Failed Usmle step 1, residency chances ?

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dantrolene783

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hey guys,
So I found out I failed Usmle step 1 a few days ago. I am devastated. I have to retake Usmle step 1 and still have to take Usmle step 2 ck and Usmle step 2 cs. What do you guys think the residency chances for a us citizen img (went to carribean)with a failed Usmle step 1 attempt is. I am hoping to apply to the 2018 residency cycle. I know at this point I should be really focusing on either psychiatry or family medicine. Is it hard for a us citizen img to match with a Usmle step 1 fail? Also how do you guys advise I should prepare for my Usmle step 1 retake? Any advice would be appreciated.
 
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blueforest said:
How was your prep the first time around? Did you take any NBME self assessments?
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First time around I read first aid about 3 to 4 times, did Usmle rx question banks and did the stimulation exams for that got a 221 on the Usmle rx 7 hr stimulation exam, took nbme 16 got a 200 4 days before my exam. Also, I did dit program. what do you think I should use now to study?
 
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1.UWORLD Question Bank
2. Pathoma
3. FA (Do you understand everything? Reading it passively doesn't help with anything)
4. More NBMEs

What did you have the most trouble with? Path? Physio? Pharm? Micro? Ask yourself this ,most importantly, what would you have done differently? How was your study schedule?
 
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blueforest said:
1.UWORLD Question Bank
2. Pathoma
3. FA (Do you understand everything? Reading it passively doesn't help with anything)
4. More NBMEs

What did you have the most trouble with? Path? Physio? Pharm? Micro? Ask yourself this ,most importantly, what would you have done differently? How was your study schedule?
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response, I will work much harder now and work on my weak areas. What do you think oare my residency chances with a step 1 fail for psychiatry and family medicine?
 
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dantrolene783 said:
Thank you for your response, I will work much harder now and work on my weak areas. What do you think oare my residency chances with a step 1 fail for psychiatry and family medicine?
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Your chances are now very dependent on your retake. No one can make any real predictions without a Step 1 score.
 
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dantrolene783 said:
Thank you for your response, I will work much harder now and work on my weak areas. What do you think oare my residency chances with a step 1 fail for psychiatry and family medicine?
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Hard to say... FM/Psych/IM are still possible according to what I have read in this site, but you might have to be VERY flexible geographically--i.e. rural America or places that most med students don't want to be in.
 
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Help me understand this. Isn't the point of going to a carribean school to return back to to the US? Presumably everyone's top priority ought to be studying for step 1. Your preparation seems very unorthodox. Moreover, why did you not reschedule when you got 200 on NBME 16 four days out? I mean, even if you passed you would have set yourself up for a disaster come matching with such a low score. Judging from the statistics in charting outcomes for imgs you are twice as likely not to match even if you were to pass step 1 on your next try. If you think those are good odds then go ahead, but this may also be a good time to cut your losses.
 
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AnalisCanalis said:
Help me understand this. Isn't the point of going to a carribean school to return back to to the US? Presumably everyone's top priority ought to be studying for step 1. Your preparation seems very unorthodox. Moreover, why did you not reschedule when you got 200 on NBME 16 four days out? I mean, even if you passed you would have set yourself up for a disaster come matching with such a low score. Judging from the statistics in charting outcomes for imgs you are twice as likely not to match even if you were to pass step 1 on your next try. If you think those are good odds then go ahead, but this may also be a good time to cut your losses.
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Yes I went to a carribean medical school and yes the goal is to return back to US to do a residency there. I studied for step 1, I did nbme 16 got a 200, and then also then I had done nbme 17 2 weeks before that and got a 211. I took the exam because I thought I could pull off a pass. My eligibility period was ending in July as well, so I went ahead and took it thinking I could pull off a pass but unfortunately that didnt happen. I am not trying to match into anything big, I am just trying to match into family medicine or psychiatry. I have read your post analiscanalis and I am also confused as to what to do. I am in 50 to 55 k debt over medical school, Guys what do you think should I cut my losses or take usmle step 1 again and hope/pray that I will match given that I do good on usmle step 2 ck and usmle step 2 cs. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
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Ismet said:
Your chances are now very dependent on your retake. No one can make any real predictions without a Step 1 score.
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That is true, but lets say I pass usmle step 1 on the second go around, and then do decent in usmle step 2 ck and usmle step 2 cs, do you think i have a good shot at family medicine residency or psychiatry?
 
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W19 said:
Hard to say... FM/Psych/IM are still possible according to what I have read in this site, but you might have to be VERY flexible geographically--i.e. rural America or places that most med students don't want to be in.
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That is what I was thinking too, I mean I am not sure just confused what to do, to continue or cut the losses :/
 
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Guys please I need some honest advice. I only failed Usmle step 1 by few points so I'm sure second go around I can pass. What do you guys think I should do? Continue on and give my Usmle step 1 exam again or at this point cut my losses and call it quits, I have a bachelors degree in science related field so that would be by backup career. Any advice? Thanks so much appreciate it
 
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Why did you fail it the first time and how do you know you can pass it now? How do you know you will pass step 2 ck and cs? Your writing in these posts sounds like English might not be your first language, which will make matching and passing that much harder. Coming from a carib school you are going to have to fight every step of the way from here on out. 55k in debt is not a horrible considering how much worse it can get. Consider next year with another 100k in debt, what happens if you struggle on step 2?
I know a few people that failed step one/two that went on to match from the carib. Both were very personable and had worked a long time in a health care field. Both only received one interview from their rotation site program.
 
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Mikkus said:
Why did you fail it the first time and how do you know you can pass it now? How do you know you will pass step 2 ck and cs? Your writing in these posts sounds like English might not be your first language, which will make matching and passing that much harder. Coming from a carib school you are going to have to fight every step of the way from here on out. 55k in debt is not a horrible considering how much worst it can get. Consider next year with another 100k in debt, what happens if you struggle on step 2?
I know a few people that failed step one/two that went on to match from the carib. Both were very personable and had worked a long time in a health care field. Both only received one interview from their rotation site program.
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The reason I think I can pass it now is because I only failed by a few points. I will be able to pass it with a few more months of studying. I failed it the first time because I made a mistake, my permit was expiring and I thought I could pull off a pass, but unfortunately I did not. Yes I know I am asking my chances of match given that I pass Usmle step 1, and learn from my failure of Usmle step 1, then do better on Usmle step 2 ck and cs. English is my first language. I am a us citizen carribean IMG. Yes I know the road will be harder. So, from your post I am assuming you think it's a bad idea to continue in my case? I'm just so confused, I don't know what to do.
 
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dantrolene783 said:
The reason I think I can pass it now is because I only failed by a few points. I will be able to pass it with a few more months of studying. I failed it the first time because I made a mistake, my permit was expiring and I thought I could pull off a pass, but unfortunately I did not. Yes I know I am asking my chances of match given that I pass Usmle step 1, and learn from my failure of Usmle step 1, then do better on Usmle step 2 ck and cs. English is my first language. I am a us citizen carribean IMG. Yes I know the road will be harder. So, from your post I am assuming you think it's a bad idea to continue in my case? I'm just so confused, I don't know what to do.
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It is still possible to match. But it is also much more likely you will not.
You now have two big red flags fighting against you, and you are only 1/2 done with medical school. You would need to do decent on step 2, make excellent social connections in rotations, and hope your home institutions will give you an interview. You will have to apply to the lowest end programs and hope they give you an interview.
I can't tell you what to do, if you can promise yourself you will work hard and pass the last half with flying colors, you might make it. Or, you might fail step 2 with 100k in debt and become even more stuck, that is up to you.
Good luck!
 
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dantrolene783 said:
That is what I was thinking too, I mean I am not sure just confused what to do, to continue or cut the losses :/
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No one can tell you what to do, but I would go on if I were in your position... There are people from offshore schools that have matched after failing step1. Besides, there are states (MO, VA) right now that are thinking of making it easier for people who pass step1/2/3 to practice medicine.
 
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tennischamp822 said:
I read somewhere that 10% of PDs consider IMGs with a Step 1 failure. I am not sure where I read that, so I could easily be way off.

You can continue taking out federal loans and do PLSF by working at any nonprofit/government agency after you are done. In ten years, your loans are gone and you can do whatever you want to do.
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Do you happen to know what percent that is for people who took a LOA?
 
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tennischamp822 said:
I read somewhere that 10% of PDs consider IMGs with a Step 1 failure. I am not sure where I read that, so I could easily be way off.

You can continue taking out federal loans and do PLSF by working at any nonprofit/government agency after you are done. In ten years, your loans are gone and you can do whatever you want to do.
Click to expand...

People shouldn't bank on PSLF existing in 10 years. The first group isn't even eligible for forgiveness until 2017 and there's a lot of talk that it's too unsustainable to last.
 
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dantrolene783 said:
hey guys,
So I found out I failed Usmle step 1 a few days ago. I am devastated. I have to retake Usmle step 1 and still have to take Usmle step 2 ck and Usmle step 2 cs. What do you guys think the residency chances for a us citizen img (went to carribean)with a failed Usmle step 1 attempt is. I am hoping to apply to the 2018 residency cycle. I know at this point I should be really focusing on either psychiatry or family medicine. Is it hard for a us citizen img to match with a Usmle step 1 fail? Also how do you guys advise I should prepare for my Usmle step 1 retake? Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

OP you tried, its ok. I tried too...But I also did terribly too in the 220s, which for what I wanted to do with my life is a Failed exam too. Use Uworld this time around. Keep trying, this exam truly sucks.
 
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If you somehow do very well, your chances of a low-tier residency are decent if you went to a Big 4 Carib school.

If your retake is garbage or you went to a lackluster school, you're done.
 
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Mikkus said:
It is still possible to match. But it is also much more likely you will not.
You now have two big red flags fighting against you, and you are only 1/2 done with medical school. You would need to do decent on step 2, make excellent social connections in rotations, and hope your home institutions will give you an interview. You will have to apply to the lowest end programs and hope they give you an interview.
I can't tell you what to do, if you can promise yourself you will work hard and pass the last half with flying colors, you might make it. Or, you might fail step 2 with 100k in debt and become even more stuck, that is up to you.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thank you for your advice. I will need to make a decision soon.
 
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Mad Jack said:
If you somehow do very well, your chances of a low-tier residency are decent if you went to a Big 4 Carib school.

If your retake is garbage or you went to a lackluster school, you're done.
Click to expand...
I go to a low tier carribean medical school. So, if I do better on the retake you are saying I might Have a shot :/
 
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