failed USMLE and below-average COMLEX--am I just kidding myself?

[cookies07]

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I've been reading up on the forums off and on for years now and just joined SDN, mainly out of frustration. It's been fun reading about all the high scores people have been getting on COMLEX/USMLE Step 1, but I have yet to see that anyone failed/did poorly on it. That's why I would like to be the brave soul to just come out and say it: am I kidding myself with the hope of getting into a decent residency when I'm at the bottom of my class, scored below average on COMLEX, and failed USMLE? Please help, I'm really desperate for advice!

 

[SukaNeNauka]

on the bright side, you passed COMLEX, and u will be a doctor. This is a great accomplishment, and u should be proud of yourself. Some people dream of getting a GED

 

[Taus]

if you just want to be a doc in a non-competative specialty and aren't picky about location then you'll likely be fine

allo residencies and most competative specialties may be very difficult...but you never know....try to rock step 2

 

[dermpathdoc]

if you just want to be a doc in a non-competative specialty and aren't picky about location then you'll likely be fine

allo residencies and most competative specialties may be very difficult...but you never know....try to rock step 2

As a professor I second the above quote...I see so many students who feel like they will never get a quality residency when they get lower scores than they want....many programs will weigh many factors in choosing residents. Comlex and USMLE scores are on one of those factors. If you rotate ina prgram you really want and impress the heck out them with your gogettoitveness...they will remember you... and you scores will have less meaning....if you put yourself down all the time they forget you.. alot dpeends on what you want to do..and where you want to do it...flexiblity is key....

 

[heyjack70]

Well, you can only apply osteopathic if you didn't pass USMLE, but the DO residencies won't know you failed the USMLE so you're OK.

Unless you plan to retake the test, just schedule a lot of audition rotations at places with DO residencies you want to get in to.

 

[Army DOC DO]

Well, you can only apply osteopathic if you didn't pass USMLE, but the DO residencies won't know you failed the USMLE so you're OK.

Unless you plan to retake the test, just schedule a lot of audition rotations at places with DO residencies you want to get in to.

not true.. at our school you have to put your USMLE score on your application even if you failed it.. there was talk among the current 4th years of leaving that info out if you did bad. but the administration helping with applications told them they are required to add it..

 

[Old_Mil]

Well, you can only apply osteopathic if you didn't pass USMLE

I figured that there'd be no way that you'd be competitive for anything that filled in the match, but are you saying that if you failed USMLE as a DO you can't apply to *any* MD residencies?

 

[heyjack70]

I figured that there'd be no way that you'd be competitive for anything that filled in the match, but are you saying that if you failed USMLE as a DO you can't apply to *any* MD residencies?

You know, the more I think about it, I am probably wrong on that point. I must admit it was an assumption.

 

[Taus]

I figured that there'd be no way that you'd be competitive for anything that filled in the match, but are you saying that if you failed USMLE as a DO you can't apply to *any* MD residencies?

If you did a good job of hiding your failure and were willing to take the risk of it being found out later....I would think theres a shot that an un-filled program in a non-competative specialty would take you. Thats not exactly an ideal situation though....I would think a DO program would be your best bet here.

 

[Old_Mil]

I would think a DO program would be your best bet here.

I really doubt that. It's better to serve in heaven than rule in hell.

 

[Taus]

I really doubt that. It's better to serve in heaven than rule in hell.

to each his own...

 

[cookies07]

Thanks for your comments, everyone--keep 'em rollin'! It's really frustrating, I've been trying to find ways to improve my test-taking skills (if that's what the problem is), and if anyone were to look at my numbers alone, they would have NO idea how INCREDIBLY SERIOUS I am about medicine. I've even had people tell me I wouldn't get into med school, but I guess persistence pays.

I guess the one thing that I (and any other student who may be struggling) would like to know is, how much do numbers matter when applying to residencies? Don't get me wrong, I study A TON, so I'm not like a slacker or anything, and it's not like I don't want to do well. Dermpathdoc addressed this question, but I would like to get more feedback, if possible.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

You will be frustrated to hear that your board scores carry significantly more weight than your pre-clinical grades.


You need to literally, smoke the **** out of Level 2