Clerkship grades are the most important part of your application
Couldn’t disagree more with this statement. I just matched ophtho this cycle, and in my opinion, some of the most important factors were:
- Step 2 score
- Research
- LORs
- Medical school name
- Disadvantaged/underrepresented label
With clerkship grades being fairly far down on the list because they are not standardized between schools and many schools are P/F now. A 26X step2 score is amazing and you will likely earn many interviews.
I had 1 pass, 3 HP, and 4 H on my core clerkship rotations, and I had 18 interview invitations (ORM male, 251 step 2, 4 “submitted pubs”, none published, mid-tier med school, no AOA or GH). Only one interviewer ever mentioned my pass.
Another student from my school (again, mid-tier) had 1 P, 6 HP, 1 H and matched at Stanford.
You will do great, OP. Do some aways, write a killer PS, pick your letter writers carefully, and you will match at a great program.