P/F
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Pass/fail |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Education & Academia, Medical |
P/F has two meanings. It stands for Pass/fail (academic) or PaO2/FiO2 ratio (respiratory).
Meanings of P/F at a glance
| # | P/F stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pass/fail | Education & Academia › Academic |
| 2 | PaO2/FiO2 ratio | Medical › Respiratory |
1. Pass/fail
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Grading option in which a course is recorded only as passed or failed, with no letter grade, so it does not affect the GPA unless failed under some policies. Students often use it for electives outside their major; many universities expanded it during spring 2020.
Example: She took the pottery elective P/F so it wouldn't affect her GPA.
Similar options are labeled S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) or CR/NC (credit/no credit). Most colleges limit how many pass/fail credits count toward a degree and exclude courses for the major. Medical and law schools may scrutinize pass/fail prerequisites, especially science courses, so pre-professional students are advised to take them for letter grades.
2. PaO2/FiO2 ratio
Medical · Respiratory Abbreviations
Ratio of arterial oxygen pressure (from a blood gas) to the fraction of inspired oxygen, a quick measure of how well the lungs oxygenate the blood regardless of how much oxygen is given. Normal is about 400 to 500 mmHg.
Example: PaO2 64 on FiO2 0.8 gives a P/F of 80: severe ARDS.
The Berlin definition of ARDS uses P/F thresholds of 300, 200 and 100 for mild, moderate and severe disease, measured on at least 5 cm H2O of PEEP. The SpO2/FiO2 (S/F) ratio is a noninvasive alternative included in newer global ARDS definitions. P/F is also a component of the SOFA organ failure score.
Related abbreviations
More academic abbreviations
- OOS – Out-of-state
- OPT – Optional Practical Training
- ORCID – Open Researcher and Contributor ID
- P&T – Promotion and tenure
- PG – Postgraduate
- PI – Principal investigator
- PLA – Prior learning assessment
- PLUS – Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students
See all 124 academic abbreviations →
More respiratory abbreviations
- NRB – Nonrebreather mask
- NSIP – Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia
- OHS – Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- OSA – Obstructive sleep apnea
- PAH – Pulmonary arterial hypertension
- PAP – Positive airway pressure
- PE – Pulmonary embolism
- PEEP – Positive end-expiratory pressure
See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.