In-Training Exam and Fellowship

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Howdy all,

I haven't posted in FOREVER. I'm a 2nd year currently, pretty set on applying to Neo. I have no idea what to think of my ITE scores or to stratify my chances for fellowship. So, I had horrible first year scores (60), but my second year score is 250. Lay it on me guys...where does this put me as a second year resident?

Originally Posted by chriseli

Howdy all,

I haven't posted in FOREVER. I'm a 2nd year currently, pretty set on applying to Neo. I have no idea what to think of my ITE scores or to stratify my chances for fellowship. So, I had horrible first year scores (60), but my second year score is 250. Lay it on me guys...where does this put me as a second year resident?

It puts you in desperate need of writing your essay and starting your application instead of worrying about scores that no one cares about. Oh yeah, don't forget to start baking cookies for your LOR writers.

As a more objective person. haha. i think your score is on target. You have improved from 1st to 2nd year and you should be in good shape to pass your boards. I do agree that no one will likely care though one program did ask for in service exam scores but I don't know that you can do that anymore. Study hard and get your application in order and welcome to the family.

While no denizen of the frog pond am I:
Your scores are fine. 1st year is menaingless and second year has some predictive value for passage of the boards which, if my recollection serves me, you are on target to pass with that score. The PD or former PD at your program will guide you as the the meaning of your ITE scores.

You train in an everloving baby factory that loves to churn out people comfortable with neonatal rescussitation and management. It has a solid record for placement of neo fellows. Most go on to one of the military fellowships (for obvious reasons), but one recent grad is at a civilian program. At least one of your recent staff is an NMCP grad (and is the same service branch as you [looking back to an older post]).
Get one of the neos to mentor you through the process. You'll be fine. And congrats on rising to 2nd year.

As OBProfessor said-- don't worry about it. I sucked it up on the 1st ITE, did better on the 2nd, and then did worse on the 3rd! I was all stressed about it. But with the proper studying and high yield material, I did great on the actual boards. Don't judge performance on ITEs as evidence of clinical accumen. It's a test that you have to learn how to take-- that's all. Just keep doing what you're doing to be a good pediatrician. you'll be great!

Originally Posted by chriseli

Howdy all,

I haven't posted in FOREVER. I'm a 2nd year currently, pretty set on applying to Neo. I have no idea what to think of my ITE scores or to stratify my chances for fellowship. So, I had horrible first year scores (60), but my second year score is 250. Lay it on me guys...where does this put me as a second year resident?

I'm pretty sure the selection board doesn't look at inservice exam scores for peds when they perform their juju and decide who to pick for fellowship.

For the non-military folks, this references a military process for fellowship selection.

Is this ITE the same thing as the in-service exam? Do all peds programs give their own versions, or is this a standardized test? If so, is is given on the same day each year like the boards?

Since this thread is a few years old, I'd also just like some clarification on whether scores are important for fellowship apps these days.

If not, what else besides your clinical rotation evals are important? (ie. since you don't take the peds boards until after residency, there is no other standardized exam that is relevant, like Step 1 for residency apps). Not all people take step 3 before applying either, is that correct?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, ITE = in-training exam. All peds programs give a national version as administered by the ABP (or is it the AAP?). It is usually given one week a year in July, so that programs can stagger their residents on different days to allow for clinical coverage.

Most fellowships don't care or ask for your ITE scores, but some individual places do. As a whole, fellowships use the Steps as the standardized testing scores of choice and not the ITEs.

Some people would not have taken Step 3 before applying but it seems more and more programs are requiring Step 3 to be taken and passed before graduating to the 3rd year of training.