Feeling down about my Step 1 score. Please help.

[lpaul]

Hi,

I received a Step 1 score of 188. I'm a US citizen, but I'm an IMG. The score is much lower than I hoped, and I'm feeling very desolate about the score. Can I match for internal medicine with a score like this? Is surgery completely off the table? What sort of score do I need on Step 2 to be competitive?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

Hi,

I received a Step 1 score of 198. I'm a US citizen, but I'm an IMG. The score is much lower than I hoped, and I'm feeling very desolate about the score. Can I match for internal medicine with a score like this? Is surgery completely off the table? What sort of score do I need on Step 2 to be competitive?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Medicine is still a go. Surgery will be unlikely except through a very nontraditional route.

Bottom line: IMG + Sub Average Board Score = Sucks.

Applying to Medicine: All hope is not lost. You will apply broadly, to both IM and FM programs. You will apply to places you haven't heard of. You wont get in to Rush, U Chicago, Temple, or Tulane, but you might get into Hopkins Sinai or Ochsner. Look to the midwest, places you wouldn't want to live. Once you finish residency, who gives a crap where you went, you'll still be a doctor. Stomp the cock off of Step 2. Get a 240+ and really show places that Step 1 was a fluke. Normally, Id say 230 on Step 2, but given the IMG status, you have to do even more than everyone else.

Applying to Surgery: Nontraditional route is for you. That usually means getting a nondesignated prelim spot. That means you work for a year, but have nothing guarenteed after that. Programs that have this spot usually have a PGY-2 nondesignated prelim spot as well. The hope is that if you are able to work at a place for two years, you can either (A) fill teh spot of a lost resident (termination, research year, baby), which is obviously the dream come true since you just continue as if you were always in residency, (B) start over as a categorical in that program, having demonstrated your clout, (C) apply to another program and start over as a categorical. Does doing two or even three intern years blow? Yes. Does not being a surgeon blow more? Yes.

In either case, take adavantage of the Scramble. The scramble is different now, favoring AMGs heavily over IMGs. Sorry, bra, thats the system. But if there is a space open, anywhere, take it. Period.

Finally, your score sucks. Get over it. You can't change it. You can't go back. You can't "couldve worked harder." Its done. Look forward. Honor the **** out of your rotations, stomp step 2.

Good luck

 

[caribmd]

Hi,

I received a Step 1 score of 188. I'm a US citizen, but I'm an IMG. The score is much lower than I hoped, and I'm feeling very desolate about the score. Can I match for internal medicine with a score like this? Is surgery completely off the table? What sort of score do I need on Step 2 to be competitive?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

You not needing a Visa is going to be a BIG push in your favor. I've been looking into this 'cus I'm Canadian & my medschool history has red-flags (transferred between carib-schools, failed a class in carib-school, long study break for Step1 etc) all over although my Step1 was stronger.

You may match community for IM. You probably won't match university-IM. Apply very widely for IM & FM (seriously 300 programs - I'm going to apply to atleast 300 programs myself 'cus not matching would SUCK).

 

[vicinihil]

Family medicine is always a possibility if your goal is to be a physician. That being said, doing well on Step 2 may very well SIGNIFICANTLY raise your chances. Take what you learned from Step 1 and improve upon that strategy in Step 2. The average for Step 2 is like 230s or something so I think you will and can do significantly better.

There are SO many IM programs that do not fill every year. There are even more PRELIM spots in both IM and Surg that do not fill. Worst comes to worst, take a prelim spot and show them you're not 188 material. I think you'll be fine. =)

 

[thepoopologist]

Positives:
1. You passed
2. By passing, you can now take Step 2

 

[ucsfstudents]

All is not lost. Noone can tell you what your chances are, however. The way you improve your chances is to do incredibly well in your clinical rotations and on Step 2. Do the best you can.

 

[Ontology]

Kids in Sub-Saharan Africa are dying of excruciating pain every single day by the thousands. You did bad on a test. You're fine. Put things in perspective.

 

[uiuc2012]

Kids in Sub-Saharan Africa are dying of excruciating pain every single day by the thousands. You did bad on a test. You're fine. Put things in perspective.

For someone who has yet to begin college, you certainly have some big ones creeping over to this thread. Shouldn't you be focused on finding a date to prom?

 

[Ontology]

I have some big ones for going to a random thread on an online forum? You must be a very timid person. P.S: I already have a date and she's sexy as hell.

 

[lpaul]

You not needing a Visa is going to be a BIG push in your favor. I've been looking into this 'cus I'm Canadian & my medschool history has red-flags (transferred between carib-schools, failed a class in carib-school, long study break for Step1 etc) all over although my Step1 was stronger.

You may match community for IM. You probably won't match university-IM. Apply very widely for IM & FM (seriously 300 programs - I'm going to apply to atleast 300 programs myself 'cus not matching would SUCK).

Actually, I took a whole year off to study for Step 1. Is that going to hurt my chances of matching significantly? For IMG's, do they really look at our transcripts all that much?