University of Virginia Health System

Beginning with the entering class of 2003, the University of Virginia School of Medicine is instituting a pass/fail grading system for the first two years of the curriculum. There will be no high pass or honors grades given for individual courses. However, at the end of the second year, the top 20% of the class will be awarded Pass with Distinction based on their numerical exam scores for the entire two year period. We hope this new grading policy will encourage medical students to focus on learning and develop higher levels of intellectual curiosity.