Hi! So I have a 229 with a Master’s in Neuro, had some abstracts and a publication in neuroscience,did some neurosurg research etc., shadowed my NS department for 2 years but have not been able to honor anything 3rd year- still have 1 rotation left which is Ob/GYN. Usually, I’ll honor half a rotation with very good-excellent commentary. It sucks because some of the places I rotated in strictally do not honor so it does not matter how much work was put in. Anyways, obviously I would be applying with schmoo grades since the first 2 years does not count at my school (strictly pass-non-pass). B4 I meet with the NS director of our school, do you think it’s over?

It’s not over, but it’s not helping your cause.

I must confess to some suspicion of your statement that no one gets honors where you rotate.  Typically even if you rotate “off campus” the grades are still calculated at the home institution, and your external preceptors just fill in the evaluation sheets.  If they really like you as much as you say, the evals would be good.

You’ll definitely get interviews if you apply broadly enough (40+ programs). I think you shoudl focus on getting OUTSTANDING letters from away rotations you plan to do.

class rank and letters will be more important for you then.

most letters make a statement about where the applicant fits within the writer’s experience of other applicants. If they state that you are ‘one of the best candidates in this year’s match’, that carries a lot more weight than a letter which only states, ‘strong/solid candidate.’

also, if you’re aoa, or at least in top quartile, you’ll probably still get a reasonable number of interviews.

all that said, we had one resident who matched several years ago with poor board scores and so-so grades from a so-so medical school during a particularly bad year. he matced largely because one attending really liked him during his externship. no surprise, he’s made a ho-hum resident (and that’s generous).  But--guess what--he will still graduate.

(scary admission, but true).