getting asked about step1 score

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not sure if this question has been addressed...what do you do when asked about your step 1 score from residents? fresh m3 here

the issue is...i'm actually very happy about my step 1 score in the 260s my issue being..i don't feel like i'm doing that well, missing a bunch of pimp questions sometimes a little clumsy dropping things - i'm improving but still feel like i'm not performing as i should..i do work hard things just don't seem to be lining up....i feel if i tell them my score and the notice the disparity between that and my performance...they will think either 1) i'm good at the books, suck at clinical rotation...2) i'm just flat out lazy in clinical rotations and should be performing better...#2 is definitely not true..#1 i don't know, but i'm working hard to change that...

i've heard people say you should tell them if it's good b/c it looks favorable and they will complement your good score with a good eval if they notice you working hard...i've also heard the opposite..am i just tinking too much?..i've been asked by multiple people....which is odd - i heard they're not suppose to ask..

Everyone feels dumb in third year. You're not alone.

I don't think telling them will ever hurt you so as long as you lie to them about what residency you want to end up in. Most people want bright students to enter their own field. A few of my attendings know my score and I think it has sort of a halo effect. Anything I do well is amplified, anything that I do poorly is overlooked.

Sometimes I think my Step 1 score was a fluke. I felt so comfortable in the classroom and while studying and working through lecture material. I don't feel comfortable on rotations yet, and I'm still trying to find my "clinical footing". I think we all struggle with this early on, just as we may have struggled to find our "academic footing" early on in the first two years.

Personally, I would love it if my attendings would ask about my Step 1/Level 1 scores. I'm at a mega-laid back place, so that rarely happens. If they ask I at least feel that telling them your high score may make them say, "Well, this student got a high score, so s/he can't be all that dumb. Let's give it some time."

Originally Posted by chugalong

i've been asked by multiple people....which is odd - i heard they're not suppose to ask..

I was never asked, but I can't think of a reason why they're not allowed to ask.

have never been asked. i didn't do amazing but didn't do bad but would be very annoyed if people started asking me it or I felt that i was getting positive or negative reactions based on it

humble brag?

Originally Posted by chugalong

which is odd - i heard they're not suppose to ask..

It's social etiquette not to ask, but there aren't any rules against it.

I give them a generalization. Like for you, I might say "I broke the 250 barrier" if your exact score isn't something you want to divulge. I've never had a reisdent ask though, just other students.

I've been asked twice by residents at programs I am looking into. It was pretty matter of fact, and I'm not really sure what they were trying to accomplish with that information. It was in the middle of rounds too, lol.

You can always say "I did actually very well... but obviously need work on my clinical skills." or "I'm hoping my clinical skills catch up to my USMLE score".

If someone in the clinic asks, I'd tell them. It might give you the benefit of the doubt.

I never ask our 3rd year students but will ask our subI's who come to me to evaluate their application and give advice on applying.

Whenever the subject came up in general (which was rare) I would usually say something along the lines of "I did OK, could have done better but it was a reasonable score." If I was OP, I would have just answered with "I did pretty well, satisfied with my score" or something along those lines.

Only once was someone not happy with that answer and asked me for a number... and that was a random psychiatry attending during my very last rotation m3 year. No idea what was up with that.

Originally Posted by mmmcdowe

I give them a generalization. Like for you, I might say "I broke the 250 barrier" if your exact score isn't something you want to divulge. I've never had a reisdent ask though, just other students.

That's an even more douche comment, like "My score is so high it broke the 250 barrier."

Originally Posted by TheProwler

That's an even more douche comment, like "My score is so high it broke the 250 barrier."

"Peasants like you should only know that my score is so high that merely standing in my presence can be an experience on ERAS. "

Originally Posted by VisionaryTics

"Peasants like you should only know that my score is so high that merely standing in my presence can be an experience on ERAS. "

Guaranteed to make lots of friends with this one.



btw what on earth is the 250 "barrier"..?

Originally Posted by Dissected

btw what on earth is the 250 "barrier"..?

Sounds like something Phloston would say.

I'm afraid when you are working with a score in the 260's like the OP it is pretty hard not to offend someone when you say it. Other students asking what your score is isn't exactly a good way to make friends either...

Originally Posted by Dissected

Guaranteed to make lots of friends with this one.



btw what on earth is the 250 "barrier"..?

At my school 250 is what is considered the point when it stops mattering so much. . I didn't come up with it.

Originally Posted by mmmcdowe

I'm afraid when you are working with a score in the 260's like the OP it is pretty hard not to offend someone when you say it. Other students asking what your score is isn't exactly a good way to make friends either...

It's less douchey to just say "I had a 267" than "I broke the 250 barrier." Why not just say something more modest, like "I scored over 240," unless you're talking to someone in a specialty you're interested with an average that's higher?

You can always demur and just say something like "I was very happy with how I did, and it was a good score."

older attendings have always asked my score.

When I say I got a (insert high sounding score here), they ask: "is that good?"

Apparently their NBME Part 1 examinations didn't operate on that scale


Of course all I have to say is the (former) 2 point score of 99 and they all just nod their head away...


Though one younger attending did ask me and he took them with the 3 point scale.

It DID have a halo effect as he suddenly saw me as his "best" student, especially when I did a thorough job with chartwork, presentation, and pimp questions.

Automatically that (poor) guy next to me who didnt get the pimp question right and didn't score as high suddenly looked far worse in the attending's eyes

(though I will say I often helped the guy or gal across from me with the pimp questions without answering it myself first)

and you "make friends" by telling other students your score, showing that you don't take yourself too seriously, and then helping them out on scutwork and pimp questions

of course you want those honors and want to sabotage others

Originally Posted by NewYorkDoctors

older attendings have always asked my score.

When I say I got a (insert high sounding score here), they ask: "is that good?"

Apparently their NBME Part 1 examinations didn't operate on that scale


Of course all I have to say is the (former) 2 point score of 99 and they all just nod their head away...


Though one younger attending did ask me and he took them with the 3 point scale.

It DID have a halo effect as he suddenly saw me as his "best" student, especially when I did a thorough job with chartwork, presentation, and pimp questions.

Automatically that (poor) guy next to me who didnt get the pimp question right and didn't score as high suddenly looked far worse in the attending's eyes

(though I will say I often helped the guy or gal across from me with the pimp questions without answering it myself first)

and you "make friends" by telling other students your score, showing that you don't take yourself too seriously, and then helping them out on scutwork and pimp questions

of course you want those honors and want to sabotage others

This, my friends, is an example of what not to do.

I fail to see how telling others my score would "make friends."

This has a hint of troll

Originally Posted by Raryn

This, my friends, is an example of what not to do.

worked for me.

make not work for you.

the mistakes i see a lot of my fellow students make when being pimped are very understandable. a few tips i would have would be to 1) always take a breath and think for at least a second or 2 before answering, sometimes it helps to not look at the attending. if there is a rush for a reply, then it is not a real pimp session that is about learning 2) it's a game, try and enjoy it - if you feel like everything you do is going to affect your chances for getting into residency X, then it is a lot harder to answer questions 3) after, or during, round write down topics you don't know so you can read about them that night. This will lead to progressively fewer questions missed as the rotation goes by.

good luck.

In terms of pimping (since this thread has partially been hi-jacked) what I've always been told is the following:

It's ok if you don't know it the first time it's asked, but you should know it the second time, and it'll really look bad if you don't know it the third.

Originally Posted by evilbooyaa

In terms of pimping (since this thread has partially been hi-jacked) what I've always been told is the following:

It's ok if you don't know it the first time it's asked, but it'll really look bad if you don't know it the second time.

fixed that for you

Now that I'm in 4th year it's not hard to have fun when pimped.

If someone asks just tell them. Don't beat around the bush. Residents are already in residency.. they don't care what you got b/c they aren't competing against you for anything. If anything it gives them confidence that you're not some raging idiot on their service.

Why is it a problem to tell a resident your step 1 score? Unless they use that as a basis on how to judge you as a person (in which case they're horrible people)

Originally Posted by Raryn

This, my friends, is an example of what not to do.

Reminds me of the guy in my med school class who "accidentally" left his score report open on the computer in the team room

I really can't imagine residents asking this question, but apparently it happens?

As someone said above, the only time I've ever asked a student about scores/clerkship grades is when they've come to me asking for application advice.