Failed USMLE Step 1/Aced Step 2

[timmah2k]

DO student here. Good COMLEX scores. Thinking of applying allopathic anesthesiology as back up since they match later than osteopathic.

What if you've failed Step 1 USMLE and aced Step 2 USMLE? Would allopathic anesthesiology programs out there even consider you?

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[vicinihil]

I think allopathic anesthesiology is hard enough to come by as it is...applying it with poor USMLE 1 score may be tough. So my answer would be...probably not.

 

[kazuma]

My advice would be to call each program individually and ask them. My buddy that only took comlex (low 500's) called close to a hundred programs to see if they would accept just comlex. IIRC he came up with about 20-30 programs that would take comlex only and I think he got about 1-2 allopathic interviews out of the 20-30 applications.

My gut feeling is that a failed USMLE step 1 might be an automatic application rejection since most programs use an ERAS board score filter when sorting through applications.

However, it doesn't hurt to call programs and ask so I'd start there since you went through the effort of taking and doing well on USMLE step 2.

 

[ShyRem]

I think with a failed board score and no passing retake you are out of the running. But call and ask. You never know.

You should know that if you apply both AOA and ACGME and match AOA you will automatically be pulled from the ACGME match. Funny you would do ACGME as a "backup" as they are usually more competitive.

 

[timmah2k]

I was calling ACGME a back up only because the match is second. If I get into an osteopathic anesthesiology residency I'll be doing cart wheels, but if I don't match there, then I'd try to do an allopathic transitional year.