Today we had a seminar regarding the shelf exams at AUC. The new policy is that the student needs to score within 1.5 (it previously was 2) standard deviations of the national average to pass the exam.

So, the instructor put up data of past classes that took the shelf exams, and they showed where the class average was, and where the 1.5 standard deviation line was. The data showed that half of the class would have failed the shelf exam. All of you upper semesters, half of yall would have failed every shelf exam they showed data on.

Also, a student asked about pass rates for the USMLE, and the instructor hesitated on answering, and then said "Well, since you asked, I have to be honest. The pass rates for first time on the USMLE are less than 75%." When you read the school literature you are lead to believe they have these huge amazing pass rates.

Also, the instructor pointed out that professors at AUC do *NOT* teach material to try to be in-line with the material that the NBME gives for shelf exams. She said the instructors teach whatever they want.

Also, you are required to have passing shelf exams now, or some variation of this (this was not made entirely clear, but it involves failing BBCM and having to retake it if you don't pass your shelves.)

So, let us summarize the data:

1. You are required to pass shelves, or risk failing and having to pay another $20,000 to repeat the semester
2. Half of every prior class would have failed the shelves if they had been under the 1.5 standard deviation rule
3. Professors do not teach you shelf material, they teach what they want (we were told this by the instructor)

So, the school has poor performances on the shelf exams and the USMLE, and instead of improving the teacher quality, they just make more people fail the exams. They haven't done anything to make the teachers teach more shelf related material. They just made it arbitrarily more difficult and they school will reap in the big bucks as students get more into debt trying to pass.

Also:
4. AUC mis-represents their USMLE data, as we were told they have less than 75% pass rate for first time test takers.

What a load.. I know a lot of people are pissed and want to go home or transfer to a different school. I feel weird.

where will they transfer? you realize we are all here for a reason---we arent in a US school, so where else would you go?

Ross, SGU, and AUC have about the same pass rate---

the grass isnt any greener anywhere else---

skipper

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If you fail at AUC, SGU, or Ross why not transfer to SMU, if you fail at SMU, why not try another SMU.

1. passing all the shelves is pretty much the same policy. I dont know why people would be so eager to get off the island and take the step if they didnt pass the shelves?

2. 1.5 standard deviations is still not that bad.....people should be able to get that especially with kaplan

3. The majority of the profs are right on target for step 1. I think i know what professor you were listening to.....keep in mind that professor never took step 1 nor trully knows the distribution of questions. I will tell you from personal experience that almost all the courses at AUC taught what was on my step.....kaplan filled in the gaps

4. Also, I know of 3 people out of 80 something that failed from my class.....so you do the math. I would believe the first time pass rate is near 80-85%......dont believe everything you hear and just bc its coming from a prof does not necessarily make it true

5. Go to class, learn the material, pass your exams, study hard during 5th and you'll do fine on the usmle.....again wouldnt you rather believe students that recently took the step than a random professor?

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some swimmer from Ct
the problem with the gene pool is that there are no lifeguards.....and we have been offering swimmies

Swimguy,
That was well said!!!! I totally agree with you. A few rules have changed since you left but all in all you get what you put into the program!!! Hope you're having fun in clinicals!!!
J-

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Here's what I still don't understand. Let's say you get to 5th semester, have passed all of your classes, pass your comprehensive shelf, pass the test USMLE given by Kaplan, but have a failing average of your shelf exams. What happens then? This is not a complaint, but a real question...

If you dont like the policies, transfer, if you think you will fail, transfer, if you dont like the proff or think they dont teach well, transfer.

no one is making you stay or forcing you to do anything. remember that this school is a second chance for most of us. if my biostat finial required me to dance infront of the class in a coccnut bra and a grass skirt to pass, the only thing i would ask is that Bonfire plays backup.

look at it this way, the school is giving me a chance to take the Step. that is all i care about, if i had to learn everthing on my own or not i dont care, i took the test and passed.

later
yoda

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As a general rule, the better it felt when you said it, the more trouble it's going to get you into.

I think though the shelf exams should be taken after the Kaplan review sections. That biochem shelf was BARELY biochem. It required an indepth knowledge of endocrinology and some micro/immuno.

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Agreed. A lot of the shelf exams cover more than what the class is teaching. There is a large discrepency in some cases, ie - biochem but other classes like micro/immuno are right on covering what the shelf is going to ask about. I believe the worse disparity b/t class vs shelf falls in line with pharmacology.

Additionally, there is something to be said that the shelf exams aren't relavent for what is covered on current step 1 exams.

I beleive kaplan does a good job trying to make up for deficits but the problems lies in offering some material after the shelf is already taken and therefore isn't of any use. However, as stated previous, the shelf exam is multifaceted and you'll see that same information creep up in different forms on different shelves.

doesnt scoring 1.5 SD from the national avg mean you have to just beat the bottom 9%---i think you should be able to do that---

skipper

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If you fail at AUC, SGU, or Ross why not transfer to SMU, if you fail at SMU, why not try another SMU.

you're asking for too much from the whiner crowd...

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