Derm programs that require step 2?

[wonderboy00]

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Hey guys,
I'm considering taking step 2 after I send out my apps, but I was just wondering if there are any programs out there that actually require you to have a step 2 score to apply to their program...thanks in advance.

 

[brightoats]

I don't think it matters when you take it. I remember finding that some prelim programs stated it was required by some date, but they didn't really care in the end. maybe there are a couple derm programs that state they want you to take it, but it is extremely rare. you can double check by going to their web sites, tedious, but may be worth the peace of mind in case you have some programs in mind already

 

[wonderboy00]

hey thanks for the advice, i'll look more into that...but if any one else has some more input, that would be much appreciated.

i just have one more related question....if we take the step 2 in december (after we have sent out our apps in september), will the programs that we apply to automatically receive our step 2 scores? do programs even care about your step 2 score after you interview (but before you match)? I'm just trying to figure all of this out, because i did relatively well on step 1, so i don't want to worry about getting a lower step 2 score...but our school requires us that we take step 2 by december 31st, so i was just wondering if programs will even see my score if i take it that late.
sorry for the lengthy inquiry, and thanks in advance for your input!

 

[brightoats]

If you take step 2 after you send out apps (which is early september) or if you take step 2 such that the score is not available by the time you send out your apps, you can prevent programs from seeing it. You can choose whether or not to release your score to the programs after you see what you got.

However, they have you fill in on your app when you took or plan on taking step 2. Therefore, it is possible (and perhaps others who took step 2 in this time period can opine), that while on interviews they may ask you what you got on step 2 if you should have gotten your score. Another thing to consider is if they know that you have taken it and know you chose to not release it, they may wonder why. Although, I don't know if they waste their time thinking about step 2 in such detail if you did well on step 1.

The advice I was always give was - if you did very well on step 1, take step 2 late because it can only hurt you if you already have a solid step 1. However, if you did poorly on step 1, it is a good idea to take 2 early, because people usually do much better on step 2 than 1.

And finally, another consideration - derm only has a 60% match rate, so if you don't match, even if you take step 2 late in the year, that score will be on your re-application.

 

[dermish irony]

there's an option you can choose on ERAS that holds your step 2 score from getting released. you can later choose to release your score if you found out you did well. if you take step 2 and have the results before submitting ERAS (ie, if you take it in July/August) then you can't hold your scores because all USMLE stuff you've done up to that point is all on one USMLE transcript that gets submitted together. so if you wait til december and and choose the "holding score" option on ERAS, you should be fine.

 

[DermMatch]

you can hold your step 2 score and if it's good, you can release it later. I don't know of any programs that require step 2 although I didn't apply to all programs.