Here's a STEP 1 story you haven't heard before- NEED ADVICE

[mksapboy]

OK, so I was in an MD/Ph.D program, left teh ph.D side and my mentor went crazy and tried to get me expelled from teh MD part. Didn't work but it delayed me starting M3... Went to take my boards later than usual in November. Had technical probelms 3 times straight nov- dec. My dean allowed me to start IM my first rotation, but had to take the boards in Jan during my IM... and nealry 3 montsh after I prepared. I failed.
had to turn around and take it again about 4 weeks later as soon as I finished Im and pass with a 190. I got advanced in IM and a letter of rec from my attending. Have since done surgery and did fairly well...

Bottom line question will this sob story help clarify my poor step 1 performance, will they even care to hear it? or shoudl I probably rule out any of the higher competitive specialties. I realize I will want to take step 2 before applying. Luckily Neuro is one of my main choices and I think will be OK there if I'm not too choosey, but I'm also very interested in urology and possibly neurorad

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[Jocomama]

I am reading your post, and am wondering if maybe you have dyslexia? Could that have affected your scores.
I am not trying to be sarcastic; there are several letter reversals in your post. A friend of mine had this, and was given extra time for his exam. He is now a Neurologist at Stanford.

OK, so I was in an MD/Ph.D program, left teh ph.D side and my mentor went crazy and tried to get me expelled from teh MD part. Didn't work but it delayed me starting M3... Went to take my boards later than usual in November. Had technical probelms 3 times straight nov- dec. My dean allowed me to start IM my first rotation, but had to take the boards in Jan during my IM... and nealry 3 montsh after I prepared. I failed.
had to turn around and take it again about 4 weeks later as soon as I finished Im and pass with a 190. I got advanced in IM and a letter of rec from my attending. Have since done surgery and did fairly well...

Bottom line question will this sob story help clarify my poor step 1 performance, will they even care to hear it? or shoudl I probably rule out any of the higher competitive specialties. I realize I will want to take step 2 before applying. Luckily Neuro is one of my main choices and I think will be OK there if I'm not too choosey, but I'm also very interested in urology and possibly neurorad

 

[mksapboy]

I am reading your post, and am wondering if maybe you have dyslexia? Could that have affected your scores.
I am not trying to be sarcastic; there are several letter reversals in your post. A friend of mine had this, and was given extra time for his exam. He is now a Neurologist at Stanford.

LOL, no I am just a very fast hen and peck typer and I don't proofread unimportant things.... muscle memory, I always type "the" "...teh"

This post sorta made me day. thanks for the laugh. I would say though 6 years of neuroscience bench research makes me a bit out of practice of the no. 2 lead pencil fill in the bubble exams.

 

[undecided3yr]

Many people fail step 1 and get into many different fields of medicine.

As you said yourself, Neuro is a safe bet that you will still match. It is just that you may not get into UCSF, Mass Gen, Hopkins, etc.

Make it up with a good Step 2 score, which you will take early in your 4th year or late in 3rd year, in time for programs to see the improvment.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

I guess one could never say never but there are just too darn many competitive folks applying in fields like Urology for someone who has failed step I to match. I know it sucks but if you get your heart set on it then maybe you can impress someone during a prelim year and see what happens from there.

 

[Blade28]

You're considering neurology, urology and neuroradiology?

Seems like a wide range there.

 

[JackBauERfan]

You're considering neurology, urology and neuroradiology?

Seems like a wide range there.

I say go ahead and add in neurourology to even it out.

 

[mksapboy]

I say go ahead and add in neurourology to even it out.

Is that the study of pissing on someone's head?

anyways neurology and neurorad are very natural to someone who has done years of neuro and developmental neuro research. neuro icu is anoteh rpossibility.

Urology was fun as hell though and if I decided surgery was viable its the only surgery I think i would do. The life of a general surgeon is just to tough, although the rotation was awesome for a few months. ironically general surgery is probably a viable option for me to get into... we still have a family to start.