Is it pretty much required to have stellar grades to study medicine?

[MusicEnthusiast]

I hear a lot of talk about people who want to study at medical school, lots of premeds here at my university. I go to UW where we have the #1 nursing school in the US and one of the top medical schools as well. I guess since I'm here I feel that those who are accepted to the UW Medical School are geniuses. I'm wondering if it's the same across the whole country. I know grades aren't the most important thing and my interests are not in medicine, but I thought I'd ask you guys.

 

[matbook101]

Depends on the med school.

 

[GoCubsGo]

^that. It's about the school you want to get into. I assume of you test well that couldn't hurt.

 

[Carlanga]

In any US med school people have from good to stellar grades. The most imp factor to enter med school is the MCAT. The MCAT is the most imp filter of admission, at least when I entered.

 

[ECUpirate44]

Pretty much. Would you want a B- doctor working on you?

 

[mireille]

Pretty much. Would you want a B- doctor working on you?

or an A+ doctor with the personality of a charging rhino.

Also with med schools, more than grades matter. Life experiences count as well.

 

[/user/me]

Pretty much. Would you want a B- doctor working on you?

Do you get a transcript from all your healthcare providers?

 

[miles01110]

Grades and the MCAT score are the most important factors to getting into a good medical program. "Life experiences" don't really count for much unless they're used to differentiate amongst the cream of the crop.

 

[ECUpirate44]

Do you get a transcript from all your healthcare providers?

No, that's why I expect medical schools to be as stringent as they are.

 

[thewitt]

In the US, yes. Overseas, money is more important than grades in many cases.

 

[/user/me]

No, that's why I expect medical schools to be as stringent as they are.

Granted, but theoretically it doesn't matter if they got As, Bs or Cs as long as they graduated right? 🙂

 

[matbook101]

Granted, but theoretically it doesn't matter if they got As, Bs or Cs as long as they graduated right? 🙂

What? Lets see how you feel when a C doctor misdiagnosis you and you die.

 

[/user/me]

What? Lets see how you feel when a C doctor misdiagnosis you and you die.

Well, I'm going to be working in healthcare very shortly, and all the doctors that i've been doing clinicals with have been superb. With med school being so competitive, your grades once you get there aren't as important as the grades you need to get in. They're still important, but less so, due to the sheer stress and nature of med school. I haven't met a doctor yet that was incompetent, and I've been doing clinicals for almost two years at 5 different hospitals/clinics.

 

[eawmp1]

The "weed out" for becoming a physician occurs at the Med School entrance. 30-40% of US applicants typically matriculate each year. Therefore, there is competition to get in. Good grade can be an inication of a commitment to education. Grade, MCAT, and some evidence of dedication to some extracurricular (not "dabbling in a bunch") activity, along with the interview process helps schools determine admissions.

However, the best physicians are not "geniuses". Being a good clinician involves so much more than being smart. Many "rocket scientists" would make lousy physicians.

 

[kolax]

Not that this answers your question, but great academics aren't always the best doctors. Having top grades doesn't make you a great doctor, the personality and the practical ability/confidence does.

Tell tale signs of disease/illness aren't written in words on the body. A doctor who can recite every disease and illness and how to treat it would be useless if they couldn't properly analyse someone's body, never mind an academic genius but practical idiot trying to stick an IV in you.

 

[/user/me]

Not that this answers your question, but great academics aren't always the best doctors. Having top grades doesn't make you a great doctor, the personality and the practical ability/confidence does.

Tell tale signs of disease/illness aren't written in words on the body. A doctor who can recite every disease and illness and how to treat it would be useless if they couldn't properly analyse someone's body, never mind an academic genius but practical idiot trying to stick an IV in you.

Thanks for being level headed. 🙂 You mean everyone's body is unique and diseases present differently in different people because of the differences in people 🙂 🙄 Stay excellent!

 

[eawmp1]

Thanks for being level headed. 🙂 You mean everyone's body is unique and diseases present differently in different people because of the differences in people 🙂 🙄 Stay excellent!

Being dismissive will not make you a better physican. Stop watching House.

What you learn in medical school is a framework of approach to health and disease. An analytical method to which you bring/or augment interpersonal skills, observation acumen, physical examination skills, procedural proficiency, and knowlege of diseases and treatments. Someone who can recite verbatim textbook knowlege or cite medical papers is not necearrily put that information to practical use in the practice of medicine.

 

[/user/me]

Being dismissive will not make you a better physican. Stop watching House.

What you learn in medical school is a framework of approach to health and disease. An analytical method to which you bring/or augment interpersonal skills, observation acumen, physical examination skills, procedural proficiency, and knowlege of diseases and treatments. Someone who can recite verbatim textbook knowlege or cite medical papers is not necearrily put that information to practical use in the practice of medicine.

I know about medical education. I'm going through it right now. In addition, I wasn't being dismissive, I was genuinely agreeing with that users post.

 

[eawmp1]

I know about medical education. I'm going through it right now. In addition, I wasn't being dismissive, I was genuinely agreeing with that users post.

Sorry. I guess I read too much into the sarcastic emoji.

As for med school, been there, done that. 😉

 

[/user/me]

Sorry. I guess I read too much into the sarcastic emoji.

As for med school, been there, done that. 😉

No Big. Mistakes happen. I can see how that would be misinterpreted fairly easily. the sarcastic emoticons were more or less poking fun - good natured fun mind you - at the 8th grader who apparently got a job offer from apple corporate..

 

[ericrwalker]

Pretty much. Would you want a B- doctor working on you?

If he got his/her bad grades in classes that have nothing to do with being a doctor. Sure, why not.

 

[matbook101]

Well, I'm going to be working in healthcare very shortly, and all the doctors that i've been doing clinicals with have been superb. With med school being so competitive, your grades once you get there aren't as important as the grades you need to get in. They're still important, but less so, due to the sheer stress and nature of med school. I haven't met a doctor yet that was incompetent, and I've been doing clinicals for almost two years at 5 different hospitals/clinics.

Have you seen the tv show "House" 🙄

 

[/user/me]

Have you seen the tv show "House" 🙄

Why do you keep following me around this forum?

 

[matbook101]

Why do you keep following me around this forum?

I'm not.

 

[/user/me]

I'm not.

If you say so..