At first glance, it’s every student’s dream: taking classes without ever receiving grades. In 2019, the University of Friborg adopted this approach with its Master of Medicine. A unique learning method in Switzerland. In the world, only around twenty university courses operate in this way.
The absence of grades does not eliminate the evaluations, so failure remains possible, so the medical faculty of the University of Friborg has adopted an alternative system for the three years of training.
At the end of each year, a report is produced on the different areas of competence of the future doctor, including theoretical and practical exams. These exams only provide feedback on the number of points obtained and the student’s position in relation to the rest of the class, without the actual awarding of grades.
“The grade has an unfortunate tendency to push students to give it more importance than the content,” explains Raphaël Bonvin, head of the sector, Thursday in La Matinale. By removing grades, the goal is not to focus on each exam, but to prepare students “for their future careers as doctors,” he adds.
Student perspective
“In itself, as we do not have an exam, we can always improve, and in medicine, the knowledge is infinite”, underlines Julie Robatel, final year Master of Medicine student in Fribourg, Wednesday in the 7:30 p.m. the RTS.
Self-assessment might seem like a bragging exercise, but according to first-year student Vincent Fournier, that’s not the case at all. “What is really valued is the ability to question oneself. If you claim to be great in this or that area and during the internships this is not confirmed, this will quickly be seen,” he says.
An effective teaching method
And the teaching method of the University of Friborg is paying off. In 2022, in the federal medical exam, its graduates stood out for their practical skills, obtaining first place. Additionally, they also landed second place in theory. This performance was repeated in 2023 and confirmed again a few months ago in 2024, thus attesting to the effectiveness of this approach.
-“I think that our students work harder than elsewhere. The grade system encourages the attitude of aiming for the average to continue. By removing grades, the objective transforms into becoming a good doctor,” underlines Raphaël Bonvin, vice-president. dean of medical education in Fribourg.
What evolution of evaluation systems?
For the moment, no other university in Switzerland has followed the example of Friborg by abolishing grades. However, this success is generating interest. The Bern University of Health is currently working on an overhaul of its evaluation system.
The University of Geneva is also closely observing what is happening in Fribourg. Mathieu Nendaz, vice-dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva, recognizes that eliminating grades would be a real challenge, requiring a cultural change. However, he believes that this remains possible and would represent a cultural evolution.
However, Raphaël Pasquini of the Vaud University of Education warns against a generalization of this system. Because according to him, “certification without a grade can reduce stress and increase motivation, while causing another form of anxiety”, that of its value and its future positioning on the job market.
Radio/TV subject: Mehdi Piccand/Muriel Ballaman
Adaptation web: Miroslav Mares
