218, no research

[ambientbaby]

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I have a new interest in Ophtho. If I get in touch with a mentor and start some research on the side (I a MSIII). How many programs will be interested in interviewing me? Is there a chance in hell that I would match? Got a 218 on USMLE I and have some basic neuroscience research. Did not honor medicine. I have surgery next.

I know about these types of threads and how redundant they can be, but help me out here.

AB

 

[Gaskell]

There is always a chance.

I would highly suggest getting in touch with a mentor and getting involved in some research. I know someone who matched with a score in the 190s, so it isn't impossible.

 

[speyeder]

Difficult but not impossible. Try to honor as many rotations as possible from here on in, make connections with your home ophtho program if your school has one, take step 2 early enough to be included in your applications aiming for 230+, set up ophtho electives early at top tier programs and try to impress them enough to get good letters and apply to a lot of programs (>40). It's a lot of hard work but doable.