Fiance and Step 1

[GrammCracker]

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I'm not exactly sure which forum this thread fits in but I'll start it here anyway. My fiance is a MS1 and attends a highly-ranked medical school in the country. I'm a MS2 and I go to a lower ranked medical school, a much lower one, in a different state. Although I'm a year ahead of him, he's in a program that's going to take him 5 years so I'll be graduating 2 years ahead of him. In my ideal world, I would like to do my residency at the teaching hospital affiliated with his medical school so we can finally end the long distance. However, I'm really concerned about Step 1.

I'm a mediocre student so I'm assuming that I'll get a mediocre score. I really highly doubt that I'll get a score good enough to even get an interview where he's at. By the way, the specialty that I'm reeeeaaaaally interested in has an average Step 1 score of ~220. I've considered less competitive specialties to perhaps increase my chances of being accepted to that teaching hospital, but I don't think I'd be happy with those careers.

I have also thought about deferring until he's finished with medical school so we can do a couples match but I really don't know what I'm going to do during those 2 years. I despise research and I don't even think an MPH would be good. I wouldn't mind getting one but I doubt that I'll use it at all in my career.

Oh yeah, there aren't any other residency programs in his city or nearby.

I know nothing is set in stone until I take Step 1 next year and get my score, but judging by my performance in my first year's classes, I'm not anticipating anything spectacular in the rest of my classes at medical school and Step 1.

Anyone have any advice? Thanks!

 

[SoCuteMD]

I would...I don't know, buckle down and work hard all this year and STUDY for Step 1.

that's just me, though.

 

[badasshairday]

Is his 5-year program 5 years long because it includes a 1 year MPH? If so, does he really have to do it? You are considering applying to specialties that you consider less than ideal for you, so maybe he could consider dropping the MPH idea. Then you would only have to defer for 1 year and do a couples match.

 

[silas2642]

Well, you're kind of counting yourself out of the game before it's really even started-- you're currently a second year, correct? That means that you have the ENTIRE second year to go, third year, and then fourth year in your medical school career. Not to mention boards. Your class rank is hardly determined.

First year for the boards is pretty low yield; buckle down and really learn second year well. Study hard for the boards-- can you work harder and more efficiently than you did last year?

I don't know how it is at your school, but at our school the things that matter most for class rank (and matching well) are third year clerkship grades/evaluations and board scores. You haven't even gotten near those yet.

You also don't know if you're still going to want to enter the specialty you're currently interested in a year or two from now-- things change, particularly during third year. Try to relax a little bit more because these things have a tendency to work themselves out. Try your best this year to learn the material as well as you can, nail the boards, and try to nail your clerkships.

Good luck and congratulations to you and your fiance.

 

[njbmd]

I'm not exactly sure which forum this thread fits in but I'll start it here anyway. My fiance is a MS1 and attends a highly-ranked medical school in the country. I'm a MS2 and I go to a lower ranked medical school, a much lower one, in a different state. Although I'm a year ahead of him, he's in a program that's going to take him 5 years so I'll be graduating 2 years ahead of him. In my ideal world, I would like to do my residency at the teaching hospital affiliated with his medical school so we can finally end the long distance. However, I'm really concerned about Step 1.

I'm a mediocre student so I'm assuming that I'll get a mediocre score. I really highly doubt that I'll get a score good enough to even get an interview where he's at. By the way, the specialty that I'm reeeeaaaaally interested in has an average Step 1 score of ~220. I've considered less competitive specialties to perhaps increase my chances of being accepted to that teaching hospital, but I don't think I'd be happy with those careers.

I have also thought about deferring until he's finished with medical school so we can do a couples match but I really don't know what I'm going to do during those 2 years. I despise research and I don't even think an MPH would be good. I wouldn't mind getting one but I doubt that I'll use it at all in my career.

Oh yeah, there aren't any other residency programs in his city or nearby.

I know nothing is set in stone until I take Step 1 next year and get my score, but judging by my performance in my first year's classes, I'm not anticipating anything spectacular in the rest of my classes at medical school and Step 1.

Anyone have any advice? Thanks!

Residency programs are not fond of students who "take time off" after medical school. If you anticipate that you wish to obtain an MPH, do this after completion of your second year and before starting your third year clerkships. In any event, most LCME accredited schools want to see you complete your medical school coursework within six years of starting.

My advice would be to not plan on being in the same town as your intended since you are two years ahead of him. One year out of medicine (especially if you are doing research, MPH or a special fellowhip) is not much of a problem but two years is not a very sound option unless you are an MD/Ph.D candidate.