Cut-offs

[au1818]

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I'm curious about Step One cut-offs for some programs. I have heard that UAB, Emory, Vanderbilt have a 220 cut-off...I am interested in what other people might "know" or think about these mystical "cut-offs"

I do not want to spend tons of money sending my ERAS to schools that will have a computer cut me because of my step one score (191). Also I do not want to extern at a school that will only interview me as a courtesy, or not at all. I am particulary wondering if UT-Houston and Baylor have a cut-off.

TIA for any info!

 

[urgewrx]

With that board score you might be better of looking at mid-west-middle-of -nowhere-don't even know thay existed- programs.

 

[au1818]

Or I could just get if over and kill myself....Thanks for the constructive post

 

[urgewrx]

I'm not trying to belittle you. I'm sorry if you are looking for a brand name program, but that is out of your league. You mentioned some programs in your list where they will not interview you unless you score more than 230. Look in the mid west, seriously.
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[Trisomy13]

I have responded to many posts like this with the same advice - bolster your CV in areas that are not USMLE scores. I know it might be late to start research, but you can still crank out a case report, show an interest in research, make connections, and polish a Pulitzer personal statement, study your A$$ off for Step 2 and make a 30 point jump in your score- or any combination of the above. I had a Step 1 score I was not happy with, hovering above the 200 mark, and I got plenty of interviews at top tier programs rumored to have "cut-offs". Some places commented on my personal statement, others on research, others on my score jump. I can speak from experience that UAB does not have a program that automatically cuts at Step 1 <220 or I would not have interviewed there. Beware of blanket statements, in any part of this process, as there is almost as much misinformation as there is wisdom out there. Best of luck. And for what it's worth, when the dust settled and I made my rank list, those big name programs weren't in the top 5, so keep that in mind too.

 

[cb3221]

U can also do a rotation at your "dream" program. Some schools will interview everyone that does a rotation, regardless of board score. I know from experience that UT-houston will do this. I know a resident or two that got in despite not having the "cut-off" step 1 score. Dont give up but also understand it wont be easy.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

I'm not trying to belittle you. I'm sorry if you are looking for a brand name program, but that is out of your league. You mentioned some programs in your list where they will not interview you unless you score more than 230. Look in the mid west, seriously.
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I wouldn't listen to this claptrap. I scored a 200 on Step I and matched at a "brand name program". I rotated where I matched, got great LOR's and pushed my Step II score up to a 241. Oh and this program has a cut off of 220.

 

[au1818]

Thanks for the advice. I'm not under the delusion that I will match at an upper tier school. I was curious if sending my ERAS to 3-5 or so top schools out of the ~40 I will choose (lots of Midwest representation) was a waste of money. In other words, are there some hard, fast computer cuts that are common knowledge that I should absolutly avoid.

Secondly, and more importantly, do the middle tier schools UT-Houston and Baylor have known cut-offs, as these are some of my initial nieve top choices (i.e. I don't want to "waste" externs). I realize I won't know where I belong until I see it for myself and that I will need to be willing to go "anywhere"

 

[TaiShan]

Unfortuantely, most schools do have a cut-off score of at least 200. With a score of 191, your application will be weeded out by the secretaries in most places. If you really want to go to a brand-name school, do what Arch Guillotti did: improve on your step 2 and do a away rotation.

If you want to be sure, just e-mail every program and ask their mimimum score requirement.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

I agree with the above poster. it isn't going to be easy by any stretch of the means so you are going to have to work hard to get it. Apply broadly, you may be surprised at some of the interviews you get. I received offers at both Baylor and Houston and I didn't rotate at either one.

 

[Bertelman]

Apply wherever you think you may want to go. This has been discussed in many other threads, but's here's my take- I sent close to 50 apps for a few hundred. In the grand scheme of your med school education, that's a pittance.

Same with an externship. Shoot for where you want to be. It is difficult to predict where the winds of the NRMP will blow from year to year. I doubt anyone here could have predicted some of the programs that went unfilled this year. If you had done an away at one of those, they likely would have ranked you, albeit low, and you might have matched.

Finally, just rock Step 2. I wasn't as successful as others when calling programs begging for interviews, but when I did, they noticed that my Step 2 was above and beyond my sub-200 Step 1.

 

[fakin' the funk]

I'm curious about Step One cut-offs for some programs. I have heard that UAB, Emory, Vanderbilt have a 220 cut-off...I am interested in what other people might "know" or think about these mystical "cut-offs"

I've heard Stanford and Michigan have Step 1 cutoffs of 235, can anyone corroborate this? Any other schools w/ "known" cutoffs, higher or lower?

 

[Trisomy13]

I've heard Stanford and Michigan have Step 1 cutoffs of 235, can anyone corroborate this? Any other schools w/ "known" cutoffs, higher or lower?

As I mentioned a few posts up, "known" cut-off are often erroneous and not actual cut-offs. You would be best served applying where you want to see yourself, regardless of a "known" cut-off, because whatever someone tells you about a score, it is likely to be wrong, even if "well the PD told me this directly....". If you want to be at Michigan, apply to Michigan. If you think your score is below an imaginary cut-off, study for Step 2.

 

[CHMer]

U of Michigan definitely does NOT have a cutoff of 235. I know of several students over the last couple of years that have matched there with scores that are 15-20 points lower than that and who also have average grades.

Where do these mythical ´cutoffs´ come from?

 

[excalibur]

Last year I thought I read on the U of Mich anesthesiology website that they only interview students with 200 or above on Step 1.

OK. OP, I have commented on this before. I got sub 190's on Step 1 and Step 2. Tried really hard for Step 2, but didn't improve. Took it in Nov, grade was back in Dec. Since I'm at Tulane and was relocated to UTH for 6 months, I managed to do an anesthesiology rotation at UTH in March of my third year. Honored the course, got along with the PD very well, but I received no interview. Take that for what it's worth.