failed Step 1- 4 times

[keyboardmouse]

Hello,

I needed some real advice from people who know a good deal about this. So I failed Step 1 4 times. The last 2 times were pretty close. This time I think I should be able to pass the exam iA.Im a US citizen, IMG.

So with that being said, say I do better and pass the step 1 this time, CK on my 1st attempt, CS 1st attempt and take the Step 3 and pass it before applying, would I still be a candidate for the Psych residency? I will try to get all A's in my clinicals and get LORs. Try to do research and maybe get a publication out. I mean is there a chance for me at all?

thanks.

Sebas.

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[vistaril]

Hello,

I needed some real advice from people who know a good deal about this. So I failed Step 1 4 times. The last 2 times were pretty close. This time I think I should be able to pass the exam iA.Im a US citizen, IMG.

So with that being said, say I do better and pass the step 1 this time, CK on my 1st attempt, CS 1st attempt and take the Step 3 and pass it before applying, would I still be a candidate for the Psych residency? I will try to get all A's in my clinicals and get LORs. Try to do research and maybe get a publication out. I mean is there a chance for me at all?

thanks.

Sebas.

well I mean if you are a candidate for anything it would be psych. Psych and family are probably your two best bets.....I would probably shoot for both.

The key thing in your case though(after you pass step1 of course) is to make a good step 2 score. not just passing, but at least a 220-225 or so. That would impress programs, and to give yourself a good shot you need to really have a nice step 2 score. And seeing how you failed steo 1 four(!) times, I think that is unlikely to happen.

Also, if you do end up passing all your steps you need to be careful and make sure you apply to residency programs in states where you can be granted a license, or at least a training license eventually in your residency. Because some states have max number of tries on total step attempts...I think 6 is a pretty common number for example.

Overall though, it's not looking good for anything. Psych, family med, etc....

 

[TexasPhysician]

I think you have a remote chance, but you will be limited to applying in certain states. Many states say you can't be licensed after 3 failed attempts on any Step. I know Texas and Alaska are out for you off the top of my head.

If you pass all steps and otherwise have a good application, you may one day be able to practice in select states.

 

[Leo Aquarius]

I always say that if someone isn't smart enough to pass step 1 (after, say, 2 attempts), they're not smart enough to be a doctor. Simple as that. People's lives are at stake. This isn't investment banking.

 

[Wolverns]

really? and you are a resident? I thought residents were smarter than this? Think before you write friend!

I always say that if someone isn't smart enough to pass step 1 (after, say, 2 attempts), they're not smart enough to be a doctor. Simple as that. People's lives are at stake. This isn't investment banking.

 

[hamstergang]

really? and you are a resident? I thought residents were smarter than this? Think before you write friend!

You're going to need to explain yourself.

 

[StarbucksMD]

Other than the advice already given (i.e.. don't fail anything else... ever), I would say make sure you take and pass several NBME exams before you take the Step 1 (again) and CK. If you're not passing the NBME, chances are you won't pass the real thing. (and pass with a comfortable margin)

Also, get to know people... rotate at locations where you plan on applying and get to know the residents and attendings. I have a friend with 5 attempts on Step 1 who had great connections that made all the difference... If you don't know anyone, you may not match.

After CK, keep studying and pass the Step 3. This will be more important at some programs than others.

 

[digitlnoize]

I always say that if someone isn't smart enough to pass step 1 (after, say, 2 attempts), they're not smart enough to be a doctor. Simple as that. People's lives are at stake. This isn't investment banking.

I disagree. The skills involved in treating patients and in taking a multiple choice test are VERY different, and a person can excel at one and be terrible at the other. I know people who don't know crap about medicine but are amazing test takers and do well on these things. I know others who know a lot of medicine and don't do that well on the exams.

I would try to identify the weakness in your test taking or test prep. For me, I learned that I learn much better from either DOING or from watching videos than from reading review books. The Kaplan videos are quite good if you can afford (or pirate) them.

Again, Leo, I'm not saying that it's not important to be smart, but there is a big difference between being smart, knowing medicine, and being good at patient care, versus taking a test well.

Step 1, especially, is highly irrelevant to clinical practice. I think most physicians in practice would fail step 1 if they had to go take it again. You think I remember any histology, embryology, or crazy biochem pathways...

 

[TexasPhysician]

really? and you are a resident? I thought residents were smarter than this? Think before you write friend!

While that person's comment was insensitive, many states already agree with him. Alaska state law bans physicians with 2 step failures on any 1 step from licensure. Other states are able to see past a few failures.

 

[markglt]

listen, with that many attempts there are a lot of states you can't even get a license in and your app will get filtered out of many psych and FM programs .. and you haven't even taken the step 2s yet... with that many attempts, you won't get any IV's with out step 3(if any at all)...Unless, by chance, you have a friend that is a PD in a state with no number limit on steps. I'm sorry, but this is the cold hard truth. Consider another career, sorry.

 

[shan564]

If you're not getting at least 220ish on the NBMEs before you take the test, you probably need more time to study. Just a pass won't do it for you. Just a pass is probably not enough to get a spot as an IMG even if you hadn't already failed four times.

There are a lot of things you can do with an MD without a residency. You could try to get a research job or something along those lines.

 

[K31]

Hello,

I needed some real advice from people who know a good deal about this. So I failed Step 1 4 times. The last 2 times were pretty close. This time I think I should be able to pass the exam iA.Im a US citizen, IMG.

I know you don't want to hear this, but I think it's nearly time to cut your losses. IMGs with spotless records struggle every year to get into residency--why would programs choose you over them?

If you must, go ahead and try to pass Step 1 one more time (which I'm not too optimistic--past performance being predictive of future results and all). If you do pass, you are going to need an outstanding Step 2 score to have any chance at all. If you fail again, it's time to move on with your life.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I agree with a lot of the other posters here in that I think your chances of matching with this record are really slim even if you do well on future tests (which I hate to say it, you're not likely to do because you obviously struggle with standardized tests). Unless the last two years of medical school will be free for you, I think continuing to pay tuition is essentially throwing good money after bad money. There was someone in my medical school class who got expelled after failing Step 1 3 times (that was my school's policy because you can't be licensed in the state I trained in with 3 failures). He's found other work I think selling medical devices and appears to be doing fairly well. Honestly, I think your energy would be best spent finding an exit strategy.

As for intelligence and Step 1, I agree that the two aren't necessarily correlated, but you do need to be able to pass standardized tests to be a physician. That's just how it is.

 

[BritTrooper]

I always say that if someone isn't smart enough to pass step 1 (after, say, 2 attempts), they're not smart enough to be a doctor. Simple as that. People's lives are at stake. This isn't investment banking.

Agreed.

 

[pingouin]

I'm going to close this thread, primarily because the OP cross-posted the same question in multiple forums and has effectively gotten the same answers in all- that multiple Step 1 failures will almost assuredly negatively impact his/her ability to obtain a US residency spot.