Worried about my neurology residency chances (genuine advice needed)

[brainpurpose]

I'm coming towards the end of my MPH year and about to begin 4th year and apply. In desperate need of some genuine advice/encouragement that can possibly uplift me, and help convince myself I can still pursue neurology.

My top choice specialty for residency is definitely neurology.
A close second would be psychiatry. I absolutely love the brain, neuroscience, and it always has been my passion since forever.
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• STEP 1 [#1]: 186
• STEP 1 [#2]: 235
• STEP 2CK: 239

I go to a top 35 MD school in the Midwest. Passed all my courses in the first two years of school fine.

Honors in Neurology and Psychiatry during third year clinical rotations.

Completed a MPH in Health Policy (well-known university on the east coast) focusing on neuro/psych with my projects on concussion and TBI health care policy, so I hope to merge that aspect with clinical medicine in my future career.
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So, yeah, a lot has been going on in my life over the last few years and never had I imagine taking step 1 twice. My younger brother about a month out from my test date overdosed and was hospitalized for a second time in less than 6 months. I immediately flew home once our school's dedicated step study period began. Spent my 4 weeks there studying, as I wanted to be with my family and help find my brother the needed rehab and treatment. Anyways, I don't want to dive too much into it, but in the end, I didn't want to make excuses and delay third year / graduation. At the time, I felt I still had enough of a knowledge base to probably pass and went on with it [in retrospect, I undoubtedly should have sought out more second opinions and advice]. Well, all I can say is it happened the way it did. I took full responsibility upon myself and retook step 1 a couple of months later, and pushing back one of my third year rotations to allow myself time to prepare.

But with the blemish of having two attempts for STEP 1 --- I'm wondering if neurology residency at a decent academic site is still even possible?

I'm just afraid and worried I might have shot myself in the foot with that decision 2 years ago.

No one could have felt worse about it than myself. And I definitely was hurting for a long time. But all I could do was move forward to the best of my abilities with a positive mindset and make the best of everything. Incredibly trying time in my life in which I grew from and better myself not only as a future physician, but as a brother and a human being most importantly.

Thanks everyone, any genuine advice is greatly appreciated.

(EDIT: i'm not sure if this is the correct subforum to make this post or if it has to be moved to a more relevant section)

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[thepretender67]

i guarantee you will match. If you do some good away rotations, you could even match at a top place. You're a US MD, and you did well on your retake and step 2. you;; be fine. So I think overall an academic place will not be out of reach. Probably not harvard or columbia tho.

 

[typhoonegator]

I would write part of your PS about the trying time around your first Step 1. Don't have to be too specific but it will help. Overall you should still be able to do OK in Neuro.

Overall Neuro is slowly increasing in competitiveness, but not nearly as much as those on this forum might intimate. Add a little research to your portfolio and many high end programs will still be available to you. Even if you don't, there will be plenty of programs even in desirable cities that will regard you as competitive. Yeah, maybe not Harvard, but whatever.

 

[brainpurpose]

i guarantee you will match. If you do some good away rotations, you could even match at a top place. You're a US MD, and you did well on your retake and step 2. you;; be fine. So I think overall an academic place will not be out of reach. Probably not harvard or columbia tho.

Thank you for the input! I'll try to do so!

I would write part of your PS about the trying time around your first Step 1. Don't have to be too specific but it will help. Overall you should still be able to do OK in Neuro.

Overall Neuro is slowly increasing in competitiveness, but not nearly as much as those on this forum might intimate. Add a little research to your portfolio and many high end programs will still be available to you. Even if you don't, there will be plenty of programs even in desirable cities that will regard you as competitive. Yeah, maybe not Harvard, but whatever.

Thank you for your suggestions! and also advice in regards to writing the PS / research - greatly appreciated!

 

[NeuroAppl2016]

I think you will do absolutely fine and get plenty of interviews from solid places.
Probably you will only run into problems at strong programs that are ALSO in popular cities, such as Boston (Partners, BID), Philly (Penn), NYC (Columbia), Bay Area (UCSF, Stanford), and LA (UCLA). From my recent experience, those are probably the most competitive (perhaps not best) programs because of the combination of strength and desirable location.

 

[brainpurpose]

I think you will do absolutely fine and get plenty of interviews from solid places.
Probably you will only run into problems at strong programs that are ALSO in popular cities, such as Boston (Partners, BID), Philly (Penn), NYC (Columbia), Bay Area (UCSF, Stanford), and LA (UCLA). From my recent experience, those are probably the most competitive (perhaps not best) programs because of the combination of strength and desirable location.

great, thanks for the feedback!