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Related Experiment Videos

Differences in Medical Students' Academic Performance between a Pass/Fail and Tiered Grading System.

Brittany Ange1, Elena A Wood1, Andria Thomas1

  • 1From Academic Affairs, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.

Southern Medical Journal
|November 5, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Implementing a pass/fail grading system in medical school did not significantly impact academic performance. This study found similar outcomes for students under both pass/fail and tiered grading systems, suggesting no academic detriment.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Education
  • Student Well-being
  • Academic Performance Assessment

Background:

  • Medical schools are exploring pass/fail grading to reduce student stress and competition.
  • Concerns exist regarding potential negative impacts on academic performance with pass/fail systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of a pass/fail grading system on academic performance in first-year medical students.
  • To compare academic outcomes between students under pass/fail and tiered grading systems at the Medical College of Georgia.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study comparing two groups of medical students (n=774).
  • One cohort experienced tiered grading (classes of 2015-2016), the other pass/fail grading (classes of 2017-2018).
  • Academic metrics including GPA, MCAT scores, year averages, comprehensive finals, and USMLE Step 1 scores were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests.

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Main Results:

  • Both cohorts demonstrated similar overall academic performance in the first two years and on the USMLE Step 1 exam.
  • Minor, statistically significant differences (1-2 points) were observed, with no consistent trend favoring either grading system.

Conclusions:

  • Pass/fail grading in medical school does not lead to a significant decrease in academic performance.
  • The shift to a pass/fail system can foster a less competitive environment without compromising educational outcomes.