Do I need Step 2 score for anesthesia residency application?

[IlianaSedai]

I've been doing a month-long anesthesia sub-i at $away_institution and have just been told that $away_institution requires Step 2 scores to be included in the application in order to be offered an interview.

My step 1 score was 233 and, according to general advice I've picked up along the way, I was originally going to take step 2 in January of fourth year. However, I have just been told that this was too late for interviews.

Anyone have any insight to offer on this?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PassinGas]

On the trail I didn't hear of many programs that required step 2. In fact, none of the programs that I applied to required it. But if the program that you are doing an away rotation at requires it and you are interested in that program, then you will need to take it early enough for your scores to be considered.

January is late if you want the scores considered. You would likely get your scores back early Feb when most interviews are winding down. Keep in mind also, that most invitations to interview are sent out earlier rather than later. I already had most of my invites in by Nov/Dec if I remember correctly.

You could take step 2 early when you submit your application to Eras. Go ahead and release your step 1 score, but don't do the automatic release of your step 2 score. That way you could look at your step 2 score when it comes in a few weeks later and decide if you want all of the programs to see your new step 2 score. With a 233 on step 1, you will likely get interviews at most of the places you apply as long as you have good letters, grades, etc. without the need to release your step 2 score.

What I suggested above just protects you in the off chance that things don't go well on step 2. If you chose not to release step 2, it sounds like you would sacrifice your chances at the program that requires step 2, but you would still be in a great position at the majority of programs out there since most that I know of don't require step 2. And, what they don't know won't hurt you if your step 2 isn't up to par with your step 1. It's up to you. Good luck.

 

[Idiopathic]

I would be interested in hearing of any specific programs that require Step 2, none of the ones that I have looked at so far say that they do.

 

[ThinkFast007]

I've been doing a month-long anesthesia sub-i at $away_institution and have just been told that $away_institution requires Step 2 scores to be included in the application in order to be offered an interview.

My step 1 score was 233 and, according to general advice I've picked up along the way, I was originally going to take step 2 in January of fourth year. However, I have just been told that this was too late for interviews.

Anyone have any insight to offer on this?

i've never heard this one.
and are you referring to step 2 CS or step 2 CK.

 

[PassinGas]

I remembered one of the places that "required" step 2 ck for the match (not sure about for invites). Although, I trust that IlianaSedai heard correctly from the program. Virginia Commonwealth is one of the programs that I was thinking of...they still have listed on their website that "USLME Step 2 ck exam and/or COMLEX 2 ce exam by January 31st - or applicant will not be considered on the NRMP Rank List."

Regardless...the advice I gave above would still apply. It leaves it up to you to decide to release your step 2 score or not depending on the score you get.

 

[Idiopathic]

I heard another program (U of Oklahoma) that required step 2. My impression is that some programs have gotten burned on matchees not passing step 2 and having to scramble to find people to work, etc.

 

[IlianaSedai]

Well, to add a little more information, $away_program is a top-top-top-tier program in the Northeast. How did I end up rotating there? I'm not sure it was particularly well thought out. I felt I needed to do an away somewhere because my home institution has no anesthesia residency and I wanted to get some idea of what to look for when I went on the interview trail. So I simply applied through the electives program of one medical school in one of my preferred geographical cities and they put me at $away_program for the month. And the medical student coordinator at said program said on Friday that I needed to submit a Step 2 score.

If, as y'all are telling me, there are a few programs that do require Step 2 (I presume CK) before interviews, then I guess I can go ahead and take it, and if it's worse than my Step 1 score, just release it selectively to the program(s) that require it.

However, I have to say that while my Step 1 is decent and I think I will have good letters, my grades both basic science and clinical are average. I honored one basic science class and one rotation (the anesthesia elective) at a school where the policy is H/P/F (no high passes), and I also had to make up a physical diagnosis exam and that shows on my transcript (I forgot to take the vitals the first time -- oops). So perhaps if I do better on Step 2 than on Step 1 it's worth it for me.

 

[PassinGas]

A 233 step 1 score will get you interviews just about everywhere you apply in anesthesia as long as the rest of your application is good, so unless the competition ramps up even more this year, you should be fine with a 233 step 1.

As for taking step 2 ck and releasing it selectively to certain places, I'm not sure that ERAS will let you do that, so double check. When I released my step 2 ck score (after I had already released my step 1 score), the step 2 ck score automatically went to all the programs to which I had applied. Again, you may be able to selectively release your scores; I'm just not sure.

If you are going to try to do what I suggested above about seeing your step 2 ck score first and then releasing the score, be sure that your ERAS application (with released step 1 score) has been sent out to all of your program choices before your step 2 ck score is reported back to you; otherwise, if your step 2 score comes back before you have sent out your step 1 score on ERAS, I believe you will have no choice but to release your step 2 ck score along with your step 1 score. In other words, here is the timeline you could use. Submit ERAS application and release your step 1 score but do not choose the auto release of your step 2 ck score. Take step 2 shortly after submitting your ERAS application. Within about 4 weeks, your step 2 score will be back, and you can choose to release it or not.

Consider having your ERAS app go out on the first possible day it opens. That way you can go ahead and take step 2 ck and have the scores back before a lot of people even get their apps submitted by ERAS (trust me...tons of people delay sending out their apps for all sorts of procrastinating reasons). As I said before, though, you will still be getting invites to most places just based off of your step 1 score (since the vast majority of places don't require step 2) as long as your recs and transcript are good, so you don't have to worry too much about just how quickly your step 2 ck score comes back except for a very small number of programs.

I wouldn't recommend this option, but you could take step 2 ck a week or so before ERAS opens and possibly still get your ERAS app out prior to your step 2 ck score coming back (pray that you don't get delayed sending out ERAS).

One last suggestion...get your rec letters early. Go ahead and write your personal statement as soon as possible and get it to your letter writers early. Since you have chosen your field already, there is no reason to delay. So many people get delayed having a complete application with a particular program, because of letter writers taking their time. You will be amazed at how much Docs can drag their feet when it comes to writing you a great letter of rec.