What board score do I need for Rads?

[1st Rain Drop]

Hello everyone, I'm taking Step 1 in the near future and would like to know what the average score most radiology programs look for when inviting applicants to interview (esp. in CA). Is there data published anywhere? I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks.

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[ktat72]

hey, i am an MS 3 and my advice for you is to not think of what score you need to get into Rads - just study right now and hope for the best on your exam.

 

[juicyfruit]

You need probably 220 to match somewhere. 230 to match middle of the road. 240 for upper tier. 250 for highest tier/CA schools (i.e. MGH, Penn, Hopkins, UCLA, UCSF, Stanford). But if you have good grades and research, add about 10 points to your USMLE score. Even with the scores, it is no guarantee. I know of one person at UMich who ranked UCSF #1 and Stanford #2 and matched at his #3 UMich. He had the highest board score in the nation that year. 280+. I am currently a UCSF radiology resident and of the people who matched here last year we have several MD-PhDs, others who were superstar researchers, others who were the more standard good student types (one guy from UCSF Med who with 273 step I). I hope this gives you some insight. In the end, it is a real crapshoot. I also forgot to mention, being "too hardcore" can also be a disadvantage. If you're a gungho researcher, high boards, AOA and "saved the whales", sometimes you can come off as being too intense and as not a desirable candidate with whom to spend a 4 year residency with. There have been people like that who won't even get an interview.

 

[1st Rain Drop]

Thank you for your prompt replies and best wishes to you both.

 

[oldandtired]

Above passing for certain. No one know exactly. It is not something you have that much control over- study hard and if you already took it then focus on strengthening other areas of your application.

 

[Jim Picotte]

Score as high as possible and study as hard as possible before the test but not so much that you're "burned out" and more "confused" rather than knowledgable. Nearly the same can be said for Step 2 as well if you take it early. You don't hear too many people say they "regret" they studied so hard.

 

[bosky]

Juicyfruit,

My board score was decent in 1998 when I took it, but nowadays it's not so great. What would an MD/PhD with say 5 1st-author MRI papers + others need to get into your program? Thanks!

[sorry if I offend anyone, I'm very out-of-touch with the clinical world]

 

[juicyfruit]

You'll do great as long as your score was what would be equivalent to a good score nowadays. I believe that they gave out percentiles back then. If you were 90+ percentile, you'll be in great position to match well.

 

[luccas]

What board scores do I need to have if I have a european medical degree (for me it will be a german medical degree) to get a radiology residency? Must it be better or is it the same as for US-MD's?

 

[salamander]

Originally posted by juicyfruit
You need probably 220 to match somewhere. 230 to match middle of the road. 240 for upper tier. 250 for highest tier/CA schools (i.e. MGH, Penn, Hopkins, UCLA, UCSF, Stanford). But if you have good grades and research, add about 10 points to your USMLE score. Even with the scores, it is no guarantee. I know of one person at UMich who ranked UCSF #1 and Stanford #2 and matched at his #3 UMich. He had the highest board score in the nation that year. 280+. I am currently a UCSF radiology resident and of the people who matched here last year we have several MD-PhDs, others who were superstar researchers, others who were the more standard good student types (one guy from UCSF Med who with 273 step I). I hope this gives you some insight. In the end, it is a real crapshoot. I also forgot to mention, being "too hardcore" can also be a disadvantage. If you're a gungho researcher, high boards, AOA and "saved the whales", sometimes you can come off as being too intense and as not a desirable candidate with whom to spend a 4 year residency with. There have been people like that who won't even get an interview.

Are cutoffs so stark? If one applicant gets 240 vs. another's 239 are they really now in two different categories? Will the 239 always be screened out and the 240 screened in? Hopefully its a little more flexible than that....

 

[juicyfruit]

Unfortunately, some programs do have stark cutoffs, but those are only to get an interview. However, that being said, lets say a cutoff at a program is 235. If you have a 239 and someone else has a 240, will the programs look at the two of you differently? Probably not. Also, keep in miind radiology IS much more COMPETITIVE nowadays. I heard from a friend that the average boardscores of those interviewed at University of North Carolina was 250 last year.

 

[Spoogy98]

Well, like many other's on this thread, I'm looking for feedback on my chances at getting a spot in Radiology

I'm currently a 3rd year IMg rotating in an NYC hospital. My step 1 score was 244/99 and I do believe I'm in the top 10 percent of my class.

Now I do realize that it's Extremely difficult for an IMG to land a Radiology residency. But I'm having trouble assessing whether I might still be able to land a spot wth my step 1 score and hopefully decent step 2 score.

I know there are many other factors involved, but should I be dissuaded from this field simply because I'm an IMG? If I do have a chance, am I going to be limited to " lower tier" programs?.

I'm really having trouble assessing where I stand in trying to persue this field.

any comments will be greatly appreciated!

 

[stickyrice]

Juicyfruit said,

"You need probably 220 to match somewhere. 230 to match middle of the road. 240 for upper tier. 250 for highest tier/CA schools (i.e. MGH, Penn, Hopkins, UCLA, UCSF, Stanford). But if you have good grades and research, add about 10 points to your USMLE score."

I've got to disagree with juicy fruit on the range of board scores needed to match at upper and top tier. I would add 10 points to that scale, unless you are AOA

240's for upper tier only if you are AOA
and 250's for top tier only if you are AOA and published (1st author)

that's assuming you have everything else going for you (good LOR, allopathic not DO or IMG)

I'm currently applying right now and I notice that there's a very strong regional bias. Unless you have a connection to a certain area it's even harder to get an interview.

I would say reasonablly, 240's get's you low to some mid-tier university if you are non-AOA with some Honors in 3rd year. That's what I'm seeing this year.

I think you will match with 220's somewhere. But you will get rejected from SOME community programs even if you have 230's unless you are AOA/research/tons of honors in clinical year.

 

[Voxel]

I think you have to look at the total package. It's hard to make specific number generalizations. Yes programs do have cut-offs, but people look at the whole package. And a 236 vs 232 will not necessary get you ranked higher, especially if the clinical grades are better for the person scoring 232.

Study hard. Do the best that you can on steps I and II and your clinical rotations.

 

[wannaberad]

you can go anywhere with a 260?

 

[Idiopathic]

Originally posted by juicyfruit
I know of one person...He had the highest board score in the nation that year. 280+.

How is it that everyone knows this person?