Do many pathology programs need a pass on Step 2 CS?

Started by Zuwie
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Zuwie

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I took step 2 CS in January and expect to receive my score after the match. I am very stressed out about how I did on the exam, constantly thinking about what I did wrong or what i forgot or how i looked etc, and all those posts on SDN by people who failed don't help either. The thing is, passing the exam is not a graduation requirement at my medical school but I heard that residencies require a passing grade before the start. Has anyone heard of any students applying to pathology failing CS and any pathology programs refusing to honor their match contract because of that?
 
I have not heard of them failing to allow people to become residents. I know cases where people failed Step II (pre CS) and were expected to retake it.... and allowances were made. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
 
i haven't heard of anyone starting residency without Step 2 being completed (CS and CK). They are required by most hospitals to sign a contract.
 
djmd said:
I have not heard of them failing to allow people to become residents. I know cases where people failed Step II (pre CS) and were expected to retake it.... and allowances were made. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
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Unless things have changed in the last 4 years, I've heard/seen the same thing in regards to Step II.
 
I'm not talking about official policies. I'm talking about accommodations that were made. Can someone sight an example of someone NOT getting their matched residency spot after failing Step II?

Yes you do have to pass it, but I have heard of examples were people were offered a grace period to retake it and continue their residency.

Don't worry about that much. You haven't failed it yet.
 
djmd said:
Yes you do have to pass it, but I have heard of examples were people were offered a grace period to retake it and continue their residency..
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Yep, this is exaclty what happened to 2 former colleagues of mine.
 
from the program's perspective, i would think they'd rather take a candidate they liked/wanted enough to rank who then failed step II CS rather than rescind the offer and take their chances in the scramble. perhaps this wouldn't be the case in family medicine, but in path the ability to properly percuss the thorax probably ain't too important.
 
In a few programs that I have looked into, there are no requirements re: CS that I can find anywhere within the contracts. Most med schools only require that students have taken it. Several friends of mine were able to start their prelims w/o having a "passed" score in hand on July 1st. Not sure what would happen if one were to get a "fail" after having started residency though. I won't get my results until the mid-end of June per the CS website, so I'll let you know how it plays out.
 
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