Adress a red flag in fellowship personal statement?

[osr2608]

Hi,

I am a non-US IMG at a community-based program in NYC (with a very strong affiliation to a large academic center). I have an attempt in my step 2 CK (209). I was doing my Peds residency in India and did not prepare properly. I retook the exam 6 months later (still during residency) and scored 245. I had addressed this in my residency personal statement and had received 11 interviews and matched Peds to my #2 choice. Since then I have scored top scores in my India Peds residency, cleared Step 3 (245), and have been the top scorer in my program's ITE exams in PGY1 and PGY2. I feel like these scores show that the Step 2 CK attempt was an aberration. I am confused if I should again address my CK attempt as a red flag in my fellowship personal statement? I will be applying for PICU fellowships for match 2023.

Thanks!

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[SurfingDoctor]

Hi,

I am a non-US IMG at a community-based program in NYC (with a very strong affiliation to a large academic center). I have an attempt in my step 2 CK (209). I was doing my Peds residency in India and did not prepare properly. I retook the exam 6 months later (still during residency) and scored 245. I had addressed this in my residency personal statement and had received 11 interviews and matched Peds to my #2 choice. Since then I have scored top scores in my India Peds residency, cleared Step 3 (245), and have been the top scorer in my program's ITE exams in PGY1 and PGY2. I feel like these scores show that the Step 2 CK attempt was an aberration. I am confused if I should again address my CK attempt as a red flag in my fellowship personal statement? I will be applying for PICU fellowships for match 2023.

Thanks!

You can write whatever you want in your personal statement.

But isn’t 209 passing? The red flag is when you don’t pass. It doesn’t help you to have a lower score, but saying you were busy and didn’t try doesn’t help bring it into some sort of positive either.

Test taking is also just one part of the application.

 

[Oso]

No I would not mention it since you have better scores since. I would have a good answer ready just in case anybody brings it up but wouldn’t draw attention to it

 

[osr2608]

You can write whatever you want in your personal statement.

But isn’t 209 passing? The red flag is when you don’t pass. It doesn’t help you to have a lower score, but saying you were busy and didn’t try doesn’t help bring it into some sort of positive either.

Test taking is also just one part of the application.

Yeah sorry.. 208! It was by a point. Retook it 6 months later (245). During residency interviews, I had a positive answer (did not make excuses for it and explained what I learned from the experience).

 

[osr2608]

No I would not mention it since you have better scores since. I would have a good answer ready just in case anybody brings it up but wouldn’t draw attention to it

Okay makes sense! Thank you!

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Concur with Oso. Your PS is about you, not explanations for things like this. Exception might be if you had a family member die or something similar the day before the exam. Even then ideally that's something that one of your letter writers would mention.

 

[californiadreamin23]

The PS is pretty much your best opportunity at telling them who you are. Does the low score define you? I don’t think it does.

As another above said, maybe have a letter writer mention it. But make your PS about you and not some dumb test.