Board score range for Osteopathic Students

[cgk]

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As an Osteopathic Student applying for Family Medicine residencies next year, what range of COMLEX 1 and USMLE step 1 scores do you need to be competitive for University based Family Medicine programs as opposed to community based programs?

 

[TheOther]

As an Osteopathic Student applying for Family Medicine residencies next year, what range of COMLEX 1 and USMLE step 1 scores do you need to be competitive for University based Family Medicine programs as opposed to community based programs?

Hard to say. It’s program-specific. FM in general, even among university programs, is more about the whole applicant than just board scores. That said, as a DO student, I applied only Southern California and have 3 interviews at universities and 10+ at community hospitals.

Steps >235
Levels >600

On my interviews, I’ve been told I had a strong PS, strong ECs, and strong LORs. So it’s hard to say how much my scores played a role in securing interviews.

 

[cgk]

Hard to say. It’s program-specific. FM in general, even among university programs, is more about the whole applicant than just board scores. That said, as a DO student, I applied only Southern California and have 3 interviews at universities and 10+ at community hospitals.

Steps >235
Levels >600

On my interviews, I’ve been told I had a strong PS, strong ECs, and strong LORs. So it’s hard to say how much my scores played a role in securing interviews.

What kind of EC's did you have? I ask because most of my EC's are research based vs volunteer/ community service based. Does it matter for Family Medicine?

 

[TheOther]

What kind of EC's did you have? I ask because most of my EC's are research based vs volunteer/ community service based. Does it matter for Family Medicine?

I have both research and unique volunteer/community service ECs. I’ve been asked about both.

 

[cgk]

I have both research and unique volunteer/community service ECs. I’ve been asked about both.

do you mind me asking how they are unique? Just so I can get some frame of reference.

 

[AMEHigh]

Yes my experience is that family med in general does look at the whole picture and not necessarily board scores.

I didn’t take usmle. I failed comlex the first time and think I had around 500 passing score after. I have a pretty unique story/experience so that got talked about a lot in both my university and community program interviews.

As a resident when I’m interviewing candidates I don’t even look at their board scores, I’m more worried about if they seem like a normal and competent person during the interview. The only time board scores get brought up is when we have our final rank meeting with all the residents and attendings. The attendings will express concerns for applicants who have multiple board failures or had difficulty passing classes/took an extra year to pass classes.

 

[cgk]

Yes my experience is that family med in general does look at the whole picture and not necessarily board scores.

I didn’t take usmle. I failed comlex the first time and think I had around 500 passing score after. I have a pretty unique story/experience so that got talked about a lot in both my university and community program interviews.

As a resident when I’m interviewing candidates I don’t even look at their board scores, I’m more worried about if they seem like a normal and competent person during the interview. The only time board scores get brought up is when we have our final rank meeting with all the residents and attendings. The attendings will express concerns for applicants who have multiple board failures or had difficulty passing classes/took an extra year to pass classes.

is your program a community program or a university based program?