Below Avg COMLEX Lv 1&2, Trash Step 2 CK, Already Have Interviews, Don't Have To Release Right?

[doQuestions2]

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Been on some interviews and going on some more in an noncompetitive specialty. Below Avg on COMLEX lv1 & lv2, passed PE, decided to try Step 2 CK and did absolutely trash. As my ERAS already has my COMLEX scores and I've been getting interviews, I don't have to release Step 2 CK right? What do I say if programs ask why/if I took it? Do I say I never took it, or just say I wasn't happy with the score and decided not to release?

 

[Splenda88]

You never took it. No one will know.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Have any of your interviews asked about it so far before you had the score? I bet only one will at most. I don't endorse lying. Just tell them you took it late just got the score and didn't think it would help this late in the season.

If your Comlex only, I really doubt anyone will ask tho. But if your comlex is already low, as long as you passed I would think step 2 ck might actually be a little helpful.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Do I say I never took it,

Do not lie. Ever. If they ask if you took it and you say no and they somehow find out later that you did..... you could lose your residency spot.

However, if you don’t release it I doubt they will ask you. Especially if you didn’t take Step 1.

 

[doQuestions2]

How about if that trash score was a fail? That can't hurt me right? As I don't need USMLE to be licensed, ever? (Except ofc for fellowships I'm guessing?)

 

[BorntobeDO?]

How about if that trash score was a fail? That can't hurt me right? As I don't need USMLE to be licensed, ever? (Except ofc for fellowships I'm guessing?)

If its a fail don't release for sure. But you still have to tell programs if they ask. As a DO you never need step for anything, your license is based off comlex.

 

[hallowmann]

How about if that trash score was a fail? That can't hurt me right? As I don't need USMLE to be licensed, ever? (Except ofc for fellowships I'm guessing?)

Some state licensing boards explicitly ask if you have taken certain licensing exams, and they expect you to list them. This is especially true in states with only one medical board. They often automatically know the scores because it's part of your record. It shouldn't stop you from getting licensed, but I would absolutely not lie or omit that information from state medical boards. Their ability to screw your entire life over is rather immense.

 

[doQuestions2]

Thanks for the heads up guys!

 

[DO2015CA]

Don't mean to hijack your thread OP, but what if you have a pretty good step 1 score (252) and kept putting off step 2 due to the interviews rolling in and now they're sitting on 12+ interviews, but don't feel competent enough to take step 2 anymore? Let's say they were to take step 2 and fail, would they have to report it if their usmle transcript with step 1 only was sent months before?

programs will not rank you without a passing step 2 score. Yes it will hurt you. You will not match if you don’t list a passing score prior to the deadline

 

[Lexdiamondz]

What if all of the programs accept comlex in place of the steps?

If you're a DO with a baller Step 1 score and the programs you applied to are okay with you not taking Step 2 CK then don't waste 800$ on a test you don't need.

If you are applying in a specialty where the vast majority of programs want to see at Steps 1 and 2 then you need to bite the bullet and take the test before rank lists go out - otherwise you may not get ranked.

Do not lie. Ever. If they ask if you took it and you say no and they somehow find out later that you did..... you could lose your residency spot.

However, if you don’t release it I doubt they will ask you. Especially if you didn’t take Step 1.

This.

Never lie. Even if they find out after the fact and you've already started working programs will still fire you for match violations.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

programs will not rank you without a passing step 2 score. Yes it will hurt you. You will not match if you don’t list a passing score prior to the deadline

If your a DO you don't need step 2 to match, so no real need to take it with a 252 step 1. But if you got a 252, I am sure you can rock step 2 also. But for matching you only need level II and PE as a DO.

Edit: quoted wrong post. Meant to get @hopefulgasman

 

[DO2015CA]

If your a DO you don't need step 2 to match, so no real need to take it with a 252 step 1. But if you got a 252, I am sure you can rock step 2 also. But for matching you only need level II and PE as a DO.

Edit: quoted wrong post. Meant to get @hopefulgasman

I wasn’t aware they were a DO when I wrote that

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Don't mean to hijack your thread OP, but what if you have a pretty good step 1 score (252) and kept putting off step 2 due to the interviews rolling in and now they're sitting on 12+ interviews, but don't feel competent enough to take step 2 anymore? Let's say they were to take step 2 and fail, would they have to report it if their usmle transcript with step 1 only was sent months before?

If your a DO you don't need step 2 to match, so no real need to take it with a 252 step 1. But if you got a 252, I am sure you can rock step 2 also. But for matching you only need level II and PE as a DO.

Edit: quoted wrong post. Meant to get @hopefulgasman

Depends, some programs require Step 2 for ranking even if they don't require it for an interview. This is true even for DOs. It's very field dependent.

If you are applying anesthesia I can pretty confidently say that there will be programs that won't rank you because of it. Now this won't be every program but it will impact you in some way.

 

[CoomassieBlue57]

Except ofc for fellowships I'm guessing?

They whole point of the AOA & ACGME merger was to make sure DOs can continue to take part in ACGME fellowships. COMLEX covers this requirement.

 

[Lexdiamondz]

They whole point of the AOA & ACGME merger was to make sure DOs can continue to take part in ACGME fellowships. COMLEX covers this requirement.

Individual fellowships will still require whatever they want though.

 

[AlteredScale]

They whole point of the AOA & ACGME merger was to make sure DOs can continue to take part in ACGME fellowships. COMLEX covers this requirement.

Actually, the merger agreement to accepting DO's into ACGME fellowship was contingent on training at an ACGME-approved fellowships with certain "grandfathering" policies in place for specific AOA residencies. Fellowships programs do not have a homogenous policy from the merger to accept applicants from ACGME programs who only have COMLEX scores.