<p>*"Shrink…what med school did you go to? "</p>
<p>Let’s just say I didn’t “take anybody’s spot”. Ha Ha!</p>
<p>hint: HBCU *</p>
<p>Ha! I wasn’t suggesting that! LOL</p>
<p>I just had never heard of a med school that had so many students leave.</p>
<p>Another physician here. Failing TWO courses, not even being marginal in them is a red flag against success. The weeding is definitely done BEFORE medical school (what do you call the person who graduated last in his medical school class?..doctor). The costs of educating physicians is so expensive they don’t want to let anyone go unless they feel they need to. You likely don’t know all of the story. btw- there is still relatively very little clinical work in the first two years (and it isn’t the same as later)- a solid basic science foundation is needed to understand the “whys” behind the clinical decision making for the rest one’s career. A physician is not merely a technician but constantly learning as the field keeps changing. Having a solid knowledge of the basic sciences allows one to evaluate and understand new treatments decades later.</p>
<p>At this age it is definitely inappropriate to attempt to intervene. He is an adult, your input will at most hurt, not help him. His medical issues may or may not have hindered his success- it is/was his job to ask for any help he needed.</p>
<p>Please do not let any “shame” or parental needs for your son’s status get in the way. He needs your emotional support and love as a parent of an adult. Years later he may look back and be glad he needed to choose another career.</p>
<p>I have to agree with other posters. I went to med school in the 70’s and the weeding took place before, not during. There were one or two who needed extra time in basic sciences, but for the most part 98-99% of us finished and on time. We did not loose half our class over the boards. Perhaps we were better prepared. </p>
<p>I am currently on the clinical faculty of a med school, and again, the weeding takes place before admission. So failing two classes is a huge red flag. And I agree with two things that have been said. One, it is not your place anymore to try to intervene; and Two, there may be more to this than you know.</p>
<p>He needs to be the one to fight his case, come up with a plan, and address all of the issues that have been raised. He could also ask for a LOA to go back and take classes as a post-bac student to shore up his basic science knowledge and to retake the classes he failed, rejoining with the class behind him with a 5 year plan. If he is not successful with his appeal he needs to regroup. It is better to happen now than to finish 4 years and not be able to pass the boards. That is worse.</p>
<p>Maganda, if you really want to write the letter, or even meet with the school, it probably would do no harm, since your son has been rejected. It probably will do no good either, but it may bring closure to you. And there is always a tiny chance it might bring some info up that is helpful. </p>
<p>I recently intervened in something for a relative for which I had no business doing, but something just didn’t sound right to me and with permission, I looked into it, and against all odds was successful in the outcome. I really did not expect to be, but I was very curious why something wasn’t working right .The answer was that someone in the chain of decision making dropped the ball, and for me, an outsider to point it out, got it back in play again. So if you really feel you might be able to make a difference in an appeal, go on ahead and do so, but understand that the chances of it working are very small as your son is an adult by all definitions at age 22.</p>