As I prepare for stepI, I realize that I need more time to pace myself (I'm in clerkship at a non-US school and am learning alot of these basics for the first time) and I therefore am considering postponing it until August. I figure that in case I bomb it, I'll have time to rewrite it in like October/November in time for the match.

Would that timeline be ok for applying for residency in the 2005-2006 cycle?? I'm not interested in a competitive specialty but would like to score 220ish...

Thanks!

Mike:

I would be cautious with that plan (kind of cutting it close). This past year, i began submitting my residency apps via ERAS in september and getting interview offers closely thereafter. Many programs will screen for interviews using your step 1 score, and not having one in the system (takes 4-6 weeks to get it back) would probably hurt you. IMHO, you should try and take the exam so that your score will be back by the end of august at the latest. In the unfortunate event that you would need to retake, i believe you have to wait 3-4 months before you can sit for it again. Best of luck.

why are you taking step 1 after you've started rotations? they will just confuse things. take step 1 before rotations.