Wrong, first of all, many medical schools don't even give out grades, just honors/pass fail. Also as long as a doctor passes medical school and isn't a complete psychopath, there is a family residency somewhere in the country that will take them. Their first board, Step 1 scores are extremely important for doctors in getting their choice and location of residency. But to just get literally any residency so they can practice, then all they need to do is pass Step 1.
True,but I would say both Board Exams are important.even if do well in Step1, and Fail Step2, you will not get the residency of your choice. Step1 involves just the basic sciences- Pharm, Biochem, Micro, Cell Bio, Biostats, Pathology, Physiology, and Anatomy and Physiology and Histology. Step2- involves applying Clinical knowledge based on each organ system you learned in your 3rd year rotations, plus an OSCE with a mock patient, where you perform an exam and write a SOAP note. Both exams are crucial for matching into residency. the former measures competency in the basic sciences and measures how well you understand the fundamentals of medicine the latter reflects real life clinical practice and what is expected in residency. and you cannot just pass these exams because the score determines where you will get matched. GPA matters too for the higher specialities like Dermatology and Surgery.
The only exams you just need to pass are USMLE step 3 because you are already a resident and the program is just measuring competency, and the Boards of specialties after completing a residency.
USMLE: lowest is 180 and highest is 300.
1. For Family Medicine/Primary care ( pediatrics, psychiatrist, and OBGYN) - because the demand is needed, they will make Family Med competitive to an extent. you need at least a 190 to 200
2. Internal medicine internist- score of 200
3. Any score above 200 but less than 260- qualifies you in anesthesiology, neurology, cardiology, rheumatology, immunology, infectious disease, gastroenterology.
4. scores 260 and above- qualify for surgery and dermatology.
This is for MD students. for DO students, you forget about Dermatology, and Surgery. what you can shoot for is Internal med with fellowship in a speciality. For Carribean, it is crapshoot and the stakes are extremely high, you need a 260 or above on both Step1 and Step2 board exams just to get even Family Medicine or Primary care residency. So Grades and scores do Matter in Medical school.