According to the NRMP "Charting Outcomes" report, the mean Step 1 scores for US Seniors and Independent Applicants (DOs, IMGs, etc.) were 209 and 208, respectively. BUT, what kind of scores are needed to match at the top programs (e.g. Mayo, RIC, UW, etc.)? Also, what else are these programs looking for? Research? As always, your help is greatly appreciated!
Step 1 Scores for Top PM&R Programs
- Thread starter cbest
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Didn't have time to post all the links as I'm studying for an exam in the morning, but here is one of them http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=363061&highlight=Step+1
If you do a search function that should come up with a few results. Basically the consensus for PM&R seems to be that high scores certainly help, but matter less than other fields. PM&R is more concerned with clinical evals, LORs, clerkship grades, and overall how you mesh with the program and the patient population it deals with- there are a few other things I'm sure that I forgot but thats the gist of it. That's not to say boards dont matter (definitely do as well as you can), but they're not all about it like Derm, Plastics, Ortho etc. The same seems to go for the more competitive Rehab programs. For specific numbers...good luck finding those, I've gone through about 5yrs of posts on this board in many times of procrastination and never came across any. Hope that helps!
If you do a search function that should come up with a few results. Basically the consensus for PM&R seems to be that high scores certainly help, but matter less than other fields. PM&R is more concerned with clinical evals, LORs, clerkship grades, and overall how you mesh with the program and the patient population it deals with- there are a few other things I'm sure that I forgot but thats the gist of it. That's not to say boards dont matter (definitely do as well as you can), but they're not all about it like Derm, Plastics, Ortho etc. The same seems to go for the more competitive Rehab programs. For specific numbers...good luck finding those, I've gone through about 5yrs of posts on this board in many times of procrastination and never came across any. Hope that helps!
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During my interviews, it seemed like the top programs were looking for a solid pass (>200) on the first attempt at step 1. Also it seemed like the concensus was no fails/repeats during clinical and basic science portions of school.
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Here's another relevant thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=4593768#post4593768
The national average probably does not apply at the more competitive programs. For example, taking AOA alone, I would say at least 3-4 people per class (that's 1/3 - 1/4 of the class) are AOA. many of the top med school grads end up going to these programs - like Harvard Med, Duke, U of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, etc.
That being said, i think I was average in every way and was able to match at RIC and got interviews at most of the programs I applied to. So good LORs help as well as a good personality fit with a program.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=4593768#post4593768
The national average probably does not apply at the more competitive programs. For example, taking AOA alone, I would say at least 3-4 people per class (that's 1/3 - 1/4 of the class) are AOA. many of the top med school grads end up going to these programs - like Harvard Med, Duke, U of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, etc.
That being said, i think I was average in every way and was able to match at RIC and got interviews at most of the programs I applied to. So good LORs help as well as a good personality fit with a program.
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I did a rotation at a place that's ranked in the lower half of the Top 10. I met a number of people who had 230+ Step 1 scores. Of course, people are more likely to reveal their scores when they do better. If I were to guess, these top 10 programs likely have 220+ Step 1 averages.
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I just took a look at that NRMP "Charting Outcomes in the Match" document.....I wonder where the one stud w/ the 250+ Step 1 and the 5 w/ 250+ Step 2's matched....not that it really matters for anything
I had a 219 on step 1 and 223 on step 2. I was unable to get interviews at most of the programs you mentioned. I am also a IMG, so I'm sure that hurt me as well.
One of my buddies who is an IMG got a 234 step 1 and matched at Harvard.
Hope that helps!
One of my buddies who is an IMG got a 234 step 1 and matched at Harvard.
Hope that helps!
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Solid pass is good...but generally, the candidates we ranked 'highly' were a bit higher than that.
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as talked about on another thread, the whole step score deal is more about the program having confidence that a high scorer will be able to pass the standarized PMR boards when done...which of course looks good upon the program and can actually hurt the program if a certain percentage of residents don't pass.
my point is that when you get above a certain score it doesn't matter much more. a 240 vs a 250.
so what makes the difference is all the extracurricular stuff. volunteering. publications. early involvement in PMR.
and of course the best way to impress a program is to do it in person..and i don't mean at an interview. rotate with the program you'd like to go to and impress attendings, get good LORs, and you'll be golden. i was a US-born IMG with a 243 step 1 and a musculoskeletal background with chiropractic, but probably would've gotten a spot at a program much lower down my list if it weren't for the fact that i rotated with the program director and then chief resident at LSU...and got a LOR from that PD.
good luck.
my point is that when you get above a certain score it doesn't matter much more. a 240 vs a 250.
so what makes the difference is all the extracurricular stuff. volunteering. publications. early involvement in PMR.
and of course the best way to impress a program is to do it in person..and i don't mean at an interview. rotate with the program you'd like to go to and impress attendings, get good LORs, and you'll be golden. i was a US-born IMG with a 243 step 1 and a musculoskeletal background with chiropractic, but probably would've gotten a spot at a program much lower down my list if it weren't for the fact that i rotated with the program director and then chief resident at LSU...and got a LOR from that PD.
good luck.
