MD Army HPSP Student: Step 1 score too low for OB/Gyn?

[AtlanticPacific]

Current M3, into my 6 month family medicine rotation and I've had the chance to shadow in various specialties. After working with an OB/Gyn physician in clinic and OR, I'm starting to really enjoy the specialty.
I'll be doing my audition rotations and applying to residency programs next summer (2019). Unfortunately, I struggled with step 1 and ended up with a score of 203. Could an improved step 2 CK score make up for my performance on step 1? Is it too much of a long shot to consider applying to army OB/Gyn?

Seems like there are 18-19 spots annually for OB/gyn and match data suggests there have been anywhere from 14 to about 30 people each year competing for the 18-19 spots (leftover spots in the last 2 years). Mean scores the past 2 years were 220 and 223 respectively with minimum scores of 202 and 197 respectively. Thanks in advance for your input.

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[Black Coffee 24/7]

Current M3, into my 6 month family medicine rotation and I've had the chance to shadow in various specialties. After working with an OB/Gyn physician in clinic and OR, I'm starting to really enjoy the specialty.
I'll be doing my audition rotations and applying to residency programs next summer (2019). Unfortunately, I struggled with step 1 and ended up with a score of 203. Could an improved step 2 CK score make up for my performance on step 1? Is it too much of a long shot to consider applying to army OB/Gyn?

Seems like there are 18-19 spots annually for OB/gyn and match data suggests there have been anywhere from 14 to about 30 people each year competing for the 18-19 spots (leftover spots in the last 2 years). Mean scores the past 2 years were 220 and 223 respectively with minimum scores of 202 and 197 respectively. Thanks in advance for your input.

360+ on your Army PT score will impress PDs more than an average Step 2

 

[Raney Schauer]

Are those mil match OB/GYN residencies? Or are they the number of OB/GYN's they'll allow per class year for mil match and civ residencies combined or...?

 

[Raney Schauer]

360+ on your Army PT score will impress PDs more than an average Step 2

I hope that's not true on the medical side. That's one of the things that made me never want to stay in past my first contract: You can be as useless as a screen door on a submarine but if you can run and shoot you're somehow a golden child.

 

[pawprint]

Prior Navy HPSP here. Honestly, in the military, stats applicants will have per specialty varies year to year, trends don't mean to much because all it takes is 1 year of really good applicants to throw everything off. When I applied for pediatrics, there were 30 people applying for 14 spots, so it ended up being <50% match rate. At least half the people applying had step 1 scores >250. While someone with a 220 should have no problem in the civilian world matching peds, that score would not have cut it my application year. There could be <14 people applying for peds next year and someone with a 200 could match. There are trends for types of scores people have who apply to specialties, but there are years that frequently show up that throw it all off. The best advice is doing everything you can do you your absolute best and then see where the other applicants are at the year you apply.

 

[AtlanticPacific]

Are those mil match OB/GYN residencies? Or are they the number of OB/GYN's they'll allow per class year for mil match and civ residencies combined or...?

If I understand correctly, these are the numbers per class year for the army match alone. Not too sure about the other branches.

 

[AtlanticPacific]

Prior Navy HPSP here. Honestly, in the military, stats applicants will have per specialty varies year to year, trends don't mean to much because all it takes is 1 year of really good applicants to throw everything off. When I applied for pediatrics, there were 30 people applying for 14 spots, so it ended up being <50% match rate. At least half the people applying had step 1 scores >250. While someone with a 220 should have no problem in the civilian world matching peds, that score would not have cut it my application year. There could be <14 people applying for peds next year and someone with a 200 could match. There are trends for types of scores people have who apply to specialties, but there are years that frequently show up that throw it all off. The best advice is doing everything you can do you your absolute best and then see where the other applicants are at the year you apply.

Thanks so much! Good to keep things in perspective! I'm still also considering internal medicine which never seems to fill up during any year and is supposedly one of the "specialties" with the lowest percentage of graduates applying. Family medicine and internal medicine both seem to be programs that graduates turn to in the scramble match (if they don't match initially). Have you heard of residency program committees rejecting applicants during the scramble match or even when spots remain?

 

[FourniersGreenGang]

Probably try your luck but having a solid backup isn't a bad idea. It seems like if you also apply to family med you'd be competitive for a spot there, plus you could skew your practice toward ob/gyn. I've even heard of family docs getting certified to do c sections via fellowship.

 

[AtlanticPacific]

Probably try your luck but having a solid backup isn't a bad idea. It seems like if you also apply to family med you'd be competitive for a spot there, plus you could skew your practice toward ob/gyn. I've even heard of family docs getting certified to do c sections via fellowship.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

I'm looking into doing HPSP and hope to sign before the end of this academic year. Does anyone know where you can find mil med match data (# of spots and step scores would be nice). Thanks!

PS @FourniersGreenGang nice profile pic

 

[AtlanticPacific]

I'm looking into doing HPSP and hope to sign before the end of this academic year. Does anyone know where you can find mil med match data (# of spots and step scores would be nice). Thanks!

PS @FourniersGreenGang nice profile pic

I've been getting the most up-to date information from the HPSP military physician facebook group. I think I was able to upload the past years match data to this message. Hope it helps!

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

I've been getting the most up-to date information from the HPSP military physician facebook group. I think I was able to upload the past years match data to this message. Hope it helps!

Thanks! What would you call this info (ppt) so I can find it on my own for the Navy? Thanks again

 

[AtlanticPacific]

Thanks! What would you call this info (ppt) so I can find it on my own for the Navy? Thanks again

I've heard it referred to as the GME presentation (graduate medical education) or GME match data. That facebook group is open to people considering the HPSP for all branches (army, air force, navy) and they have almost any kind of relevant document uploaded to the group you can imagine. They've got a couple thousand current & prospective HPSP recipients as well as many active HPSP physicians. I would definitely recommend trying to join the group!