Chance of matching cardiology with step 214

[fantastic-guide-8201]

Hi everyone, I am a US MD senior with a step score of 214. Is cardiology fellowship a realistic goal for me?

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[7331poas]

Why not? Go to your home program. Go to your home cards fellowship.

 

[fantastic-guide-8201]

Why not? Go to your home program. Go to your home cards fellowship.

I was just worried if there are step 1 score cut offs for programs. I would be applying for fellowship in 2026

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I don't know why so many people are listed as unknown.

This only includes people who actually got interviews. So you'd want to maximize other parts of your application.

 

[Lawpy]

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I don't know why so many people are listed as unknown.

This only includes people who actually got interviews. So you'd want to maximize other parts of your application.

COMLEX only scores?

 

[fantastic-guide-8201]

View attachment 345352

I don't know why so many people are listed as unknown.

This only includes people who actually got interviews. So you'd want to maximize other parts of your application.

WIll programs filter you out by step score during fellowship match? This data is definitely reassuring but the amount of unknown scores is variable.

 

[RJ McReady]

You have to do 3 years of IM before applying to a cardiology fellowship. By the time you apply you will have so many different experiences, letters, exam scores, etc. No one is going to care about your step 1 score.

 

[GoSpursGo]

View attachment 345352

I don't know why so many people are listed as unknown.

This only includes people who actually got interviews. So you'd want to maximize other parts of your application.

I imagine maybe the step 1 score is considered kind of immaterial compared to the program, so they may not include it when reviewing apps?

OP, the problem is less with your score and more with the tier program you're likely to wind up at. As the chart above shows, you can still match cards if you wind up at a strong program. But fellowship applicants tend to self-select and don't apply unless they know they are competitive.

 

[collegestud2013]

Will programs filter you out by step score during fellowship match? This data is definitely reassuring but the amount of unknown scores is variable.

Yes, to some extent as Step scores are still somewhat important for initial screening for fellowship apps. Unlike residency apps though, where the major weight is currently placed on Step 1, for fellowship all 3 Steps are weighed roughly equally (though in a few years it will only be Step 2 and Step 3). A low score (<220) in any one of the 3 steps can get you filtered out at many decent academic fellowship programs.

Your best bet is to match into an IM program with an in-house cardiology fellowship. Matching at many academic centers may be hard with a 214 but there are quite a few community IM programs out their with in-house cardiology fellowships. Do research in residency (or if you want start doing it as a 4th year med student when you probably have more free time) and try to be come a Chief (but that will take an extra year). Definitely far from guaranteed so make sure you are okay with doing general IM (eg hospitalist or primary care) in case you don't get in.

 

[Lawpy]

Unlike residency apps though, where the major weight is currently placed on Step 1, for fellowship all 3 Steps are weighed roughly equally (though in a few years it will only be Step 2 and Step 3). A low score (<220) in any one of the 3 steps can get you filtered out at many decent academic fellowship programs.

This is surprising and really strange to me. Step 1 is already getting increasingly devalued this year onwards. It makes little to no sense to weigh Step 1 at all in 2026 for something like cards fellowships.

I also didn't think Step 1 had any bearing in cards fellowship in the first place because IM program strength is key. A Harvard grad with a 214 Step 1 going into MGH internally being filtered out in cards because of a 214 is absurd.

 

[collegestud2013]

This is surprising and really strange to me. Step 1 is already getting increasingly devalued this year onwards. It makes little to no sense to weigh Step 1 at all in 2026 for something like cards fellowships.

I also didn't think Step 1 had any bearing in cards fellowship in the first place because IM program strength is key. A Harvard grad with a 214 Step 1 going into MGH internally being filtered out in cards because of a 214 is absurd.

It's almost impossible to get into top tier Internal Medicine programs like MGH in the first place with a 214 on Step 1 in the first place. While coming from a top tier IM program helps in getting into fellowship , for everyone else the Step scores that you do have will still matter to some extent for fellowship.

A lot of IMGs apply for cardiology fellowship each year, and IMGs tend apply to nearly 100+ programs. Thus cardiology fellowships will easily get over 100 apps per spot on average and they still need a standardized metric to narrow down the applicant pool.

Not saying you CAN'T getting into cardiology with a 214, but consider that the average USMD matched applicant has a 239 for cardiology (according to the most recent Charting the Outcomes Data), any Step score < 220 will definitely close doors at quite a few programs.

 

[Lawpy]

It's almost impossible to get into top tier Internal Medicine programs like MGH in the first place with a 214 on Step 1 in the first place. While coming from a top tier IM program helps in getting into fellowship , for everyone else the Step scores that you do have will still matter to some extent for fellowship.

A lot of IMGs apply for cardiology fellowship each year, and IMGs tend apply to nearly 100+ programs. Thus cardiology fellowships will easily get over 100 apps per spot on average and they still need a standardized metric to narrow down the applicant pool.

Not saying you CAN'T getting into cardiology with a 214, but consider that the average USMD matched applicant has a 239 for cardiology (according to the most recent Charting the Outcomes Data), any Step score < 220 will definitely close doors at quite a few programs.

A Harvard guy with a 214 Step 1 and everything else solid (250+ Step 2, all honors, great ECs/research, although all of this is not necessary because the Harvard name alone is powerful) is almost surely going to MGH based on how academically internalized and prestige heavy these programs are. It make absolutely no sense for a cards program to filter out this guy just because of a 214 Step 1.

IMGs are likely going to get outcompeted dramatically by US seniors in fellowship level.

I can see filters existing for Steps 2 and 3 seeing how clinically relevant they are. Step 1 filters especially in an environment where Step 1 is increasingly devalued makes little sense.

 

[collegestud2013]

A Harvard guy with a 214 Step 1 and everything else solid (250+ Step 2, all honors, great ECs/research, although all of this is not necessary because the Harvard name alone is powerful) is almost surely going to MGH based on how academically internalized and prestige heavy these programs are. It make absolutely no sense for a cards program to filter out this guy just because of a 214 Step 1.

IMGs are likely going to get outcompeted dramatically by US seniors in fellowship level.

I can see filters existing for Steps 2 and 3 seeing how clinically relevant they are. Step 1 filters especially in an environment where Step 1 is increasingly devalued makes little sense.

You're giving an example of an exception and by far what is not most common. The typical USMD applicant with a 214 will NOT be from Harvard and have 250+ step 2 scores, and all honors and crazy research, and this is unlikely OP's circumstances. A214 is well below average even at lower tier med schools. So it's much more likely to be an applicant from a lower tier med school and also be at the bottom of their class, and those applicants usually end up in lower tier IMG-dominant community IM residencies.

USMD grads do have some advantage over IMGs in the fellowship match but weaker USMDs will still get outcompeted by strong IMGs. The typical USMD with a 214 step 1 score will be a weak applicant for cardiology. Also, some fellowship programs don't favor USMDs and actually favor IMGs a bit. This happens in many cases when the PD is an IMG and favors applicants from the same home country as the PD.

While it may make sense it in principle to use only Step 2 and 3 in fellowship apps, this is not what happens now and won't change for another 4-5 years until most of the applicants applying for fellowships also have a pass/fail Step 1. For the fellowship programs that screen based on Step score, all three Steps is currently weighed approximately equally.

 

[Lawpy]

You're giving an example of an exception and by far what is not most common. The typical USMD applicant with a 214 will NOT be from Harvard and have 250+ step 2 scores, and all honors and crazy research, and this is unlikely OP's circumstances. A214 is well below average even at lower tier med schools. So it's much more likely to be an applicant from a lower tier med school and also be at the bottom of their class, and those applicants usually end up in lower tier IMG-dominant community IM residencies.

USMD grads do have some advantage over IMGs in the fellowship match but weaker USMDs will still get outcompeted by strong IMGs. The typical USMD with a 214 step 1 score will be a weak applicant for cardiology. Also, some fellowship programs don't favor USMDs and actually favor IMGs a bit. This happens in many cases when the PD is an IMG and favors applicants from the same home country as the PD.

While it may make sense it in principle to use only Step 2 and 3 in fellowship apps, this is not what happens now and won't change for another 4-5 years until most of the applicants applying for fellowships also have a pass/fail Step 1. For the fellowship programs that screen based on Step score, all three Steps is currently weighed approximately equally.

I was stating an example where a Step 1 filter can end up hurting good candidates when it's not needed especially if IM program strength matters more. A low Step 1, high Step 2 combination isn't that uncommon.

And i think OP is planning to apply to cards few years down the line in 2026?

 

[Redpancreas]

Hi everyone, I am a US MD senior with a step score of 214. Is cardiology fellowship a realistic goal for me?

You’ll do fine, keep grinding.