ABSITE Score, PGY2 future

[youwantsomemore]

Hello,

two questions:

1. ABSITE PGY1 percent correct 73% 66th percentile
ABSITE PGY2 percent correct 73% 28th percentile 😱
I can't believe the standard deviation screwed me like this!

Does this look right?

2. finishing my PGY2 prelim. - if I don't find a surgical home, or switch specialties, or even can't find research, what should I do? 😕

Thank you everyone.

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[Buzz Me]

It's not the "standard deviation." It's how you did compared to the rest of the PGY-2s around the country. And remember that you may have done much better during your intern year because (1) you had more time to study, and (2) there were many PGY-1 prelims that weren't interested in surgery, or were already headed towards other non-General Surgery fields, and thus lowered the curve.

2. finishing my PGY2 prelim. - if I don't find a surgical home, or switch specialties, or even can't find research, what should I do? 😕

Well since the Match/Scramble has come and gone, I'm assuming you didn't find a new PGY-1/PGY-2 spot. Hopefully you've already talked to people about finding a research spot if that was your backup - otherwise, I would start working on finding a spot (either in surgery or some other field that's appealing to you) RIGHT AWAY. Ideally you would have started this process months ago, as the other PGY-2 prelims you're competing against likely have a huge headstart on you.

Besides your ABSITE scores, how's the rest of your app? Strong letters? Research/publications/presentations?

 

[Winged Scapula]

As Buzz notes, there is *often* a drop from PGY-1 to PGY-2 because you are now compared to categorical GS residents across the country (as opposed to the categoricals PLUS the large contingent of Prelims who may not care about their ABSITE scores).

 

[youwantsomemore]

Winged,

in one of your old posts you mentioned someone doing 3 prelim. years? what did you mean exactly?

My resume has good usmle scores and good letters, no research, one poster, and my first year was at CCF, if that matters...

is the maximum three hospital rule for completing residency set in stone?

Thank you
🙁

 

[Winged Scapula]

Winged,

in one of your old posts you mentioned someone doing 3 prelim. years? what did you mean exactly?

I meant that they were not offered a categorical position after PGY 1 or PGY2 and instead spent 3 years doing prelim surgery.

is the maximum three hospital rule for completing residency set in stone?

Thank you
🙁

Yes., it is an American Board of Surgery rule.

 

[Dirt]

It makes sense that average ABSITE scores go up from pgy-1 to pgy-2, but 73% going from 66th percentile to 28th seems kind of absurd.

 

[LucidSplash]

It makes sense that average ABSITE scores go up from pgy-1 to pgy-2, but 73% going from 66th percentile to 28th seems kind of absurd.

As stated, this makes sense if you consider all the people taking PGY-1 ABSITE who are not going into surgery (designated prelims, undesignated prelims who choose another field) who don't put that much effort into it and score on the lower end. The number of these people is drastically reduced in PGY-2. The field gets smaller, the field as a whole is trying harder, and it takes more to maintain a good percentile score once all the dead weight is cut.

Also, the distribution curve on the ABSITE is ridiculously steep any way you cut it. A few questions can make a HUGE percentile difference.

 

[Sarcoidosis]

If one really really really want to do surgery, what is smarter to do next year after completing a Prelim PgY II ...

Switch to something that becomes available...
research...

What other options are there??? The options seem very bleak and limited.

-Switch and try to be happy with something else... but feel defeated...
-Research which is not bad but then continue to worry about the interest on my loans that will take forever to payback...

 

[filter07]

Switch and be happy would be my advice. Especially if you've already done 2 prelim years without finding a spot. Feeling defeated is optional.