How much does a higher step 2 help?

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Meerkatology

Meerkatology

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applying to IM

204/84 step1
236/99 step2

studied fairly hard, was hoping the improved step2 score would help mitigate the low step1 but I keep hearing how step1 is pretty much all they care about =\ how much truth in this?

just doesn't make sense to me as step2 is more clinically relevant and more recent sigh... so disheartening to keep hearing it, seems like one misstep on step1 (zing btw.) and nothing i can even do to make it up :(
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when did you take your test? i'm waiting for my score from ck. i took mine the week of oct 7th. hmm....did u just get your score back?
 
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As far as IMGs are concerned, most don't get invited for interview (if at all) till both steps 1 and 2ck are reported. This is true even for people with high step 1 scores. So I don't think 'step1 is pretty much all they care about,' definitely not most of them.

Dunno if it's any different for AMGs.
 
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Friend of mine reports:

212 Step 1 (oops)
232 Step 2 (yay)

17 interviews for Gen Surg, more coming in. Not an FMG.

To answer the question, Step 2 can definitely make up for a Step 1 score, especially if your intention is IM for primary care, and you don't care where you go. If you read the SOAP article on the main page of sdn you will realize just how many residency spots go unfilled. If youre looking for a competitive field (ortho, optho, derm) who screen based on step 1 scores, you are f*cked. For IM, rock it till you sock it.

Youre not going to get in to UCSF or Hopkins, but that step 2 score really makes a difference.
 
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My step 1 score is same as yours.

i will be giving Step2 in 2011.

Please post your interview experience as it happens.

anything different you did when studying for step2 ck?

thanks and best luck
 
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That's right. Your Step 1 will haunt you forever with regards to applying to residency positions. FOREVER. It's a one time deal, and nothing can ever make up for it. The truth hurts, believe me I know.
 
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MDpride said:
My step 1 score is same as yours.

i will be giving Step2 in 2011.

Please post your interview experience as it happens.

anything different you did when studying for step2 ck?

thanks and best luck
Click to expand...

i originally applied to 60 IM programs, got 20ish interviews around start of october and withdrew from 20 programs because I was getting too many.

I applied to mostly community programs or ones that I deem to not be extremely competitive. I'm a californian so do want to get back there, I applied to 17 cali programs, I got 8-9 cali interviews so far. no rejections yet but will probably get it soon from UC Davis/irvine as i know they started invites fairly early and I haven't gotten one.

i took 4 weeks to study for step 2. was on a very light rotation (~2hours a day) during that time. I did better mainly because I was much more interested in 3rd year material than M1 and M2. I just absolutedly hated studying for step1 material esp, pharm, biochem, etc.
 
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Meerkatology said:
i originally applied to 60 IM programs, got 20ish interviews around start of october and withdrew from 20 programs because I was getting too many.

I applied to mostly community programs or ones that I deem to not be extremely competitive. I'm a californian so do want to get back there, I applied to 17 cali programs, I got 8-9 cali interviews so far. no rejections yet but will probably get it soon from UC Davis/irvine as i know they started invites fairly early and I haven't gotten one.

i took 4 weeks to study for step 2. was on a very light rotation (~2hours a day) during that time. I did better mainly because I was much more interested in 3rd year material than M1 and M2. I just absolutedly hated studying for step1 material esp, pharm, biochem, etc.
Click to expand...

First of all,congrats on such a HIGH jump from your step 1 to step 2 scores and having all those interviews in the bag.

I am in the same boat as you were.I am hoping to ace my step 2 now to make up for step 1 fiasco.

One catch though.

I am an IMG, so I am guessing my chances are even more bad with a dismal step 1, any thoughts?
 
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AgentRaiden said:
First of all,congrats on such a HIGH jump from your step 1 to step 2 scores and having all those interviews in the bag.

I am in the same boat as you were.I am hoping to ace my step 2 now to make up for step 1 fiasco.

One catch though.

I am an IMG, so I am guessing my chances are even more bad with a dismal step 1, any thoughts?
Click to expand...

well everything is harder for IMGs, but as a previous poster said, most programs require both step scores to be in before they look at an IMG's application, this means they DO care about step2. so doing well on it would certainly help. also, passing CS on the 1st try is probably really important too.

and look for IMG friendly programs, i.e. ones that have alot of current IMG residents.
 
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AgentRaiden said:
And which ones would these be? I've tried looking but I am not too sure if my sources are reliable.Any pointers? Thanks!
Click to expand...

most reliable source:

check out websites of programs
just do google search - program name + internal medicine residency

then look at their current resident roster, if theres alot of IMGs on their roster, then it's probably an IMG friendly prog.
 
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Meerkatology said:
most reliable source:

check out websites of programs
just do google search - program name + internal medicine residency

then look at their current resident roster, if theres alot of IMGs on their roster, then it's probably an IMG friendly prog.
Click to expand...

Thanks!:thumbup:
 
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IMG friendly programs are usually not the well known ones. Some may surprise you.

For example, Ochsner in New Orleans very IMG friendly. But it isnt linked to an academic center. That makes sense. But then there is JOHNS HOPKINS Sinai. A hospital that is very IMG friendly which has a loosely attached JH name to it. You wouldn't know it until you read an article about it.

I would be wondering of sdn could develop a thread of some other's research. Im sure FMGs would be interested in having a resource like that. Everybody knows where to find the top medicine programs, but who knows where the one's that are willing to go the foreign route are?
 
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Just took usmle step 1

Got 83/201

I'm an IMG/FMG and pretty depressed about this score. Was doing above 90s on practice exams but bombed the actual test.

Has any IMG student w/ step 1 score similar to mine matched at a program? Stellar step 2 scores definitely is a must, but is there anything else that you guys did? like pre-matching?

thanks
 
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