Chances? Please Help

[OccamsSpork]

I'm a 3rd year at an Ivy med school in NYC. Thinking of applying Uro, will probably take a year off to help given some less than heartening clinical grades.

Step 1: Projected 240s (haven't gotten back, could be lower, just took it in feb after rotations)

Research: Currently on 3 projects (2 in anesthesia, 1 in IR) that'll hopefully get published this summer; (if taking a year off I will join a very active Urology lab that PI has guaranteed at least 2-3 1st authorships on)

Clinicals: honored in Surgery and Neuro, high pass peds, passed everything else (med/OB/family medicine).

I know the passes in med and OB are pretty detrimental to urology app, but i got great potential LORs (my school has shelf cut-offs, and I've been a pretty poor test taker during clerkships. Ergo, I could've easily high-passed/honored on grade alone if not for shelf score). So point is, if step 1 score is high enough and research remains productive, would a year leave of absence help smooth over the rougher parts of my app? Or should I consider looking into more realistic goals (like dropping out and working for McDonald's; y'know, realistic goals)

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[cpants]

I'm a 3rd year at an Ivy med school in NYC. Thinking of applying Uro, will probably take a year off to help given some less than heartening clinical grades.

Step 1: Projected 240s (haven't gotten back, could be lower, just took it in feb after rotations)

Research: Currently on 3 projects (2 in anesthesia, 1 in IR) that'll hopefully get published this summer; (if taking a year off I will join a very active Urology lab that PI has guaranteed at least 2-3 1st authorships on)

Clinicals: honored in Surgery and Neuro, high pass peds, passed everything else (med/OB/family medicine).

I know the passes in med and OB are pretty detrimental to urology app, but i got great potential LORs (my school has shelf cut-offs, and I've been a pretty poor test taker during clerkships. Ergo, I could've easily high-passed/honored on grade alone if not for shelf score). So point is, if step 1 score is high enough and research remains productive, would a year leave of absence help smooth over the rougher parts of my app? Or should I consider looking into more realistic goals (like dropping out and working for McDonald's; y'know, realistic goals)

You'll probably have a shot somewhere if you do well on aways. Sure, a few papers will make your application stronger, but they aren't going to erase those grades and the average board score (for uro). Getting 3 publications would not be a game changer. Almost everyone who applies has multiple publications.

I think you would probably be competitive for similar programs whether you take the research year or not. Try to get some lesser research projects done right now, ideally clinical urology abstracts that could be accepted and listed on your application by September.