GREATMDPA Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Are grades in PA school important for any reason if one doesn't desire to do residency? The program director at my school said grades don't really matter during our orientation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted January 30, 2011 Administrator Share Posted January 30, 2011 I suppose it varies from place to place... My program doesn't use grades; everything is pass/fail, so the students have zero disincentive to cooperate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 i wonder how pass/fail works when applying to a residency or better yet if you apply to another masters or a phd program Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn_Not_Sean Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I would say, in general, no they do not mean very much. I have never been asked, nor have I heard anyone be asked, what their GPA was in PA school. It isn't on my CV either. Even if a program is simply "pass/fail" they obviously have some sort of cut off to measure on. My program had set the bar at 82%. Either you were at or above that (passed) or not (fail). This reminds me of an old joke: What do you call the med student that graduates last in his class? ... Doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted January 30, 2011 Administrator Share Posted January 30, 2011 i wonder how pass/fail works when applying to a residency or better yet if you apply to another masters or a phd program Well, since a MS in PA Studies is a professional, rather than academic master's degree, I don't think it should matter terribly much. I'd expect that letters of recommendation, review of projects and professional portfolio and the like would matter more. Besides, what's more difficult to get into than a PA program? The astronaut program? SEALs? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREATMDPA Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 The hospital internal medicine fellowship at Mayo Clinic "desires" a GPA of 3.5 or higher, so I suppose with programs that have pass/fail system, they would base on PANCE scores since this is the real measure of clinical knowledge. Shawn is probably right. I can't think of any other reason besides competing for residency that GPA would play a role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Well, since a MS in PA Studies is a professional, rather than academic master's degree, I don't think it should matter terribly much. I'd expect that letters of recommendation, review of projects and professional portfolio and the like would matter more. Besides, what's more difficult to get into than a PA program? The astronaut program? SEALs? :-) Im just wondering. If two people are applying to a residency with one seat left and you have one applicant and you know they received at least a 80% because they passed and then you have another with an actual GPA and you truly like both candidates....would having an actual GPA be beneficial over a simple P/F? And with other academic programs that require certain GPAs does P/F hurt or hinder your application? Doesnt TRULY matter in the grand scheme of things (to me anyway) the program I was accepted to grades like that and Im ok with it....I just wondered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREATMDPA Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Im just wondering. If two people are applying to a residency with one seat left and you have one applicant and you know they received at least a 80% because they passed and then you have another with an actual GPA and you truly like both candidates....would having an actual GPA be beneficial over a simple P/F? And with other academic programs that require certain GPAs does P/F hurt or hinder your application? Doesnt TRULY matter in the grand scheme of things (to me anyway) the program I was accepted to grades like that and Im ok with it....I just wondered. I think GPA is only one of the factors in the "application package". In your scenario, I would expect programs to look at other factors such as PANCE scores, personal statement for reasons why an applicant is wanting to do the residency, his/her goal and how the residency program would help meet the applicant's goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Well yes its one of many factors....Im working off the assumption that candidates are deemed equally suitable in al other areas I think GPA is only one of the factors in the "application package". In your scenario, I would expect programs to look at other factors such as PANCE scores, personal statement for reasons why an applicant is wanting to do the residency, his/her goal and how the residency program would help meet the applicant's goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREATMDPA Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Well yes its one of many factors....Im working off the assumption that candidates are deemed equally suitable in al other areas Although this scenario is not impossible, it's kinda unlikely to have two candidates that are equivalent in "everything". Nevertheless, I guess programs would need to scratch their heads and try to figure out what other distinguishing features set them apart, e.g. communication skills during interviewing process, how applicant presents him/herself. In real-life cases, I would think there must be something to set two individuals apart, even identical twins aren't identical in everything. Like on one of those American Idols shows, participants keep on going until they can narrow down to one :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted January 30, 2011 Administrator Share Posted January 30, 2011 Just Me, I'm not too worried about P/F being a big challenge for me. Since I am a member of no protected or preferred class whatsoever, (not even a veteran...) I automagically lose all ties in any hiring or application process. For someone else, it might not be as academic a question, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 equally suitable does not equate to identical Although this scenario is not impossible, it's kinda unlikely to have two candidates that are equivalent in "everything". Nevertheless, I guess programs would need to scratch their heads and try to figure out what other distinguishing features set them apart, e.g. communication skills during interviewing process, how applicant presents him/herself. In real-life cases, I would think there must be something to set two individuals apart, even identical twins aren't identical in everything. Like on one of those American Idols shows, participants keep on going until they can narrow down to one :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Im not too worried either...it was just something I thought about when the grading scale was mentioned....the funny thing is that the program didnt tell us tabout the grading, one of the students told us after asking about the academic support and such. Im not sure about the chances of me going back to school but the Emomry PA AA bridge is still in the back of my mind as well as getting a degree in education so it seems silly of me to NOT think about how P/F would fair against having an actual GPA. Not really one of those things you can "worry about later" right? lol Just Me, I'm not too worried about P/F being a big challenge for me. Since I am a member of no protected or preferred class whatsoever, (not even a veteran...) I automagically lose all ties in any hiring or application process. For someone else, it might not be as academic a question, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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