Medical education
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Many medical schools are currently undergoing curriculum reform. When considering the means by which students will be evaluated in a revised curriculum, the need to reduce the prevalences of depression and anxiety associated with academic stress must be weighed against the importance of academic outcomes. Pass/fail evaluation, as compared with tiered grading, is commonly presented as a means to adequately assess student performance while minimising stress and anxiety. The purpose of this literature review was to determine the impact of pass/fail grading on medical student well-being and academic outcomes. ⋯ Student well-being is enhanced and objective academic performance is not adversely affected by a pass/fail evaluation system, but students' ability to obtain a desired residency programme may be hindered by individual programme directors' preferences for tiered grading systems. There is an overall paucity of literature on this topic and additional study is needed.