omoarole:


My experience has been with Masters programs in Canadian Universities. Take any Masters program in any university there and visit their school of postgraduate studies. They squarely spell out the 3.3 in 4 point GPA. you can only make that if you got 70% in majority of your courses in school. And the unclassified part to the degree doesn't make it easier.
Another angle to it is that the medical school program does not inspire excellence......it just places emphasis on averageness, since all you have to do is just pass.
Not that the program is not hectic enough, but it leaves you with the mentality that you don't really have to be exceptional. At least, all you need to do is just pass.
I agree that they may need to overhaul the whole process, but I hope the older doctors in the profession won't be against the changes. Most people still feel the old landmarks shouldn't be removed.
Most schools are still doing the longform exams still, which worldwide has been judged to be it only subjective, but not in tandem with the new concept of evidence based medicine....

Does this hold true for American Universities? I intend to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience in two years time, I hope it won't affect my chances. It's very pathetic that we're made to suffer to learn and the grading system isn't sympathetic.

We still do the closed marking system for essay. You can't score above 70% on an essay question. Ironically, you can be given a zero. These are the things I believe NUC should focus on, instead of this balderdash

Chartey:

OSCE has largely solved the problem of subjectivity.

Many schools still do not use OSCE. And most of those that do, it's a select few of the courses. OSCE should be introduced as the minimum and only standard of assessing medical students.

In my Part 3 Final Exam (Paediatrics), my long case was Recurrent Severe Anaemia secondary to Glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency. In my short case, I was given an EBT Cross and asked to ventilate on EBT. I was given Resomal and asked to ventilate on PEM and I was given a lab form and asked to ventilate on "The Uremic Child".
I left the ward with deep thoughts and when I contrasted the cases I had with the cases some others had (resolving malaria, febrile convulsion, burns etc), it was just unfair.

But I passed.

When I went to Gynae, my case was Secondary Amenorrhea due to Hyperprolactinemia to rule out Asherman's syndrome (4 t. o. PS) and my Obs was RVD Positive pregnancy at Term. I did very well but some students had Normal pregnancy, infertility, ca cervix, etc - which are common scenarios.

I believe nuc should focus on standardising the current state of things rather than dabble into this unfertilized attempt at prolonging the suffering of medical and dental students.

lomaxx:


Does this hold true for American Universities? I intend to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience in two years time, I hope it won't affect my chances. It's very pathetic that we're made to suffer to learn and the grading system isn't sympathetic.

We still do the closed marking system for essay. You can't score above 70% on an essay question. Ironically, you can be given a zero. These are the things I believe NUC should focus on, instead of this balderdash

Well, am not so conversant with American universities.....bbut a Ph.D in Neuroscience is going to be really competitive. You sure must have good references and connections for that. Most programs in North America generally will prefer to take their own graduates for Ph.D.....as most candidates have usually been working on a particular area from their Masters days that they will like to continue. Then, there is the issue of contacting a supervisor in the particular field you want to do, who has to accept to supervise you. The requirements for the 3.3 in 4 GPA is really for Masters if you want to look at it critically. I think the most important criterion for the Ph.D is getting a supervisor. If you can get one in a field of your choice, you practically have admission. Neuroscience is very competitive anywhere, and they are often picky. The experience I have is with an acquintance who got placement for his Ph.D in Human Genetics in McGill. And it was very tough. Practically had to ambush his potential supervisor across Canada during conferences......

it's now 11 years.