HP in psych; low board scores-- how screwed?

[silas2642]

So I just found out that I got a HP in my psych rotation, which I feel is really not good. That's pretty much where I am all year-- HP after HP. I only scored a 208 on step I, I know that's average for psych, but still.

Currently at a mid-tier allopathic school with no publications. I know that MGH/McLean are out and that's fine. However, do I still have a chance at Longwood, Cambridge, BU, Brown, UMass, and other programs in the NE?

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[Fermata]

What does the rest of your application look like?

 

[silas2642]

What does the rest of your application look like?

There's not too much to me-- again research experience in ID/immunology but no publication (experiment seems to still be ongoing), prior psych experience working as a psych tech, shadowed a psychiatrist between years 1 and 2, preclinical honors in growth and development, psychiatry, immunology, and heme onc. No volunteering as an extracurricular, no offices.

 

[Doc Samson]

Time to think about away electives early in your 4th year at the more competitive options (i.e., Longwood, Cambridge, Brown). Do well on those and programs will happily rank a good "known quantity" as highly as an excellent "on paper" unknown.

 

[silas2642]

Time to think about away electives early in your 4th year at the more competitive options (i.e., Longwood, Cambridge, Brown). Do well on those and programs will happily rank a good "known quantity" as highly as an excellent "on paper" unknown.

Thanks Doc Samson. I think that I have the potential to do well on a psych elective. The "failure" here was totally my fault-- I just didn't how to stand out. There weren't any residents at the rotation site and I had minimal interaction with the attending(s), who seemed less than eager to teach. I didn't want to push them to teach because i didn't want to piss them off.

 

[TexasPhysician]

The only program I applied to out of your list was Cambridge. I have H in psychiatry, a high board score, and a publication. Did me no good, but I didn't do an away there.

Maybe an away there would have helped......

 

[psychattending]

I would agree with Doc, the most proactive thing to do is an away rotation at a place that you are interested in. Unless you completely mess up, this should result in an invitation to interview. Also when you get around to application time, write a reasonably coherent essay (the topic is less important than the organization and lack of grammatical errors). Also have your application in early and with letters that are not all psych.