it already 1 year and he can’t get accepted in any medical school..please help..thank you..
Wow. I failed medical school too.
No really, I failed medical school. I failed a 20 minute oral examination at literally the last possible moment (the last day of medical school) and therefore failed medical school. I did not graduate afterward with my class.
I had passed every exam (70?80?) prior to that without struggle or complaint from my University. Now I have no degree and no job. Lovely.
To Elizabeth:
I hope you have/had some avenue of appeal. It would seem that an entire medical school course over 4 years (or more if you were not in the US) would not come down to 1 oral exam. What could one oral exam test that you would not have known after an entire medical curriculum? What would your school have to gain by not allowing you to retake this exam since you passed everything else?
Hi..iam riaz.
Iam 4th yr medical student from medical college in mauritius.
I failed once when i was in 1st yr then i passed in second attempt.same happened when i was in 2nd yr.and i gave my third yr exams recently i.e. Ophthalmology, ENT and community medicine.now im scared of failing in ophthalmology.i havent got my results yet.i have lost hope now.since i have joined medical college..i have failed.i have started to think that i cant become a good doctor.it screws with my mind.everyday and night.what should i do?i was new to college in first yr..I didnt knw how to study effectively so i failed 1st yr.second yr i had problms at home.third yr i gave my best.i worked hard on ophthalmology more than any other subject and now i fear failing that subject.and if i fail this subject…my self confidence will burn to ashes.no matter what i do,i have failed.what should i do?does failing many times determine if the doctor’s ability to treat his patients or is it the practise?plzz tell me.try to help me.
To Riaz Alvi:
Many excellent physicians will fail a subject or two during the course of their medical studies. The important thing to do is get what you need so that you don’t keep failing. Do you need to study more detail? Ask someof your colleagues who have done well and look at how they master the material. As a physician, you will solve your patient’s problems when they come for help. You need to do the same for yourself which is ask for help and get your study skills where they will work for you. You can’t undo what has happened but you can take every step that you can to make sure that you don’t keep failing. Good luck!