Conflicting Information on importance of Steps

[arkdoc]

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My EM advisor told me to hold off on taking step 2 ck until about November. My step 1 score is a 258 and she said there is no point in taking ck before interviews. Now, my administration is saying that step 2 ck is becoming more important and that most want it early. What I am wanting to know is what is preferred or needed in EM for interviews and etc...

 

[deleted547339]

Unfortunately there isn't a consensus statement. What you were told by both is true. Your step 1 is phenomenal, so you have something to lose if you blow it on step 2....but some programs want to see it and it is gaining importance.

I had a step 1 just shy of yours and decided to take step 2 early because I didn't want to play that game. My score went up by about 20 points. Multiple places said they were impressed that I had the guts to take it early. I'm glad I did, it gave them another data point on me and showed that I wasn't interested in playing the system. If I had to do it again, I would have done the same thing.

The good news is that there isn't a wrong answer. One or two places may not interview you if you don't have step 2 based on policy, but those places are few and far between (most just want it prior to rank lists).

Good luck and great job on step 1.

 

[Contrast Agent]

OP, I heard the same thing applying this year. I completely agree with what TimesNewRoman said, but I'd add one more thing. You will never know the material for step 2 any better than immediately after third year. The knowledge will just deteriorate as you go through fourth year, requiring more study effort if you decide to wait. I also did well on step 1 but decided to forgo my school's advice and take the exam early. I improved my score without much effort. This not only made fourth year much easier, but I also saw classmates struggle and dread studying for it later on. My reasoning was: you're either a good test taker or you're not, and in this case you clearly are and therefore shouldn't have anything to worry about by taking it early.

Ultimately, like TNR said, there's no wrong answer. But from my perspective, fourth year was much better without any exams looming. And I do think programs liked that I wasn't trying to game the system and had nothing to hide.

 

[arkdoc]

Ok thanks for the input. I am trying to figure all this stuff out and schedule an away, so just trying to figure out what the general feeling is. Thanks again.

 

[gman33]

If you can take it early, do that.
Based on past performance, I'm sure you will do well.
You never know what a program is looking for in an applicant.

 

[arkdoc]

I guess another question then is when do interviews really start up? So I can have a better idea of when I can go about making sure it is done by. Thanks again.

 

[swamprat]

I guess another question then is when do interviews really start up? So I can have a better idea of when I can go about making sure it is done by. Thanks again.

A few as early as late October most in November, December and January pretty evenly spread out IMO.

 

[arkdoc]

So, If I take the test in late September or early October then it would still be in time if I wanted to get it done before interviews.

 

[golghiapparatus]

Better to do it early. Then you and the programs know what you're dealing with and you won't waste any time interviewing at places where a suboptimal CK might bump you way down the rank list.

 

[HarryPlopper]

My EM advisor told me to hold off on taking step 2 ck until about November. My step 1 score is a 258 and she said there is no point in taking ck before interviews. Now, my administration is saying that step 2 ck is becoming more important and that most want it early. What I am wanting to know is what is preferred or needed in EM for interviews and etc...

Since this question keeps coming up again and again, here's the relevance of step 2 according to PDs

http://www.siumed.edu/oec/Year4/References/NRMP PDSurvey 2012.pdf

Page of 42 of 188 shows that 70% of PDs (N=92) said they want to see a pass or a target score on Step 2 CK when considering which applicants to interview. On page 40, you'll see that Step 2 is also more important than Step 1 in terms of ranking (N=88).

One PD and multiple residents have told me to take Step 2 early, which I did and I got more interviews after that. My step 1 wasn't as high as yours though. Also incomplete applications are also put into a pile where they aren't looked at until later and you could be putting your interviews at really competitive places at risk.

You should take the Step 2.

 

[normtheniner]

I'm in a somewhat similar boat.. 249 on step 1... problem is my school only gives us two weeks off before 4th year starts. Is that enough time to study? All of my shelf scores so far have ranged been average to above average... I wanted to do my home EM rotation here in July and do two aways in Aug and Sep. But if I use a 2 week vacation block I won't be able to do my home EM rotation until Aug knocking me back a month... Anyone else have this issue?

 

[HarryPlopper]

I'm in a somewhat similar boat.. 249 on step 1... problem is my school only gives us two weeks off before 4th year starts. Is that enough time to study? All of my shelf scores so far have ranged been average to above average... I wanted to do my home EM rotation here in July and do two aways in Aug and Sep. But if I use a 2 week vacation block I won't be able to do my home EM rotation until Aug knocking me back a month... Anyone else have this issue?

My school didn't give any time at all between 3rd and 4th year making it difficult for anyone and everyone to study for the Step. I decided to study while doing auditions at the same time and it was hell. I don't think you'll need an entire month to study for Step 2 IF you studied hard throughout the year and retained the information. SLOEs are more important than Step 2 so do whatever you need to do but don't mess up your auditions. Study hard for your Step 2 now so it won't become a pain in the arse later.

 

[normtheniner]

My school didn't give any time at all between 3rd and 4th year making it difficult for anyone and everyone to study for the Step. I decided to study while doing auditions at the same time and it was hell. I don't think you'll need an entire month to study for Step 2 IF you studied hard throughout the year and retained the information. SLOEs are more important than Step 2 so do whatever you need to do but don't mess up your auditions. Study hard for your Step 2 now so it won't become a pain in the arse later.

Thanks for the advice. I think I'm just going to push hard for those two weeks and take step 2 right before I start fourth year. My percentile average for the year is probably around 65%ile.... Not fabulous but I've worked pretty darn hard despite being tired most of third year.

 

[fahimaz7]

I was 250's as well. Took step 2 before I applied for residencies. Don't regret it one bit. If anything, it helps on the trial. I don't think it'll hurt you one bit thought with that score.

 

[Mbekweni]

My EM advisor told me to hold off on taking step 2 ck until about November. My step 1 score is a 258 and she said there is no point in taking ck before interviews. Now, my administration is saying that step 2 ck is becoming more important and that most want it early. What I am wanting to know is what is preferred or needed in EM for interviews and etc...

Step 2 is increasingly important. You would likely be able to get interviews without it, but at my institution it is a part of the ranking process. I would personally rather know what my Step 2 score was ahead of time so that a school could make their final decision on my data before I go through the expense of an interview only to find out I didn't make a cutoff.

And besides, I don't think you'll have to worry about meeting any basic requirements. Most likely it will only help you since most applicants to EM are below the 250 range with board scores.

 

[red10]

Theoretically you can take step 2 at a time when the score report won't come out until shortly after you submit your application. That way you can transmit Step 1 without step 2. Once your score comes back if you love it, you can submit it well within the interview offering period. Or if you did worse, you could submit it in like January after most of your interviews are done and you've had time to win them over with your personality.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

I got interview offers from ~3/4 of the programs to which I applied with a decent, though not SDN decent, Step 1 and no Step 2. I know I lost at least one interview invite due to no Step 2. I got invites from all my "must see" programs.

Would I have taken CK earlier if it was convenient? Probably, but I didn't plan my schedule around it. If I had it to do again, I still wouldn't have planned my schedule around it.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

I studied for step II. Not nearly as much as for step I, but I studied. And I raised an already very high score by 12 points or so. Keep in mind most don't study and most who go into EM do well on this test. Step III, in fact, is all EM. It's all appendicitis and pneumonia and stuff you see every day and when to send to the ER and when to admit etc.

My point is that while I wouldn't take step II if I could avoid it and had a rocking high step I, it's not that big of a risk, especially if you study.