General Surgery Residency - Cutoff for Board Scores?

[KrisKrossJump]

Hi all,

Thanks for reading. I'm a fourth year medical student, applying for a general surgery residency. I'm coming from a state medical school - top 50 for research, though nowhere near the reputation of the typical powerhouses.

Just wondering whether my Step 1 score is going to keep me from matching. I received a 212, which is far closer to the average score of unmatched applicants for general surgery (207) than for those who matched (224).

My grades are fine - I fall in the middle/top third of the class of 150 (high sats and honors in everything), and have never failed anything, but am certainly far from AOA.

I have a "non-traditional" background - an undergraduate and graduate degree from two Ivies, with several years of research/work experience prior to med school - which I know is viewed favorably at some programs, but as a liability in others. I'll have strong letters from nationally-recognized surgeons (thanks to away rotations at some top programs that I know are far beyond my reach), and great extra-curriculars, but I know that none of that can erase the less than stellar 212 Step 1.

Should I consider forgoing academic programs entirely? Aside from applying to 200+ programs because I have NO clue as to the screening process at individual centers, how can I get a gauge as to where I stand?

Thanks in advance for your help!

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[J-Rad]

Moving to allo.

 

[OpalOnyx]

Hi all,

Thanks for reading. I'm a fourth year medical student, applying for a general surgery residency. I'm coming from a state medical school - top 50 for research, though nowhere near the reputation of the typical powerhouses.

Just wondering whether my Step 1 score is going to keep me from matching. I received a 212, which is far closer to the average score of unmatched applicants for general surgery (207) than for those who matched (224).

My grades are fine - I fall in the middle/top third of the class of 150 (high sats and honors in everything), and have never failed anything, but am certainly far from AOA.

I have a "non-traditional" background - an undergraduate and graduate degree from two Ivies, with several years of research/work experience prior to med school - which I know is viewed favorably at some programs, but as a liability in others. I'll have strong letters from nationally-recognized surgeons (thanks to away rotations at some top programs that I know are far beyond my reach), and great extra-curriculars, but I know that none of that can erase the less than stellar 212 Step 1.

Should I consider forgoing academic programs entirely? Aside from applying to 200+ programs because I have NO clue as to the screening process at individual centers, how can I get a gauge as to where I stand?

Thanks in advance for your help!

I'm wondering how someone in the middle/top third (!) of their class with high sats/honors doesn't have a step 1 score which correlates their performance in class. With research, ,good clinical grades, and great letters -I don't see why you shouldn't be fine!

 

[2012mdc]

I'm wondering how someone in the middle/top third (!) of their class with high sats/honors doesn't have a step 1 score which correlates their performance in class. With research, ,good clinical grades, and great letters -I don't see why you shouldn't be fine!

Some schools don't teach well to the boards and sometimes you can just have a bad test day. I have a friend who scored ~25 pts less than her practice tests.

To the OP - apply broadly and you should be fine. also take step 2 ck early

 

[KrisKrossJump]

Thank you for the replies! Just to explain the lack of correlation between my subpar Step 1 score and my not-as-subpar transcript: I'm not sure how it works at other medical schools, but there is a huge emphasis on our clinical evals/interpersonal skills during our third year clerkships, to the extent that the Shelf exams ultimately count for very little. I've seen some people from the top of the class barely scrape by (whether it's deserved or not), and some people from the bottom of the class excel based on charisma alone.

Thus, there seems to be a fair amount of leeway in terms of where a student can fall within the class. People with 250s on Step 1 have blown their shot at AOA by ticking off all the wrong people during third year, with the clerkship grades to prove it. I'm not saying it's right, or fair - just that it's the reality at my particular school, and would allow someone like me (not a genius, in any sense of the word) to graduate with a halfway decent transcript and a top third ranking.

It's not an attempt to justify my lousy Step 1 score. Was I just having a bad day? Maybe so. Would I have scored 30 points higher if I could have charmed the pants off of that stupid computer? Absolutely.

At any rate, I appreciate your input! Also, I'll be taking Step 2 at the end of this month - hopefully with a better outcome than my Step 1!

 

[TexasPhysician]

General Surgery isn't that competitive. Apply broadly and you'll be fine in gen surg. Academic programs are not out of the running. I wouldn't even try applying to top programs, but outside the top 20-30 programs, I think it is worth trying.

 

[Valko]

Hi all,

Thanks for reading. I'm a fourth year medical student, applying for a general surgery residency. I'm coming from a state medical school - top 50 for research, though nowhere near the reputation of the typical powerhouses.

Just wondering whether my Step 1 score is going to keep me from matching. I received a 212, which is far closer to the average score of unmatched applicants for general surgery (207) than for those who matched (224).

My grades are fine - I fall in the middle/top third of the class of 150 (high sats and honors in everything), and have never failed anything, but am certainly far from AOA.

I have a "non-traditional" background - an undergraduate and graduate degree from two Ivies, with several years of research/work experience prior to med school - which I know is viewed favorably at some programs, but as a liability in others. I'll have strong letters from nationally-recognized surgeons (thanks to away rotations at some top programs that I know are far beyond my reach), and great extra-curriculars, but I know that none of that can erase the less than stellar 212 Step 1.

Should I consider forgoing academic programs entirely? Aside from applying to 200+ programs because I have NO clue as to the screening process at individual centers, how can I get a gauge as to where I stand?

Thanks in advance for your help!

With good grades in the clinical rotations and good letters you can match gen surg at an academic program. This last match someone from my school with a step 1 equal to or just below yours matched to one of the top 3 gen surg residencies. I know they weren't AOA either. I'm not saying you will repeat that type of success, but that should at least make it clear you have a decent shot at your goal.