Chances of Matching w/o STEP scores

[kaj]

Hello! Just wanted to get a general idea of whether or not it would be worth applying next cycle....

US-DO grad, IM residency at small community hospital, no STEP scores, all COMLEX with a one failed attempt at Level 1. Passed Level 2/3 on first try. 3 publications (none as first author), one publication pending (not first author), working on a case report currently (first author), 5 poster presentations, extensive leadership and volunteer activities. Certain that I would get outstanding LORs if requested, doing really well in residency.

Couple questions - how strongly would the fact that I didn't take STEP count against me? and my failed attempt at Level 1? How strongly are board scores weighed?
Likelihood I would match straight out of residency if I applied?

I understand this is ultimately a personal decision but would like the community to weigh in on chances of matching and how important those board scores would be. I think I would be perfectly happy as a hospitalist but I do thrive in the ICU so a PCCM fellowship would be ideal.

Thanks in advance!

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[bkzdragon]

Hello! Just wanted to get a general idea of whether or not it would be worth applying next cycle....

US-DO grad, IM residency at small community hospital, no STEP scores, all COMLEX with a one failed attempt at Level 1. Passed Level 2/3 on first try. 3 publications (none as first author), one publication pending (not first author), working on a case report currently (first author), 5 poster presentations, extensive leadership and volunteer activities. Certain that I would get outstanding LORs if requested, doing really well in residency.

Couple questions - how strongly would the fact that I didn't take STEP count against me? and my failed attempt at Level 1? How strongly are board scores weighed?
Likelihood I would match straight out of residency if I applied?

I understand this is ultimately a personal decision but would like the community to weigh in on chances of matching and how important those board scores would be. I think I would be perfectly happy as a hospitalist but I do thrive in the ICU so a PCCM fellowship would be ideal.

Thanks in advance!

If PCCM is something that you really want, then I don’t see the hurt in applying. You honestly never know until you try and one interview is really all it takes. If your able to, do an outside rotation with a fellowship to network with some PCCM faculty.

Im also currently a US DO at a smaller community program with solely comlex scores that luckily matched this cycle. I was able to secure several interviews but also honed in on programs that had matched DOs in the past.

From my research, it seems that board scores are a way for PDs to thin out the pool of applicants for interviews. Frankly, I think the level 1 failed attempt is more of a red flag then not taking any steps but maybe one of the PDs can chime in since they have access to the applicant filters.

 

[deleted845868]

Hello! Just wanted to get a general idea of whether or not it would be worth applying next cycle....

US-DO grad, IM residency at small community hospital, no STEP scores, all COMLEX with a one failed attempt at Level 1. Passed Level 2/3 on first try. 3 publications (none as first author), one publication pending (not first author), working on a case report currently (first author), 5 poster presentations, extensive leadership and volunteer activities. Certain that I would get outstanding LORs if requested, doing really well in residency.

Couple questions - how strongly would the fact that I didn't take STEP count against me? and my failed attempt at Level 1? How strongly are board scores weighed?
Likelihood I would match straight out of residency if I applied?

I understand this is ultimately a personal decision but would like the community to weigh in on chances of matching and how important those board scores would be. I think I would be perfectly happy as a hospitalist but I do thrive in the ICU so a PCCM fellowship would be ideal.

Thanks in advance!

Hey! I am applying for residency in 2023 and have also had failed level one attempts but passed level 2 with a 540 on my first attempt. I had some serious test anxiety and got some professional help with did wonders for me. I am wondering how matching and applications went with a failed attempt. Any insight would be helpful. I am also thinking community hospital (most are HCA ) any insight?

 

[MikMik6]

Avoid the HCA like the plague.

 

[The kitchen sink]

Avoid the HCA like the plague.

Why?

 

[AlteredScale]

Why?

Most of their hospitals are focused on profit FIRST and teaching second. The EMR is also absolutely trash (medi-tech).

 

[Doctor Bob]

Couple questions - how strongly would the fact that I didn't take STEP count against me? and my failed attempt at Level 1? How strongly are board scores weighed?
Likelihood I would match straight out of residency if I applied?

It is perfectly fine that you've only taken COMLEX. At the fellowship level, the distinction of USMLE vs COMLEX is irrelevant.

What is relevant is your performance in general. A failure on a step/level is a big red flag. Why? I get about a hundred applicants for every spot I have available. I need to narrow that list down to 10 applicants for each spot to make my interview offer list. Everyone has great LORs, everyone has the same sounding personal statement, everyone has a list of hobbies that makes them sound like a well rounded person... So how can I sort people? By the number of research items, presentations, etc, and board scores. A step/level failure is an easy way to chop that list down.

The saving grace? It's level 1. At the fellowship level many of us aren't going to look too harshly on a level 1 failure if the rest of the levels were fine. So that's the one caveat to the above blurb.