When is it best to take step 2?

[sareeb1]

Hello I'm a MS3, that will apply for a psychiatry residency position, with an national average step 1 score. I am wondering when it would be best to take step 2? I was told by some not to "rush it" and just wait until maybe the end of August to take it to make sure I am prepared enough. I have it currently scheduled July 29.. Just wondering what others have done and whether it would be beneficial to push it back a month with hopes of being more prepared. Thanks.

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[Nasrudin]

It's always best to have them over and done with for yourself, sooner than later. Then, of course, it offers up another testimony to your ability to pass step 3 and be a safer bet for granting you an interview and ranking you.

But you're right, you always have to temper these pressures with the degree of preparedness when considering the timing. If your step 1 is average across specialties then you're above average for psych. Some might say you have something to loose but I don't think so. As long as you've done well on shelf exams or well enough then you've done the bulk of the preparation. All you have to focus hard for a month or so and take it.

Don't underestimate CS. There's a lot of outdated advice in circulation. It's becoming a harder but no less random and subjective affair.

Generally just get them over with as soon as possible and the promised land of 4th year will open its gates unto thee.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

I personally have always counseled MS3s to take their Step 2 early enough for the score to show when applications FIRST get sent out. It means there's one less unknown, and it's one more way to stand out. When places are getting 100 or more apps per spot, advertising matters. I got a LOT of comments on the fact that I'd already passed CK when applications opened up way back when. The only thing I'd do different if I had to, is make sure that CS was done by then as well (I didn't do mine till after ROLs...and I suspect that's part of why I matched at my number 4--not that that was a bad program lol).

 

[TexasPhysician]

I personally have always counseled MS3s to take their Step 2 early enough for the score to show when applications FIRST get sent out. It means there's one less unknown, and it's one more way to stand out. When places are getting 100 or more apps per spot, advertising matters. I got a LOT of comments on the fact that I'd already passed CK when applications opened up way back when. The only thing I'd do different if I had to, is make sure that CS was done by then as well (I didn't do mine till after ROLs...and I suspect that's part of why I matched at my number 4--not that that was a bad program lol).

On the reverse, a classmate of mine failed ck and it released automatically because he took it early. It destroyed his otherwise good chances at quality programs.

 

[StECT]

I second taking it before your application deadline. I don't know how much it might help, but since it is a relatively easy exam once you've done your medicine, it makes more sense to have an additional positive. I took mine and with two weeks prep, scored 20+ points over my Step 1 score.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

As Mo'M said, it's all about removal of doubt. When applications open up and we're ready to start extending interviews, having Step 2 in hand might be the difference between the "Invite Now" and the "Wait and See" pile.

 

[Atom bum]

So July 29 should be fine then right? Get your score back in about a month and still have plenty of time before September 15.

 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

yes

 

[Doctor Bagel]

So July 29 should be fine then right? Get your score back in about a month and still have plenty of time before September 15.

This. They're pretty fast at scoring CK, so July 29 is still on the early end. If you have a solid step 1 score, though, it seems like less of a big deal here. We had lots of applicants without CK, and it didn't seem to get mentioned. I'd honestly be a little more concerned about CS just because scoring on that can take so long (up to 3 months depending on when you take it). It's also harder to schedule.

Personally I took CK in November, got interviews everywhere I applied, and no one commented on it. 4 years ago and all, but still.

 

[WolverineDoc13]

Good luck with CK! I wouldn't move your test date just for the sake of when the scores will be available to programs. (Although, I did move my CK test date to give myself more emergency time to study.) Just do your best! (hopefully, you'll score in the same ballpark as your step 1)

I also want to share this article from NEJM about step 2 CS: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1213760

(I hope it doesn't derail the thread; I'm just still bitter that I had to pay $1200 and travel out of town for this test.)

 

[johnhoedack]

Is October too late to take CS? I'm planning on doing CK in August.

 

[shan564]

I don't know about this year, but when I took it, scores were anticipated to be delayed for people taking it in August because of annual exam restructuring/review. So I took it on July 31 just to make sure that I had my scores back in time.

 

[shan564]

Yes, I think October is too late for CS. I took it in October, and I think that was the biggest hindrance in getting interviews. But I was an IMG, so that probably affected things.

 

[WolverineDoc13]

I took my CS this past January (while I was interviewing), and got my score the day after we submitted our rank list. It was a risk, yes, but I was just too lazy to register in time to take it sooner. With that said, I'm a US-born AMG from one of the top allopathic medical schools with an average Step 1 and CK. (It may be different for those who are not US-born or an IMG) I'm not encouraging anyone to do the same, but it's a testament to how useless CS was for me. (This is my bitterness about CS coming out again, I admit.)

 

[TexasPhysician]

I was a US AMG who took both parts of step 2 between Oct-Dec. I received interviews everywhere I applied.

 

[notdeadyet]

There are some programs that will not rank folks without proof of passing all steps (including CS). This applies to applicants imported and domestic....


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[Doctor Bagel]

Good luck with CK! I wouldn't move your test date just for the sake of when the scores will be available to programs. (Although, I did move my CK test date to give myself more emergency time to study.) Just do your best! (hopefully, you'll score in the same ballpark as your step 1)

I also want to share this article from NEJM about step 2 CS: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1213760

(I hope it doesn't derail the thread; I'm just still bitter that I had to pay $1200 and travel out of town for this test.)

What an awesome article. Yeah, I think we're all bitter about CS.

 

[johnhoedack]

There are some programs that will not rank folks without proof of passing all steps (including CS). This applies to applicants imported and domestic....


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Could you give me an idea of what programs don't interview without CS?

 

[Nasrudin]

Could you give me an idea of what programs don't interview without CS?

While I can't speak for NDY I think that's a misextrapolation of anything any one person would be in a position to comment on. Nobody knows the individual policies of admissions people on any group of programs on a given year.

I would guess that most if not all programs would consider a totality of factors when inviting a candidate to interview. The CS is most pointedly mentioned as a requirement for ranking.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

I can tell you for sure that Harvard Longwood in 2009 did not rank you unless you already had a passing CS.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

Honestly, there should be a class action lawsuit together with some sort of RICO investigation into the whole CS BS. No, I am not joking. CS was the very definition of racketeering...

 

[mdninja]

Having CK done is a must for an IMG or else you wont get many interviews. An AMG will get IVs regardless if you take CK or not, but having it cleared will look better and should squeeze out even more invites.

 

[BeastInfection]

I'm scheduled to take CK so that I should have my score back right in time to submit eras. However, I'll be studying while I'm on a required rotation and will be somewhat busy, so I was considering pushing my date back one week to the week after the end of that rotation so that I could have a little dedicated study time. Could it affect my chances of receiving invites if my step 2 score isn't released until late Sept?

I realize I'm sounding a little neurotic here, but it wouldn't be a big deal to sacrifice a week of studying if it made a difference for interview offers, so thought I'd check. I have a slightly above avg psych Step 1, for the record.

 

[bashir]

I have a rather poor Step I score (200s) which I don't think reflects my abilities. There were extenuating circumstances and I am confident I will do substantially better on Step II CK. I now realize I should have set myself up to take it in July or August, but I can't really do that now with my rotation schedule (sub-I's) and feel like I have enough dedicated study time. Will anyone reassure me that it's ok I'm not taking CK until the end of November? I think I'd like to stay at my home program anyway, which is not overly competitive, so I'd been rationalizing that it's no big deal but lately I've been kind of freaking out about it.

AMG with honors in psychiatry, high pass in medicine, otherwise passes (in a H/HP/P/F system). Middle of class. Demonstrated interest in psych from day 1 of medical school. No red flags other than Step I score if that's one.

 

[CrileDO]

What about for Osteopathic students that didn't take the USMLE? Will a good COMLEX 1 score be good enough for interviews or is COMLEX 2 a necessity before invitations?

 

[HarryMTieboutMD]

As Mo'M said, it's all about removal of doubt. When applications open up and we're ready to start extending interviews, having Step 2 in hand might be the difference between the "Invite Now" and the "Wait and See" pile.

Agreed 100%. I would take both CS and CK as early as possible, regardless of where you go to medical school. I took CK in July but waited until Dec 26 to take CS (I had it scheduled in November, but I had to rearrange my schedule). Even then, the reporting period (Nov/Dec) was the same, and I got my score the first week of February, several weeks ahead of rank list submission date (I think the NBME tries to get scores out timely for this reason). While I went to a US MD school, lack of a CS score didn't hurt me in the interview process (I don't think, at least), and I had my score well before the rank list due date, it was a peace of mind thing more than anything else. The last thing you want to be worrying about during 4th year glory is this exam, that is, by the way, no longer a guaranteed pass for people who can speak English fluently. Of course, it ended up being fine, but I would have been much more serene had I jumped over this hurdle in July or August. Bottom line: I recommend taking both CS and CK as early as possible!