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Failure.
Hello.
Everyone knows that Medical School is tough, and indeed, it may be one of the hardest things, academically, you'll ever have to encounter.
Is this a just reputation?
Saying that, how many people fail?
Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why?
What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out?
Experiences & thoughts would be helpful
Everyone knows that Medical School is tough, and indeed, it may be one of the hardest things, academically, you'll ever have to encounter.
Is this a just reputation?
Saying that, how many people fail?
Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why?
What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out?
Experiences & thoughts would be helpful
Scroll to see replies
Reply 1
I'm only an ickle firstie so probably am not the best person to comment, but so far I've found that some of it is tough conceptually, but it's mainly difficult in terms of sheer volume. At Cambridge, you get chucked out for failing Tripos, but if you fail 2nd MB you can resit once, and if you fail resits you're out. I think a couple of people a year fail Tripos, a number fail 2nd MB but pass second time around, and a few fail 2nd MB on both occassions. I've heard of a couple of people dropping out so far, mainly because they've either realised that medicine isn't for them, or they don't like the university or are having personal problems. I'm not sure how drop-out rates for medicine compare to other subjects though, but in general the drop-out rate here isn't too high.
Classic, Theodore.
Everyone knows that Medical School is tough, and indeed, it may be one of the hardest things, academically, you'll ever have to encounter.
Is this a just reputation?
1. Saying that, how many people fail?
2. Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why?
3. What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out?
Is this a just reputation?
1. Saying that, how many people fail?
2. Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why?
3. What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out?
1. No more than a handful each year. Generally those that don't want to pass.
2. Yes. Ultimately, they get thrown out cos they don't want to stay. Here, unless you're spectacularly stupid, you can fail one year, fail the resits for that year, resit and fail the year again, resit and fail the resits again before you're thrown out.
3. Drop out rate is variable. There are three classic drop out points; the first term when people discover that uni life is not for them, the third year when people discover that clinical medicine is not for them and after finals when people decided that they'd rather be actors or in a band than doctors. However, there's some discussion as to whether this is changing, particularly as the demographics change.
Classic, Theodore.
Well, what is the challenge of medical school if it isn't the academic side?
Practically half of my year failed my recent in course assessment. But I doubt anything will happen about it. (by fail, I mean they got less than 50% right)
TBH it's easier than A Levels so far. And I just got an email saying that that most recent ICA was the hardest module in the degree and i found it fine... and no i don't have 10A*...
Saffie
or just, people dying from your med school, in my case 
But you're precisely right Saffie, the emotional toll of medical school is huge, far higher than in most other degrees (I can't think of any bar nursing that come close). The emotional toll of the job is even harder.
Oh, and the hours are pretty ****ty too - I found A levels a challenge but my sixth form never wanted my in '7 til 8'.
p.s. Saf, be blunt more often love, suits you.
Ignoring the bickering...
Saying that, how many people fail? Variable. For our 2nd MB exams, most of the 1st year ones have a 10%ish failure rate but you have one resit, which most people pass. In 2nd year the failure rates for some subjects are closer to 30-40%, and some people don't pass the resit. But you'd have to try really hard to fail both times, given that resits are after the summer holidays so you have effectively 3 months extra revision time. I only know a couple of people who've actually left Cambridge - most have transferred onto other courses (usually NatSci)
Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why? Very rarely - you'd have to commit some serious disciplinary infringement, or just not do any work at all/not show up for anything.
What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out? As has already been described, but it's especially low for Cambridge because they're quite obsessive about keeping you here. A fair few transfer out to other subjects, but I can only think of 2 who have totally left.
Saying that, how many people fail? Variable. For our 2nd MB exams, most of the 1st year ones have a 10%ish failure rate but you have one resit, which most people pass. In 2nd year the failure rates for some subjects are closer to 30-40%, and some people don't pass the resit. But you'd have to try really hard to fail both times, given that resits are after the summer holidays so you have effectively 3 months extra revision time. I only know a couple of people who've actually left Cambridge - most have transferred onto other courses (usually NatSci)
Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why? Very rarely - you'd have to commit some serious disciplinary infringement, or just not do any work at all/not show up for anything.
What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out? As has already been described, but it's especially low for Cambridge because they're quite obsessive about keeping you here. A fair few transfer out to other subjects, but I can only think of 2 who have totally left.
Helenia
Ignoring the bickering...
Saying that, how many people fail? Variable. For our 2nd MB exams, most of the 1st year ones have a 10%ish failure rate but you have one resit, which most people pass. In 2nd year the failure rates for some subjects are closer to 30-40%, and some people don't pass the resit. But you'd have to try really hard to fail both times, given that resits are after the summer holidays so you have effectively 3 months extra revision time. I only know a couple of people who've actually left Cambridge - most have transferred onto other courses (usually NatSci)
Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why? Very rarely - you'd have to commit some serious disciplinary infringement, or just not do any work at all/not show up for anything.
What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out? As has already been described, but it's especially low for Cambridge because they're quite obsessive about keeping you here. A fair few transfer out to other subjects, but I can only think of 2 who have totally left.
Saying that, how many people fail? Variable. For our 2nd MB exams, most of the 1st year ones have a 10%ish failure rate but you have one resit, which most people pass. In 2nd year the failure rates for some subjects are closer to 30-40%, and some people don't pass the resit. But you'd have to try really hard to fail both times, given that resits are after the summer holidays so you have effectively 3 months extra revision time. I only know a couple of people who've actually left Cambridge - most have transferred onto other courses (usually NatSci)
Do people get thrown out of medical school, if yes, why? Very rarely - you'd have to commit some serious disciplinary infringement, or just not do any work at all/not show up for anything.
What is the drop out rate like, and what are the reasons for dropping out? As has already been described, but it's especially low for Cambridge because they're quite obsessive about keeping you here. A fair few transfer out to other subjects, but I can only think of 2 who have totally left.
Thanks for the thoughts
Classic, Theodore.
Yes, I've thought of it before.
For whatever reason, I don't consider it a major issue for me, personally.
For whatever reason, I don't consider it a major issue for me, personally.
I hate to sound like a patronising know-it-all, but believe me, you will find things which you struggle with, whether academically or emotionally. That's not to say you'll fail as a result, but to expect everything to go marvellously and that you'll mop fevered brows, share intimate empathic moments, hang around for hours doing nothing in particular without at some point having a tough time with it, is very naive.
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