<p>Also regarding MD vs DO ortho, I do know that there is the ABOS (<a href=“https://www.abos.org”>https://www.abos.org</a>) and the AOBOS (<a href=“http://www.aobos.org”>http://www.aobos.org</a>). What exactly their differences are, I have no idea.</p>
<p>Also, the code is a big thing for MD/PhD students at my school to be wary of. We have been told to make sure that our PIs know the language our school uses so that they don’t write the still very positive sounding phrase that is used for the lowest of 5 tiers when they really intend to say that we are amazing.</p>
<p>Jugul.
“What drives me simply nuts about med school grading in the clinical years is the subjective component of a final grade. In S’s case shelf exam counted for less than half final grade.”
-Consider your S. very very lucky. The low score on shelf exam at D’s school will bring the grade down, but very very (very!!) high score on the shelf exam will NOT bring the grade up at all, it is basically disregarded. They were told this oficially (it could have been even written, do not remember what S. said). The grade is very subjective. It depends not only if they like you or not, but also on the style of the writing of evals of those who absolutely love you, expressed it many times, including writing something like the hope that you choose this specialty because you are so good at it. None of it is enough, if you do not have a luck, you are not getting what you want, period.
I do not know anyghing about percentage grade. At D’s school, they all aiming at H, below H is almost a tragedy. </p>