Hi wondering if taking Step 3 will benefit me

[DoctorAP28]

Hi I'm a US IMG taking the year off and applying for residency in September. I scored a 225 on Step 1 and a 262 on Step 2 ck. Wondering if I should study for Step 3 and add it to me residency app. I plan to apply for EM, IM, and Path. Any feedback will be very much appreciated!

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[siriusblack0214]

yes, step 3 will definitely help.

 

[J ROD]

Take it. Pass it. Good.

 

[DoctorAP28]

I've heard it's risky and may only hurt my application unless I do really well.

 

[drake19]

Hi I'm a US IMG taking the year off and applying for residency in September. I scored a 225 on Step 1 and a 262 on Step 2 ck. Wondering if I should study for Step 3 and add it to me residency app. I plan to apply for EM, IM, and Path. Any feedback will be very much appreciated!

That's an impressive step 2 score. Unless you have something better to do I would highly recommend that you take step 3 during your year off. You could always report the score later after interviews. One caveat is that the second day is all about patient management using a specific software. If you are very weak with clinical skills that may be an issue and that software was very difficult to study for

 

[DoctorAP28]

That's an impressive step 2 score. Unless you have something better to do I would highly recommend that you take step 3 during your year off. You could always report the score later after interviews. One caveat is that the second day is all about patient management using a specific software. If you are very weak with clinical skills that may be an issue and that software was very difficult to study for

Thanks for the reply! And thanks I studied quite a bit for it! Yea I was wondering if I could report the score later if it was a score I was unhappy about. I plan on taking Step 3 before I begin residency just to keep my knowledge base fresh/solid. . Just unsure whether to take it before or after I match. From what I read and what I've been told by various people is only take it if you either don't match or if you have poor board scores. I've always been an excellent test taker and think my Step 1 score was more of an aberration. Do you think a great score would highly improve my chances in EM ( I know it's a very AMG friendly field)? In the mean time focusing on electives in EM/PATH with good LOR's and SLOE's

 

[J ROD]

In general you want to pass but I am not sure about being img

 

[CopaceticOne]

And just to make sure you are aware: USMLE score release is an "all or none" thing in ERAS. So if you have a step 3 score that is subpar prior to submitting your apps, then you will be required to send it to programs (since you'll need to send your step 1/2 scores). Not sure how much that matters, but don't want you to be uninformed.

 

[DoctorAP28]

And just to make sure you are aware: USMLE score release is an "all or none" thing in ERAS. So if you have a step 3 score that is subpar prior to submitting your apps, then you will be required to send it to programs (since you'll need to send your step 1/2 scores). Not sure how much that matters, but don't want you to be uninformed.

Thank you! This was my assumption.

 

[mvenus929]

And just to make sure you are aware: USMLE score release is an "all or none" thing in ERAS. So if you have a step 3 score that is subpar prior to submitting your apps, then you will be required to send it to programs (since you'll need to send your step 1/2 scores). Not sure how much that matters, but don't want you to be uninformed.

However, if you take Step 3, and your score is not reported by the time you submit your application (Sept 15th), then you can upload your transcript with just your Step 1/2 scores, and if you don't like your Step 3 score when it does come back, programs don't have to know about it. If you do like it, then you can retransmit scores and programs will get that update. You cannot cherry pick which programs you want to send the new score to, but that might help alleviate some of your anxiety if you take Step 3 between when you submit and when you match.

 

[DoctorAP28]

Wow did not know this. I might go this route. Thanks for the info!

 

[Sea_Bass]

Unless you're doing something amazing with your year off, you should definitely take it at some point--possibly with the strategic timing suggested above. The question of "So what did you do with your year off?" will come up REPEATEDLY. You better have a good answer. "Studying for Step 3" is an acceptable response.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Unless you're doing something amazing with your year off, you should definitely take it at some point--possibly with the strategic timing suggested above. The question of "So what did you do with your year off?" will come up REPEATEDLY. You better have a good answer. "Studying for Step 3" is an acceptable response.

Although I agree that the OP should have a good answer for "what did you do with your year off?", "Studying for Step 3" is not a good answer. It shouldn't take a year to prepare to pass Step 3. Certainly, taking Step 3 can be a part of the OP's year off plan, just a small part.

 

[Sea_Bass]

Although I agree that the OP should have a good answer for "what did you do with your year off?", "Studying for Step 3" is not a good answer. It shouldn't take a year to prepare to pass Step 3. Certainly, taking Step 3 can be a part of the OP's year off plan, just a small part.

I agree, and should have been more specific. If you're taking a whole year off, you better do a hell of a lot more than just studying for Step 3 (I speak from experience), but "Studying for Step 3" could certainly explain a short gap in your year off. And if you DON'T take Step 3, some programs will specifically ask why you haven't--after all, you had a year since graduation!