Article of the day

[Ladybug]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...e-nginnovators

This was passed around by my department head at Emma. I have a lot of thoughts on it, particularly related to culling through residency applications and how program directors are looking for evidence of grit over highest academic performance in medical schools, but I'm running to meet a plumber at the rental house though...joy.

[Ladybug]

OK, so its a lengthy aritcle and the writer clearly has a case of hero worship for Angela, but all that aside, grit is a character trait residencies are searching for in the application process. Angela is working to qualify and quantify this character trait. She has isolated intelligence and grit as independent, predictive personality variables. DH mentioned that they used to interview residents to sift out the idiots, but with generational changes and challenges, they are looking for residents that can survive and thrive in a training environment. She (and residency programs) are looking at how you handle frustration and failure. Are you derailed? Will you lash out and blame everyone else when you're stressed? Making the grades implies that you are capable of delayed gratification, the drudgery of studying and intelligence. In college and medical school you can control so much of your environment, timelines and operate relatively autonomously. The good grades don't imply you're capable of thriving in failure, confrontational (narcissistic?) personalities, physical stressors, etc. They are looking for marathon runners. People that have pushed through pain and drudgery. These are the things to highlight in personal statements. These are the things they want to hear about. These are the things that allow me to breath a little easier and deeper when my kids are struggling.

[Pollyanna]

My brother would rather have a kid in his lab with average grades that grew up on a farm and isn't afraid to get dirty and figure things out vs the 4.0 student that can't think his way out of a wet paper sack.