P = MD

Jessica Mason and Jenny Farah deliver another impassioned episode about the grading systems used in medical schools. Pass/fail, letter grades, and other options are used by different schools across the country. What’s best? As usual, we’ll tell you some data and then what WE think.

Resources:

UVA School of Medicine website: FAQ for pass/fail grading

Gonnella JS, Erdmann JB, Hojat M. An empirical study of the predictive validity of number grades in medical school using 3 decades of longitudinal data: implications for a grading system. Med Educ. 2004 Apr;38(4):425-34.

Bloodgood RA, Short JG, Jackson JM, Martindale JR. A change to pass/fail grading in the first two years at one medical school results in improved psychological well-being. Acad Med. 2009 May;84(5):655-62.

Spring L, Robillard D, Gehlbach L, Simas TA. Impact of pass/fail grading on medical students’ well-being and academic outcomes. Med Educ. 2011 Sep;45(9):867-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.03989.x. Review.

Shimahara E. Should Medical Grades be Standardized? Improving the Resident Selection Process. J Grad Med Educ. 2010 Jun;2(2):297-9. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-09-00098.1.

Wagoner NE, Suriano JR. Program directors’ responses to a survey on variables used to select residents in a time of change. Acad Med. 1999 Jan;74(1):51-8.

Lewis CE, Hiatt JR, Wilkerson L, Tillou A, Parker NH, Hines OJ. Numerical Versus Pass/Fail Scoring on the USMLE: What Do Medical Students and Residents Want and Why? J Grad Med Educ. 2011 Mar;3(1):59-66. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-10-00121.1.