aProgramDirector

Please teach me the 3 step method. Pretty please? You might save me years of my life.

 

About 5-10%. Varies from year to year.

 

I am guessing they are foreign grads from mostly medical schools in europe, not caribbean graduates.

 

I've taken both Carib's and other IMG's. I'm looking for people who stand out from the crowd -- good scores on the USMLE, and good clinical experience -- preferably at a US academic site.

 

Has it ever been your experience that the Caribbean students have worked harder, been of more quality than some of the US students? At the places I have been, I have heard this comment several times. But, after the honeymoon period, I wonder if this "effect" neutralizes.

 

My experience is that the top Carib performers do just fine.

 

Totally unrelated topic, but since I have aPD's attention.

I was just reading an NRMP report, and have a question.

Given that programs can choose not to interview applicants who have not passed the USMLE on the first attempt.

I have heard from an unreliable source, that this can only be screened for by a filter on the program's ERAS inbox. If this filter is not in place, you will not know from the downloaded documents if the applicant failed on the first attempt (because only the Passed USMLE date and score are documented). But at best, you may note a prolonged time period between the end of the M-2 year, and the date of the Passed USMLE.

This sounded a little fishy to me, but if there is any convoluted truth to it, can you tell me what it is?

oh, and this isnt for me... its for ..... "a friend".....

 

I think it's the opposite--you can't filter out multiple attempts, as long as the last attempt is passing. But the score report lists each attempt, whether passed or failed.

 

Not exactly sure what you're asking.

Remember first that a "filter" doesn't block your application from being downloaded. All applications are downloaded no matter what. "Filtering" simply pulls out a group of applications meeting any defined criteria.

As far as USMLE scores, I can only filter on several things:

1. Whether or not you have received a score on a certain step (i.e. "any" score)
2. The value of your most recent score (on a three digit scale)
3. Whether you have a "new" USMLE score (i.e. I downloaded a new score report, and haven't looked at it yet)
4. Whether or not you reported whether you "passed", "failed", or "awaiting score" when you tell me when your USMLE attempts were.

So, for the most part I cannot tell via a filter if you failed the USMLE the first time and then passed the second. If I filter based upon the score, I can only filter on the most recent score. I can theoretically try to filter on whether you voluntarily reported that you failed a certain step -- but many people do not report failures there (and only list their pass) so that's unreliable.

 

Aren't applicants required to list this info? If they didn't pass 1st time, then the only way to know this is if they were truthful and reported it?

 

The rules aren't clear. Some people list all attempts. Some only list successful and pending attempts. Doesn't really matter -- we see all failed attempts on the USMLE transcript anyway.

 

What if you've hidden your scores from residencies, but put the date you were planning to take it? My CAF says, "will take 12/2008," but I hid my scores? Will residency directors wonder where/what my scores were if I don't transmit before the rank list goes in? Will they assume I did poorly?

 

Not sure what you mean when you say "hidden your scores from residencies".

If you mean you failed a step, didn't list that you failed it, and didn't release your USMLE's at all, then I doubt anyone will rank you without releasing your USMLE's.

If you mean that you failed a step, planned to retake in 12/08, but did release your USMLE's, then the only one you are fooling are yourself. PD's will see the failure on your USMLE transcript.

If you mean that you took Step 1 and passed, Took Step 2 12/08, but didn't automatically release your scores, and are planning to make that decision when you see your score, then I think it depends. Many PD's won't notice and will simply rank you without it. Some will require Step 2. Some may ask you about it. Whatever you do, don't lie about it -- if you have a "less than ideal" score, and a PD asks you about it, and you state that you haven't gotten your score yet, and then you match there, and then it becomes clear that you did have the score, that's fraud and can get you fired.

 

I meant something like the last option....I took step 1, passed w/ a 250+, took step 2 in december, and hid my score. I haven't gotten my score yet, but hopefully it'll be about the same as step 1. I was just wondering if it's not, if I should just keep my mouth shut and only tell if asked, or if I should go ahead and release it regardless of what the score is, even if it's low, if residencies will just assume it's low if I don't release it. I of course would not lie about my score ever.....just not tell if not asked. Is it fair to assume that if the program director cares, s/he will ask? Would they ever ask via email, since I've already done most of my interviews?

 

Im not exactly sure of what I was asking anymore. But I think you basically hit it.

 

Does you think it makes us look deceptive if we list only passes? Or is it understood that it's a resume and we're putting our best foot forward?

 

They might ask via email. I expect you define "low" differently from others here on SDN. You are worried about nothing, unless your Step 2 <200.

I ignore that section of the application.