red flag

As many of you are aware, step 1 pass rates are going down. To pull in some official numbers from USMLE (link: Performance Data | USMLE), first time pass rates for step 1: US MD: 2023- 90%. 2024-89%. US DO: 2023- 86%. 2024-86%. For the past 2 years, 1 in every 10 MD students failed, the group...

Hey guys, I am applying this upcoming cycle, and I wanted to discuss a red flag I have. I pled guilty to misdemeanor speeding back in 2022. I completed 40 hours of community service and a 4 hour safer driving course. I know I was being stupid that day, and have been extremely diligent in...

Hello everyone, Would greatly appreciate some honest advice from y’all. I am currently a MD candidate at a mid-low tier MD school with a few hiccups on my record. During my MS2 year, I failed two exams but still passed the course (remediated the exams afterwards). While on my transcript there...

Hi! Posting here because I realized this would probably be the best place to hear from folks. I have seen posts that competitive specialties (derm, ortho, etc) are kind of out of the question if you repeated a year due to not passing exams. I was wondering if people think this holds true for...

I have seen posts that competitive specialties are kind of out of the question if you repeated a year due to not passing exams. I was wondering if people think this holds true for “top” residencies for med-peds, which is not as competitive and perhaps gentler to this kind of thing (the vibe I...

During my Sophomore year 2019, in lapse of judgment based on a dare, l regrettably stole a jacket from my university bookstore and was caught. I didn't even like the jacket. It was less than $100, so I received a non-academic theft IA as I was protected by the university (as opposed to legal...

.

Hi guys, I applied for pathology this cycle and found out I didn’t match today. I had some red flags on my application like failed rotations and LOAs while I did soul searching. Anyways I graduated from a DO school in December so I’m sick of vacation by now and want to go back to work. I...

Alright SDN I want to hear your thoughts. I am now a graduating senior at an above average state school. During my freshman year I kept getting in trouble with my school in the dorms. I was caught twice in the dorms with alcohol and received an MIP. I was also caught and arrested with a...

.

My teenage/young adult years are riddled with problems due to my past alcohol abuse. While I have no charges, I've been arrested three times. One arrest could expunged, the other arrest was a temporary detention order and the third was drunk in public/resisting arrest. The arrest I worry about...

..

I have been lucky enough to receive several interviews this cycle. I am excited to share more about myself, but I am also nervous about addressing some issues with my application. I didn't have the highest undergrad GPA ~3.7, but had an upward trend (which I referenced in supplemental essays as...