How much does your uni academic result matter?

[beccy]

I've been looking into different specialist training programs and for most of the entry requirements, they seem to give points for achieving awards such as first in class and getting on the dean's list during med school. As I have not received any awards in med school and I am in my final years, and these programs are all hugely competitive to get into, would anyone be able to say how important it really is to do well in med school? and do I still have a chance? I am particularly interested in ob&gyn or derm or general practice

 

[frootloop]

My understanding of it is that your med school grades count for very little to nothing.

Quite a few specialities actually publish the 'points systems' they use as part of their application system. Check the RACS or ANZCA websites, for example -they publish very clear 'CV points systems'. I don't remember medical school academic achievement counting for much/anything on the ones I've looked at.

(Man it's good going to a medical school which doesn't have much by way of a formal 'grades' system. Academic achievement can't count for much on my CV haha)

 

[beccy]

Thanks for the reply. Can't seem to find the ANZCA scoring system anywhere . However I do know that RANZCOG gives out a maximum of 10 points out of 48 for academic achievement and it is the third highest scoring thing... but they give 15 points just for having lived in a rural area

 

[frootloop]

RANZCOG may allocate a fair number of potential points to academic achievement, but basically nobody would get many of them.

Like, to get those points you need to have topped your medical class overall, topped your medical class for O/G, gotten first class honours overall for your degree, won a Dean's medal... And they specifically exclude pretty impressive things like 'got first class honours in an individual subject'.

So while there might be a large theoretical haul of points for medical school academics for RANZCOG applications, basically nobody is going to get more than one or two of those 10 points. In other words, it's not really going to be much of a differentiating factor between most applicants.

And anyone who manages to get anywhere close to all 10 of those points is a superhuman who would most likely blow other applicants out of the water anyway. The kind of person who tops their med class, also tops their class in O/G, gets first class honours for their medical degree, wins multiple prizes and a Dean's medal etc, is pretty likely to have a kickass CV in other areas as well.

My point is, even in a CV scoring system like RANZCOG's, medical school academics isn't likely to be a hugely differentiating factor between applicants (except for applicants who are incredibly impressive anyway).

By all means, go for prizes, first class honours etc. But don't feel like your career is screwed if you don't top your med class.