Delaying Step 2 CK

[Cheyf]

Hi all,

I'm a US MD in a middle tier school in the South looking to delay my step 2 CK until the first week of October, after submitting application. My step 1 is fairly average for ophtho (241), and I was originally going to take it the first week of June but fortunately (or unfortunately) got dumped a lot of research projects that are near completion and should be able to add 3-4 papers that will be submitted for publication when I apply.

Is it advisable to delay it that long, or is it better to take it in September vs earlier when applications are open?

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[Bronze Medal]

Hi all,

I'm a US MD in a middle tier school in the South looking to delay my step 2 CK until the first week of October, after submitting application. My step 1 is fairly average for ophtho (241), and I was originally going to take it the first week of June but fortunately (or unfortunately) got dumped a lot of research projects that are near completion and should be able to add 3-4 papers that will be submitted for publication when I apply.

Is it advisable to delay it that long, or is it better to take it in September vs earlier when applications are open?

The first week of June is... this week or next week? If you've been studying hard, why not just take the exam and then start work on the projects immediately afterward? If you aren't prepared then that is another story and of course it makes sense to delay. If you decide to delay, September vs October will not make any difference. By the time you get your score back most programs won't care about it. I took Step 2 CK in October and by the time my score was back in November (I did slightly better than Step 1), most programs accepted the update but stated that it would not affect my rank. If you can truly get 3-4 papers submitted in the next 1-2 months (which would be A LOT of work) then that could impact your application very positively.

 

[Cheyf]

Yes, I was studying hard for the first 2 and a half-ish weeks of May then got several emails from the PGY-4 ophtho residents about some research projects they wanted to complete prior to graduating residency. I was a little nervous that I would just do 'average', like 245 on CK which I thought would not be as beneficial as several papers or do even worse which would of course negatively impact my application.

I've been working like 7 AM-7 PM doing these projects 6 days a week, so I think we can get at least 3 papers done by the beginning of July.

 

[DrZeke]

Yes, I was studying hard for the first 2 and a half-ish weeks of May then got several emails from the PGY-4 ophtho residents about some research projects they wanted to complete prior to graduating residency. I was a little nervous that I would just do 'average', like 245 on CK which I thought would not be as beneficial as several papers or do even worse which would of course negatively impact my application.

I've been working like 7 AM-7 PM doing these projects 6 days a week, so I think we can get at least 3 papers done by the beginning of July.

I would delay if you feel distracted by other activities regardless of what they are. Even if you don't get 3 papers out of it... I think you should delay if you're spending that much time on something else.


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[OjoCinco]

Yes, I was studying hard for the first 2 and a half-ish weeks of May then got several emails from the PGY-4 ophtho residents about some research projects they wanted to complete prior to graduating residency. I was a little nervous that I would just do 'average', like 245 on CK which I thought would not be as beneficial as several papers or do even worse which would of course negatively impact my application.

I've been working like 7 AM-7 PM doing these projects 6 days a week, so I think we can get at least 3 papers done by the beginning of July.

You should be fine if you got a 241 like you said here. Maybe not so much if you got a 219 like you said on a prior post in Radiology.

 

[EyeDR_oo]

You should be fine if you got a 241 like you said here. Maybe not so much if you got a 219 like you said on a prior post in Radiology.

Ojo, it may be that the wife has this score, and he may have 219. Looking to couples match I presume.

Good luck; just keep in mind that the SF and ERAS are two different matches so the traditional "couples match" does not apply (to my knowledge).

 

[Trichromatic]

OP-I did the unofficial couples match. You can PM me if you like. I was an above average ophtho applicant (though no superstar) and my s.0 was above or well above average applicant in a less competitive field. I would only take Step 2 if you feel you will do well, i.e. have at least 2-3 weeks free of other obligations to study and if you honored most shelf exams (especially IM and peds). Otherwise, just focus on pushing out publications.