Failed Step 2CK...now what?

[Poopy]

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My mother recently had a stroke and I stupidly still sat for my Step2CK in August and failed miserably. I’m retaking it in November, but as I’m completing my ERAS should I:
(a) List that I failed Step 2CK on the USMLE transcript or just not mention it at all and just mention my passing Step I date and date for Step 2CK retake- is that underhanded?
(b) An advisor told me to not mention why I failed Step2CK and my mother in my personal statement. Do you think this is sound advice?
Thanks everyone! 😳

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sorry...but when ERAS uploads your USMLE report it will show that you took Step 2 CK. You can refuse to release the scores, but programs will know you took it at the very least. So its up to you whether or not to release the scores, but there is no way to hide it. Your dean's letter may mention it as well.

I'm not a big fan of trying to use the personal statement to explain deficiencies; it tends to come off as excuses. For something so personal, I would prefer to discuss it with programs during the interview.

Perhaps AProgDirector can give us some insight...IMHO, if a program is interested in you, they will invite you regardless of the Step 2 CK and those that are unsure because of the failure aren't going to invite you.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

(a) List that I failed Step 2CK on the USMLE transcript or just not mention it at all and just mention my passing Step I date and date for Step 2CK retake- is that underhanded?

This is done all the time. Personally, I think listing your failure and then your retake makes more "ethical sense", and as Kimberly has mentioned we will see all of your USMLE scores on your report anyway. I don't use student's self report of USMLE status in filters at all. So, I don't think it really matters here.

(b) An advisor told me to not mention why I failed Step2CK and my mother in my personal statement. Do you think this is sound advice?

There is no easy answer to this question. I think it depends on what the rest of your application looks like. If you have a great Step 1 score, you are a US grad, good clerkship scores, and good NBME scores (which are often reported in your MSPE), your poor showing on the USMLE will stand out as an anomaly, and then a description of why this is the case makes some sense. If you have other red flags on your application, then trying to explain this only highlights the problems.

I have seen people talk about it in their PS. I've also seen people write a PS, put a bunch of dashes at the bottom, and then write a small paragraph explaining the performance issue.

 

[c5a]

aProgDirector,

i've got conflicting advice from people about what to put in the PS in regards to this.

i got a 88/218 on step 1, but a 79/193 on step 2. my wife just had our first baby 2 months before, and then 3 weeks before my exam got appendicitis. my baby duty time obviously affected my score, as my wife wasn't able to do very much. do i mention it or not in an updated PS?

(1 IV so far, 2 rejects).

 

[ZekeMD]

aProgDirector,

i've got conflicting advice from people about what to put in the PS in regards to this.

i got a 88/218 on step 1, but a 79/193 on step 2. my wife just had our first baby 2 months before, and then 3 weeks before my exam got appendicitis. my baby duty time obviously affected my score, as my wife wasn't able to do very much. do i mention it or not in an updated PS?

(1 IV so far, 2 rejects).

I don't think I'd mention that. It sounds like excuses to me and will likely appear that way to others as well. Talk about it in the interview if it comes up

 

[NotAProgDirector]

aProgDirector,

i've got conflicting advice from people about what to put in the PS in regards to this.

i got a 88/218 on step 1, but a 79/193 on step 2. my wife just had our first baby 2 months before, and then 3 weeks before my exam got appendicitis. my baby duty time obviously affected my score, as my wife wasn't able to do very much. do i mention it or not in an updated PS?

(1 IV so far, 2 rejects).

You've received conflicting advice because there is no right answer.

You have to weigh the upside that people might think that you would do better had those things not happened, against the downside of it looking like an excuse.

Given that you had 9+ months of notice about the baby, and the rigors of having a new baby are well known, and you could have taken the exam earlier, or put it off altogether, I'd say you're better off leaving it out and hoping for the best. However, you need to do whatever feels right to you.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I gotta agree with aProgDirector here: everyone will have a different answer.

I would take the hard-line that you knew the baby was coming and shouldnt' have put off your studying for Step 2 until the last minute. As your experience shows, expect the unexpected. And as the experience of Dr. Currier shows, sometimes poor planning is looked upon as an excuse and is better left alone (ie, leave it out of your PS).

 

[c5a]

good advice, that's why i'm leaving it out.

 

[Poopy]

Thanks for your advice. I think I'll take one of your suggestions, a ProgDirector, and put dashes at the end of my PS and then a little paragraph about my mother's stroke and my poor score. Thanks again!!!

 

[Blade28]

I'd also avoid telling people that issues coming up 4-6 weeks (or longer) before the test affected your result - many people don't allot more than a week or two to study.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

I'd also avoid telling people that issues coming up 4-6 weeks (or longer) before the test affected your result - many people don't allot more than a week or two to study.

Exactly..Most folks don't put much effort into Step II. If you studied for your clerkship shelf exams that was your study time for Step II.