Help with my doubts

[doctor2007]

Hey guys, I need your help on this one. I am aware that medical school challenges students to a large extreme. That said, I want to know if there is a competition between students at RUSM. Mitch if you can answer this one as well that would be great. Since the school grades on a curve, there must be a percentage of students that get A's, B's, C's, and F's. I come from a school that curves, and its irritating. Especially when the mean is 81 (which is supposed to be a B-) and you get a C+ in the class. That's a 2.3 gpa that could have been a 2.7 gpa. So, is there a competition between students due to the curve grading.

Also, how many students are there in the lab per cadaver?

Thanks everyone!

[MitchDC]

I responded back to the PM you sent me with my feelings on this matter. Since I've already sent that, and if you don't mind, could you copy and paste my answer here for others to read. Thanks!

MitchDC

[doctor2007]

This is what MitchDC said about this issue

First of all, there are typically no more than 3 students working on a cadaver at any one time. However, to reduce the amount of dissection the three of you have to do (you are really busy that semester), two other groups of three also assist in dissecting that body. You then meet with those other groups to discuss and indentify what you have found.

You are correct about a "Bell Curve" and how that can stimulate competition amoung students. However, Ross does not grade on a Bell Curve. At Ross, 100% of the students can get A's and nobody HAS to fail. However, your grade is adjusted in the UPWARD direction only based on the performance of the class as a whole. If 10 people get a 100% on an exam (which, in a bell curve would quelch any curve), there will still be an upwards adjustement to the scores. Its a very detailed and statistics drive process, but the grading method is the same as that used by the National Board of Medical Examiners to provide your USMLE Score - so having it at Ross also prepares you for board in that respect. NEVER will you get LOWER than you actually scored on the exam.

Hope that makes sense!

MitchDC

[haggus]

I just wanted to let you know that as long as I've been at Ross so far, the grading has been very fair. I'm sure some will disagree, but in my experience, the vast majority of people who study hard get A's and B's. During my 4 semesters on the island just about all of my close friends got A's and B's. Although there is a curve, as MitchDC stated it always helps you. A definate positive for the school is that all of the classes in semester 1-4 are graded staight from the grades you make on the tests (they're called minis on the island). There might be one or two classes that give a minimal amount of points for professionalism or attendance, but for the most part YOU are the one that determines your grade.