Failed Step 2 CS

[Iridescent]

Hey,

So I just failed STEP 2 CS (specifically the ICE portion). I have no idea how i managed that as I am a US MD and thought I did well on the exam. My primary question is do I have to resend the score report to residency programs before the rank list is due?

Secondly, i used first aid CS to prepare and followed the directions in the book. Is there any better resource to use?

:/

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[APA 32]

Sorry this happened to you. I also used uworld for cs. Don’t think it’s better than first aid.

 

[Horners]

With CS can you ask them rescore your test? Like they do with the other USMLE exams? Were you borderline on ICE or failed by a lot?

Best of luck


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[curiousmind8]

Hey,

So I just failed STEP 2 CS (specifically the ICE portion). I have no idea how i managed that as I am a US MD and thought I did well on the exam. My primary question is do I have to resend the score report to residency programs before the rank list is due?

Secondly, i used first aid CS to prepare and followed the directions in the book. Is there any better resource to use?

:/

We can evaluate your PN if you want.

 

[Iridescent]

With CS can you ask them rescore your test? Like they do with the other USMLE exams? Were you borderline on ICE or failed by a lot?

Best of luck


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

I asked for a recheck, I have no hopes for it changing my score. The hardest part of this is not knowing what I did wrong. I had complete patient encounters without running out of time with complete history taking (HPI, PMH, FH, SH, ROS), physical exam (did heart, lungs, and abd on everyone at the very least), and note writing (documented the encounter well and usually had 3 differentials that were always related to the CC).

I believe where I could have done better is the physical exam section of the differential (which I mostly left blank as I generally didn't have supportive physical exam findings on exam) and maybe defending each diagnosis more specifically. I still do not believe this was enough to warrant a F.

There must be something I am missing that I consistently did wrong in most encounters. No idea what that could be.

Im actually really worried now as I do not have enough time to retake this exam in time for the rank list. This is why I am asking if anyone could please offer some insight into how many programs require the CS grade before the rank list is due. Those programs are probably off my list or will be moved down. I just hope its not the programs I am considering ranking 1-4.

 

[type12]

As a US student, you do not need the CS to create a rank list, and if your other two scores are in, I don't think it's too big an issue.

The physical exam section sounds like it was lacking. I don't know by how much you failed ICE, but the median x needs to be in the grey zone aka borderline. You need to report your findings from the physical exam, as even a negative is important on this test. Having 3 differentials that are not justified will dock points. Doing unnecessary/excessive tests will dock points.

The test is frustrating, but I think you can make the appropriate changes. First look at the official USMLE site's materials and guides for the test. Then look at sample cases and notes and see how you can incorporate what the official site says better. The official site even has sample notes that are good and bad.

 

[Iridescent]

Sounds like it varies by program and specialty, but in FM most places will not rank you if you don't have a passing CS score by the time rank lists are due. So not having a CS pass by then = probably not matching. I do know some of my classmates applying to other stuff have said they don't need to take it by any particular time.

OP, does your school have OSCEs and a clinical skills teaching team? Perhaps you can ask to do some additional OSCEs and get some more detailed feedback so you can figure out what exactly is going wrong, and hopefully that will guide your preparation for your retake. If you're currently an M4, I would just check the websites for the programs you interviewed at - they usually list whether a CS pass is needed on the application requirements page. If most of the places you interviewed do want a passing score to rank you, I'd start working on a backup plan. If most don't, you might be in good shape if they don't ask you to update with your scores.

So sorry this happened, this test is just garbage. Good luck.

I'm applying for IM (mostly looking at mid tier programs on the East coast) and the websites are mainly saying that CS is required before residency. No idea what that means or when they mean to submit the score, but my plan is to remain low and if they ask before the rank list is due, I will have to send them an email stating what happened or just not rank the program. Thanks guys, I never imagined this would happen, but it did and now i have to deal with it.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

As a US student, you do not need the CS to create a rank list, and if your other two scores are in, I don't think it's too big an issue.

The physical exam section sounds like it was lacking. I don't know by how much you failed ICE, but the median x needs to be in the grey zone aka borderline. You need to report your findings from the physical exam, as even a negative is important on this test. Having 3 differentials that are not justified will dock points. Doing unnecessary/excessive tests will dock points.

The test is frustrating, but I think you can make the appropriate changes. First look at the official USMLE site's materials and guides for the test. Then look at sample cases and notes and see how you can incorporate what the official site says better. The official site even has sample notes that are good and bad.

I failed ICE too, and my median x is literally one spot away from the gray zone. I srsly thght I passed walking out the exam. I ran out of time in 1 but I srsly thght I did enough to warrant a pass. Shld I challenge it? Have u or anyone heard of challenging the score and being successful? Especially being so close to pass on a subjective af exam!

 

[type12]

I failed ICE too, and my median x is literally one spot away from the gray zone. I srsly thght I passed walking out the exam. I ran out of time in 1 but I srsly thght I did enough to warrant a pass. Shld I challenge it? Have u or anyone heard of challenging the score and being successful? Especially being so close to pass on a subjective af exam!

It has never happened, and it makes sense: what incentive would a standardized exam have to admit fault?

It sucks but you did indeed fail by one x. You can try but they don't do anything different: they literally do the same process that resulted in the score you got. No re-evaluation, no re-reading, nothing. They took the numbers they have already concluded and run them through the machine. The machine isn't going to get 2+2=5 the second time around.

Now if they actually did a true re-evaluation, I'd see some merit.

It sucks, but it is what it is...

 

[twospadz]

Listen to me very carefully. Because at this point, you are in hot water. Before I give you advice, let me tell you what happened to one of my friends.

Three years ago, he failed step 2 cs in December. The medical school urged him to do ximedius program which is step 2 cs training class for 5 days. He declined saying it was too expenisve and he did not need it. He retook in Feb (score comes back in April). He did not match because he did not have a step 2 cs score. Many programs will not rank you or will rank you last. He also did not scramble either. If you do not have all of your step scores completed during scramble, your application will get filtered out because programs make contract offers during that time and they want a complete application. After scramble (in March), he looked for out of match spots. There were a few programs that were willing to offer him a prelim medicine spot after his step 2 cs score came back. When his score came back in April, he found he failed a second time. He did not have time to retake it for graduation or to start residency. He then went back to his medical school for help in May. They instructed him to take the class. Once he took it, he took step 2 cs and then he finally passed. He still ended up sitting out a year.

So my advice? You really need to take an outside prep class for step 2 cs. This is an ambigous test in terms of how they score. You seriously run the risks of failing again unless you know what you did wrong and sharpen your skills. If you end up failing again, you will definitely not get a outside of the match spot and will not graduate on time. Its already looking like not matching or scrambling is a big possibility. But if you luck out and match, if you fail a second time, you might have to give up that spot because you wont be able to start residency on time. I recommend Ximedius. I did the program, after not passing step 2 cs and was able to start residency on time because I passed it the 2nd time around. I also listened to my medical school and put aside my arrogance because the risks were too high. I would not have passed it if I didn't do the program because it is much easier than you think to fail the ICE portion over simple errors.

Here is the website:Ximedus Home Page

Like I said, if you take it again and you fail it, you might have to sit out a year. Think hard.

Here is another thread in which I was talking about the risks of failing twice. FAILED STEP 2 CS TWICE...HELP!!!