MD & DO Northwestern Residencies no longer to use USMLE scores for app screening

[Gilakend]

Residency

Explore the ACGME-accredited residency programs supported by McGaw Medical Center.

www.mcgaw.northwestern.edu

Possibly another step towards P/F step 1?

Do you think they’ll use them
Less in the actual decision?

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[kb1900]

I mean isn’t this what medical schools say about their “holistic” process?

We don’t screen your score, but your low step score app will probably go into the low priority pile and subsequently the trash if it doesn’t catch our eyes


Still think it’s interesting they explicitly say this

 

[Lawpy]

Wait to clarify is it for all Step scores (so including Step 2) or is it referring to just Step 1? Sorry got a bit confused

 

[seeinghowitgoes]

Publicity stunt in my opinion. They probably wanted help building their reputation as this holistic and open-minded institution.

But they don’t say they aren’t using step scores at all, and you can easily weight apps by step scores, among other strategies, and then still heavily rely on the scores but not technically be screening by them.

Hopefully leads to something more meaningful, but I doubt it.

 

[mrbreakfast]

All this means is they won't immediately trash your application.

Keep in mind big-name academic programs can only offer interviews to 10-15% of their applicants. No screening means a low score doesn't knock you off the list, but it probably puts you close to the bottom.

 

[Gilakend]

Wait to clarify is it for all Step scores (so including Step 2) or is it referring to just Step 1? Sorry got a bit confused

Both I assume

“In support of a holistic review of applications, residency programs at the McGaw Medical Center do not use USMLE scores as a screening tool.”

 

[studentdocftw]

If I had to guess ..they'll use them to rank but not screen. Their initial screen will probably be AOA + attending a top 25 medical school. From there, Dean's letter and clinical performance for interview invites...and finally, Steps + interview day to rank. Ultimately, unless more resources are allocated to thoroughly reading every single application (doubtful), screening tools will continue to be utilized..but instead of using a national objective tool, subjective metrics and school prestige will take over.

 

[username456789]

A school’s way of virtue signaling.

 

[Dr. Death]

They may not screen by USMLE score, but they probably screen out applicants from lower tier schools and then sort the remaining candidates by step score

 

[getdown]

I don't buy this for a bit. The one thing that residency programs care more than not filling during match is getting applicants and residents that are likely to pass their respective board exams. Period. Having residents that don't/can't pass the boards is a HUUUUGGGEEEE red flag for the program and get enough of them that don't pass will put the program on probation. There is a high correlation between having high STEP scores with probability of passing the boards. Other factors will eventually play a role in whether or not you match in said program but in terms of getting looked at? Scores matter.

 

[Lucca]

I don't buy this for a bit. The one thing that residency programs care more than not filling during match is getting applicants and residents that are likely to pass their respective board exams. Period. Having residents that don't/can't pass the boards is a HUUUUGGGEEEE red flag for the program and get enough of them that don't pass will put the program on probation. There is a high correlation between having high STEP scores with probability of passing the boards. Other factors will eventually play a role in whether or not you match in said program but in terms of getting looked at? Scores matter.

As others have mentioned, it’s not as if they won’t use them. They are probably just saying they won’t click a box that says “pls show me >230 thx” and throw away everyone below that

 

[mrbreakfast]

They are probably just saying they won’t click a box that says “pls show me >230 thx”

Yes, it's this. Other programs do this by saying things like "competitive applicants generally have a USMLE score above 220;" it sounds like a suggestion but is actually a rule.

The 2018 PD survey lists Step 1 score as *the* most cited factor in offering interviews. People aren't going to stop looking at your score anytime soon.

 

[MSTP18]

If I had to guess ..they'll use them to rank but not screen. Their initial screen will probably be AOA + attending a top 25 medical school. From there, Dean's letter and clinical performance for interview invites...and finally, Steps + interview day to rank. Ultimately, unless more resources are allocated to thoroughly reading every single application (doubtful), screening tools will continue to be utilized..but instead of using a national objective tool, subjective metrics and school prestige will take over.

I bet they still use them for deciding whom to interview. All it means to not use it for screening is that being below a certain step 1 score won't automatically get you thrown in the reject pile anymore.

 

[getdown]

As others have mentioned, it’s not as if they won’t use them. They are probably just saying they won’t click a box that says “pls show me >230 thx” and throw away everyone below that

So you think these overworked PDs, associate PDs and other staff will actually read every single one of the thousands of applications sent in? I understand for the applicant it makes them feel better they wont be auto rejected but from an admin standpoint sound like a freaking nightmare.

 

[mrbreakfast]

So you think these overworked PDs, associate PDs and other staff will actually read every single one of the thousands of applications sent in?

They probably still use step in their filtering systems and ranking system.

This is probably more so that the unusual application with a 275 step 2, 15 papers, AOA, went to med school down the street, etc - all things that can be automatically filtered for - doesn't get auto-removed because they got a 229 on step 1. That, or just for the "holistic approach" points.

 

[Lucca]

So you think these overworked PDs, associate PDs and other staff will actually read every single one of the thousands of applications sent in? I understand for the applicant it makes them feel better they wont be auto rejected but from an admin standpoint sound like a freaking nightmare.

I have no idea what they’ll do. I just don’t think they are lying for no reason as this change will not affect how literally anyone applies to residency most likely. Some people are saying “virtue signaling” but...what’s the virtue here? Residencies can filter by shoe size if they want to, whatever they think gets them the best residents they will do because that’s their primary interest, not what random med students all over the country think about them. This board sometimes acts like every little change in med Ed is part of some national conspiracy against them or the profession.

I can imagine instead of clicking a checkbox they’ll have preliminary readers assign numerical scores to each bit of the app they care about in a rly quick and dirty first pass and then tier the piles into priority of review based on where they fall in the numerical distribution, basically similar to the way med schools do it. It doesn’t guarantee your app will be considered, but it will at least be seen and not thrown out because of a single number.

 

[Goro]

So you think these overworked PDs, associate PDs and other staff will actually read every single one of the thousands of applications sent in? I understand for the applicant it makes them feel better they wont be auto rejected but from an admin standpoint sound like a freaking nightmare.

I can imagine that the best-case scenario will be that those int he reject pile will get a second look, somehow.

But I'd like to remind people that "holistic review" is NOT a magic-drenched phrase that means "we'll take any piece of trash app"

 

[ricksimmonsrafowens]

preliminary readers assign numerical scores to each bit of the app

I don't think most (any?) residency programs have preliminary readers. Usually the PDs filter by AMG, step, medical school, etc and then go from there. Most PDs aren't even compensated that much extra (or any extra) to be PD, and most residency programs don't have the resources to have prelim readers.