I have a dilemma here: I don't know if I should try to take step 2 in early September or do an pm&r elective first. I thought maybe I should try to get a pm&r elective done in September to hopefully get a lor and have the experience to validate my decision to seek a pm&r residency during the interview...if I get them. Secondly, I have heard that there are people who did not have their step 2 score at the interview. But I am still not sure what I should do...what is more important to get an interview...and then to increase your chance of a match? thanks
ck or pm&r elective?
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Completely depends on how you did on your step 1. If you did not do so well than the step 2 will help you a lot. But if you did well than its not that big of a deal. Definitely set up the PM&R elective in September at a top-notch program and get a letter from the PD,Chair or someone well known in the field. This will help you a lot more than good board scores. I know plenty of people who did well on there step 1 and didn't bother to take there step 2 until after the interviews. But I got them out of my way as soon as I could so I could focus on my PM&R rotations. PM&R residency committes like to look at the whole picture and usually don't focus as much on the board scores as some of the other fields like Derm and radiology even though there are a few programs in the nation that have a minimum board score requirement. For example at Spaudling/Harvard they have a cutoff score of 80th percentile. But if you rotate there and have stellar LORs I am sure that cutoff might not be strictly enforced.
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Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that only applies to IMG's
http://www.spauldingrehab.org/education/pmr.residencyprogram/admissions
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You are not wrong. It does specify IMGs but I know that it also applies to DO's and maybe even MD's.
Another examples of a programs that have a minimum board score requirement are
1) RUSH University
http://www.rush.edu/professionals/gme/rehabilitation/training.html
"USLME steps one and two must be a minimum score of 80"
2) University of Washington
http://rehab.washington.edu/education/residency/eligibility.asp
"Passed USMLE Step 1 with a minimum of 200, or COMLEX Part 1 with a minimum of 500 on the first attempt"
3) Ohio State
http://www.medicine.osu.edu/pmr/325.cfm
"Scores (USMLE minimum score above 195 or COMLEX above 500)"
I know there are more but I can only recall the above.
Another examples of a programs that have a minimum board score requirement are
1) RUSH University
http://www.rush.edu/professionals/gme/rehabilitation/training.html
"USLME steps one and two must be a minimum score of 80"
2) University of Washington
http://rehab.washington.edu/education/residency/eligibility.asp
"Passed USMLE Step 1 with a minimum of 200, or COMLEX Part 1 with a minimum of 500 on the first attempt"
3) Ohio State
http://www.medicine.osu.edu/pmr/325.cfm
"Scores (USMLE minimum score above 195 or COMLEX above 500)"
I know there are more but I can only recall the above.
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As PMR2008 said, it really depends on how well you did on step 1. I didn't take Step 2 until December 23rd of 4th year and had no trouble getting all of the PM&R interviews that I wanted. I waited to take it b/c I had a good step 1 and also had the 4 months prior to that full of PM&R electives, a Medicine Sub-I and interviews (and I guess b/c I'm Jewish and had nothing better to do at Christmas time...jk). I will admit that it really sucked to be studying for that in December, but everything worked out just fine.
That being said, I would rec that you do whatever it takes in order to get a solid PM&R elective (and LOR) before interviews.
That being said, I would rec that you do whatever it takes in order to get a solid PM&R elective (and LOR) before interviews.
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well, I don't know what a step 1 score of 218/90 qualify as...I have tried calling a few pm&r programs that allow visiting students...however some require that I have completed all my cores BUT if I wanted to do a pm&r elective early in Sept/Oct. I would not have completed surgery or obgyn. I am getting really scared reading messages of people not getting matched. I think I know what the answer to this one is but if I can't get a pm&r elective until late in my fourth year when all the interview process is over...I am screwed because I don't have the lor or the elective before or during the interview---granted if I even get an interview without these essentials? thanks
Just to help you out...
Refer to: http://www.nrmp.org/data/programresultsbyspecialty.pdf
See page 108 of document (111 of pdf). Per the PD survey, 82% considered step 2 in interviewing. You can always take the chance to postpone step 2 (some always do - and i did), but there will always be uncertainty. Programs may interview you without a step 2 score, but will they rank you --- that's up to the admin committee and PD. On page 110 of the survey, Step 1 & 2 are considered pretty important in ranking applicants (Avg scale 4.1 out of 5). FYI 222 is the Step 1 avg for the MS4's this year from what my Academic Dean told us.
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