Am I now exempt from competitive specialties?

[pathologyDO]

My first semester grade report came back and I ranked just about middle of the class, scoring better than 42% of my classmates. I was hoping for top 50% but it just isn't happening.

Will this be a big problem for me matching into competitive specialties? I'm interested in GS right now, is this going to be a deal breaker there?

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[Winged Scapula]

Its fine. The first semester is a learning experience in more ways than one; you have a long way to go before residency applications.

 

[shenanigi]

Yes

 

[235009]

 

[J ROD]

Crush Steps and clinical rotations...........grades........yeah try and do average. Enjoy it while others are killing themselves the first 2 years. You don't learn medicine until 3rd year. You are learning to take Step 1 right now.

 

[235009]

Crush Steps and clinical rotations...........grades........yeah try and do average. Enjoy it while others are killing themselves the first 2 years. You don't learn medicine until 3rd year. You are learning to take Step 1 right now.

....except preclinical grades are important if they factor into determining your class rank

 

[J ROD]

not a problem for getting GS. Can get that being average with the other good stuff. Ortho ENT yeah better gun hard. Plastics.......bring out the tank.

 

[colbgw02]

You were always exempt from competitive specialties.

Oh, and please learn what the word 'exempt' means.

 

[evilbooyaa]

OP = Neurotic MS1.

 

[swamprat]

Are you a DO student like ur username suggests? If so that'll make it harder to match competitive specialties than doing just ok on first semester med school which matters zero to none unless it translates to a poor step performance

 

[pathologyDO]

You were always exempt from competitive specialties.

Oh, and please learn what the word 'exempt' means.

Yeah, good point. Was not exactly worried about my words as much as getting advice.

Well yes I'm an osteopathic student but I know about the extra difficulty it will bring me in the match. I'm just concerned about how my class rank factors in.

Seems like if I stay right where I am in class rank and destroy step I as I plan to do I'll be OK. I'm just learning for step I

 

[swamprat]

Yeah, good point. Was not exactly worried about my words as much as getting advice.

Well yes I'm an osteopathic student but I know about the extra difficulty it will bring me in the match. I'm just concerned about how my class rank factors in.

Seems like if I stay right where I am in class rank and destroy step I as I plan to do I'll be OK. I'm just learning for step I

Yeah class rank matters little IMO except it is used often for determining AOA. Step 1 and clinic grades matter most. Best way to do well on step 1 is to study hard and do well in class so indirectly this may mean you won't do as well on the boards as your peers but I think its too early to tell your just getting into the swing of things first semester and if your in a traditional curriculum the bulk of step 1 stuff (which I found more interesting) was during MS2. It is a domino effect however because at least at my school in order to honor aka " do well" on clinical rotations you have to have good evals plus a certain cutoff grade on a shelf exam. Those shelf exams are tough but I def think preclinical knowledge base helps tremendously because there are always random basic science questions thrown in on those things.

 

[notbobtrustme]

what competitive specialties are you looking at? You have to be realistic coming from a DO about many of the specialties on the MD side.

That said, Step 1, clinical grades/evals and LORs > research >>>>> everything else. However, one of the best predictators of Step 1 is how you do in class and doing well on Step 1 is ****ing hard. Everyone you know, DO or MD, is trying to do above average and around 40% of them will be below average.

 

[colbgw02]

Everyone you know, DO or MD, is trying to do above average and around 40% of them will be below average.

I would put the number closer to 49%, but then again, math was never my strongest subject.

 

[notbobtrustme]

I would put the number closer to 49%, but then again, math was never my strongest subject.

I was fudging in the IMGs, who typically score lower (thus making up more of the bottom than US MD/DOs), but yea, regardless, scoring average on Step 1 is an achievement in itself.

 

[JJMrK]

Unless you fail a class, nothing is determined until you take step 1. Just keep trucking.

Also, general surgery is not traditionally thought of as a competitive specialty.