I have a Canadian friend who took his step 2 ck a second time. He passed but his score was low, and he felt it was keeping him out of residency (duh). But he talked them into letting him take it a second time.
Of course each program sets their filters differently. I have had some good emails with different program directors simply by emailing the programs and telling them about me and asking if I would make it through their filters - is it worth me applying.
There is someway they can be selective about it too. I wrote to a program a few weeks ago asking about their filters etc and telling them about me (Carib grad, failed step 2 Ck the first time, mediocre scores, all rotations done in ACGME teaching facilities except for 2 electives, started residency and quit). The PD wrote back and told me they had 4 criteria as to whether they gave an interview : 1) LOR from nationally recognized person of that specialty. 2) >220 score on first attempt both USMLE 3) never repeated a rotation 4) Something else, I can't remember what. I only met one of the criteria - never repeated a rotation. They are too competitive for me. Looking at their residents bios on the website they have no FMG's. But its a specialty I am now interested in (because of the procedures) - last year I prematched to Fam med but resigned abruptly.
I wrote back and said ; Wow, they are too competitive but I want it so I am going to apply - and why : procedures I want to do, a place my family (especially my wife) would love to live, etc - the PD wrote back, asked my name (which I had omitted) and said he would gaurantee my application and PS would at least get looked at, and that he really appreciated "diamonds in the rough that are motivated".
August 31, I will reply back letting him know my app is coming, and the reply will be below his email comment gauranteeing to look at my app.
So long story longer, you can always write programs and see if you will make it through the filter and it might even gain some notice from the PD.
The place I prematched last year I wrote to the PD, and we corresponded 6 or 7 times - not always about the match - sometimes about specific football games involving the university.
Never hurts to ask
