Fellowships and Steps 2/3

[SomeDoc]

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Do most institutions require usmle steps 2 and 3 for fellowship eligibility? The reason I ask is because I'm a DO student who will be finishing the comlex series, and I finished taking the usmle step 1 and did well (99), which segues me to a second question: which would be a bigger hindrance to overall fellowship eligibility? Not having taken steps 2 and 3 of the usmle series, or taking step 2,3 and possibly getting a lower score, or scores, than step 1? I'd like to not take them since I'll be finishing the comlex series, and those registration $$'s do tend to add up.

 

[Gyric]

i don't know anything about DO certification/licensing, but some programs will require you to complete steps 2 and 3 early in your residency. Apart from that it is less of an issue since your best opportunity for a good fellowship will probably be at the institution you do your residency (and they are not likely to care as much if they want you).

 

[Entgegen]

I would think your best bet would be to find a DO path resident (through the program's current resident roster) and email them and ask.

 

[yaah]

I don't know the rules for DO students at all and whether comlex can substitute or whatever, but a lot of fellowships will want to know you passed them all (some even want your scores). If you are in a non-acgme approved fellowship you will need a medical license, which to my knowledge requires you to have step III passed (again, don't know the rules for DO students and whether another test can substitute).

 

[TMZ2007]

My institution requires all Steps passed before you can get a fellowship (they require all steps before the end of PGYII, actually). They do not require DOs to take USMLE, however. I would think that COMLEX should suffice for fellowship in most ACGME programs.

 

[SomeDoc]

My institution requires all Steps passed before you can get a fellowship (they require all steps before the end of PGYII, actually). They do not require DOs to take USMLE, however. I would think that COMLEX should suffice for fellowship in most ACGME programs.

Thanks, this is as I had suspected. I'll have to contact programs individually just to confirm for any exceptions. Thanks all, for the helpful comments.

 

[smellycat]

^^
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