Below average step 1 score for plastics!!

[Igakusei]

Hello. I go to a top 10 med school. Got my board score today and it's 236/99. I was really disappointed because plastics is my dream specialty.

I don't know if I can make AOA, and don't have much research yet. I'm willing to do what it takes to get to plastics, hopefully an integrated program.

Do I still have a chance of matching in plastics with this board score? Or should I think of some other specialty? Anybody who's been through the process who had a similar score to mine? What interviews did you get and where did you match? I'm wondering if I'll be able to match into plastics at all...I really hope so....

I appreciate any advice. I heard that some plastics programs have cutoff scores. what are these cutoff scores? I saw that the average score for plastics was 245 and got really discouraged.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Shibumi]

Few programs would make decisions based on purely scores. Other factors such as research/publications, letters are also crucial. If you are deficient in one area, work on augmenting others. For example, it would help you tremendously if you can work on PRS-related research project and get published. Just so you know, the application to PRS has gone down this past year. If the trend continues, you may not be facing as stiff a competition as your predecessors did.

 

[Ilovelamp]

I am in a similar boat. I had an interest in Plastics until I received my step 1 score which sucked at a nice 228. So I put plastics out of my options and now I am having second thoughts..I'm already a fourth year, so I don't know if I will be able to salvage anything and match...
Good luck to you though!

 

[JonBovi]

Few programs would make decisions based on purely scores. Other factors such as research/publications, letters are also crucial. If you are deficient in one area, work on augmenting others. For example, it would help you tremendously if you can work on PRS-related research project and get published. Just so you know, the application to PRS has gone down this past year. If the trend continues, you may not be facing as stiff a competition as your predecessors did.

Do you mean application has gone down in integrated PRS or independent? Or both?

 

[Stare Decisis]

I was told there were around 14 spots left unfilled for the independent match since PRS was increased to 3 years. Although I am fairly certain that PRS integrated is as competitive, if not more so, than it has been in previous years.

 

[RichieVallens]

Listen sir:
Follow your heart, get a pair of balls, and don't take no for an answer.

Best of luck.

 

[plastic7]

integrated was 30% match rate this year per my med school dean. it has gotten significantly more competitive each year. Independent pathway is the one that has gotten less competitive. truth is, many programs do use step 1 cut-offs. There was a group of PD's that talked to med students at ASAPS a few years ago, and they flat out said that they review apps for the top 50-100 people in terms of scores. that being said, not all programs do that, and there are many programs who look at the "whole" applicant. U Chicago, for example, said they literally review every single application they get, from scores to letters. A low score may prevent you from getting some interviews, but its not a universal factor. you should certainly still apply if it's what you want to do, just be smart about it, apply to a ton of programs and keep an open mind.

 

[rueby25]

236 is fine if your application is well rounded. You didn't lay an egg. Step 1 is just part of the overall picture. Get published, work hard, get honors, get incredible letters and you'll be fine. It won't hurt to do 250s on step 2. I had an almost identical step 1 and had 10 interviews.

For reference though, average matched is over 250 now. Your stated average is a few years old.

Bottom line: the numbers freak everybody out. No one is a shoe in. Not even the 285 with 27 pubs. It's personality and work ethic and ability to become a good surgeon. Good luck.

 

[Footprints13]

I second Rueby25, I had a worse Step 1 score than you did and had 15 interviews. I nailed Step 2, honored all my away rotations and had great LORs from plastic surgeons I had worked with for years. Some programs will automatically reject your file because they have filters, but many of them won't, especially if you have other things that set you apart. It was clear from my application that I was dedicated to plastic surgery and I had mentors who said those same things. The key is to work on it. Be honest and figure out what your red flags are and then try to build up other aspects of your applications. Shoot for >20 point increase from Step 1 to Step 2, some programs have this as a filter as well so even if you didn't qualify based on your original Step 1 the fact you did so much better on Step 2 will get you an interview. Get some research done and presented or published so you have something that sets you apart. A program director told me that every file has work in progress on their publications sections, so just getting one research paper published or presented automatically moves you ahead of other applicants that might have 5-6 research projects but none of them have been published.

The goal is to minimize your red flags and minimize a program's risk of taking you. Having someone who has great Step scores is nice because it is an objective measure of knowledge, and traditionally the program doesn't have to worry about issues with standardized tests with these individuals. However, programs are smart and can decipher students who have long term commitment to plastic surgery and those who had no interest in plastic surgery until they got a 260 on Step 1 and magically became passionate about the field. The students I met on the interview trail last year that were in that latter group did not do so well when match day came.

The residency program has on average 2 slots to fill each year, and they are choosing someone who will be with them for 6-7 years and will forever be a standard bearer for their program. Choosing the wrong person can really disable a program. One of my friends is at a program that had two residents quit. This ties a programs hands as the remaining residents had to cover call and weren't able to cultivate other aspects of the program (research, international work, etc). It's not like general surgery where they take 10-20 residents each year and can easily cover is someone leaves or is fired.