Have I made a stupid mistake sending my Step 3 score report to PDs?

[HHH3]

A couple of days ago I received my Step 3 score. It's in the 200's range. In the interviews I told the PDs that I took the exam and that results are pending. Today I thought I'd email the PDs to tell them that I passed in the hopes of increasing my chances (I also need H1). I attached the first page of the PDF which has the scores on it and emailed it to them. I wanted to show them a proof of passing and to let them know as fast as possible, because the USMLE transcript is updated in a couple of days (I re-transmitted it after receiving the score).

Afterwards, I read that it could be a low score (esp. the 2-digit score) and it may decrease my chances in matching, especially that my Step 1 and CK scores are in the 240-260 range.

What do you think? I'm so stressed out because of what I did

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[Law2Doc]

Congrats on passing. My bet is you are fine unless you were really really borderline and needed to crush it to outweigh some prior scores. Most of the time for Step 3 a pass is a pass, because folks take it mid intern year without much time to prepare, and the PDs just want to make sure you will not have to take lots of time off to take and retake the thing and never get licensed. Nobody looks at the two digit scores except the IMGs.

 

[bcat85]

A couple of days ago I received my Step 3 score. It's 211/80. In the interviews I told the PDs that I took the exam and that results are pending. Today I thought I'd email the PDs to tell them that I passed in the hopes of increasing my chances (I also need H1). I attached the first page of the PDF which has the scores on it and emailed it to them. I wanted to show them a proof of passing and to let them know as fast as possible, because the USMLE transcript is updated in a couple of days (I re-transmitted it after receiving the score).

Afterwards, I read that it could be a low score (esp. the 2-digit score) and it may decrease my chances in matching, especially that my Step 1 and CK scores are 241/99 and 256/99 respectively.

What do you think? I'm so stressed out because of what I did

I do want to note that 2 digit scores don't really matter and are not really looked at... its the 3 digit score that counts. That said, you probably shouldn't have sent that along, especially given your excellent scores on Steps 1 and 2. Will it hurt you? Hard to say.

 

[HHH3]

Congrats on passing. My bet is you are fine unless you were really really borderline and needed to crush it to outweigh some prior scores.

Thanks a lot.

My prior scores are mentioned in my first post. I guess they are quite good for an IMG.

 

[HHH3]

I do want to note that 2 digit scores don't really matter and are not really looked at... its the 3 digit score that counts. That said, you probably shouldn't have sent that along, especially given your excellent scores on Steps 1 and 2. Will it hurt you? Hard to say.

If the 2-digit score is not looked at, why would it be an issue then that I sent the PDs the score report? Unless it's really looked at and judged as being low (though that would be stupid as the correlation between the 3-digit and the 2-digit scores dramatically changed, but the PDs may not know that, and I'm at risk of getting harmed because of their stupidity -or probably mine!).

 

[Law2Doc]

If the 2-digit score is not looked at, why would it be an issue then that I sent the PDs the score report? Unless it's really looked at and judged as being low (though that would be stupid as the correlation between the 3-digit and the 2-digit scores dramatically changed, but the PDs may not know that, and I'm at risk of getting harmed because of their stupidity -or probably mine!).

He's saying the three digit scores aren't exactly on par with what you have done previously, and so dont really advance your cause. But stop talking two digit scores, nobody who is not a confused IMG uses those here.

 

[HHH3]

He's saying the three digit scores aren't exactly on par with what you have done previously, and so dont really advance your cause. But stop talking two digit scores, nobody who is not a confused IMG uses those here.

Yeah, I'm probably a confused IMG now
Okay, I hope the PDs too share your view on the 2-digit score, because some of them do talk about it. Thanks for your insight though. I'm a little comforted now.

 

[Law2Doc]

...
Okay, I hope the PDs too share your view on the 2-digit score, because some of them do talk about it....

they don't, at least not to folks who dont waive them around. They are meaningless in the US in most cases. Never mention them, it makes you stand out in a bad way. It's not a percentage so it simply serves to confuse people.

 

[Golding]

A couple of days ago I received my Step 3 score. It's 211/80. In the interviews I told the PDs that I took the exam and that results are pending. Today I thought I'd email the PDs to tell them that I passed in the hopes of increasing my chances (I also need H1). I attached the first page of the PDF which has the scores on it and emailed it to them. I wanted to show them a proof of passing and to let them know as fast as possible, because the USMLE transcript is updated in a couple of days (I re-transmitted it after receiving the score).

Afterwards, I read that it could be a low score (esp. the 2-digit score) and it may decrease my chances in matching, especially that my Step 1 and CK scores are 241/99 and 256/99 respectively.

What do you think? I'm so stressed out because of what I did

Our scores and scenarios are pretty similar. I'd imagine that being done with the Step 3 is generally a good thing, since it frees you up for licensing requirements, and the program won't have to lose you for a few days to take the exam on their clock. I'm sure some can look at it as a negative if they really want to. Like many things, it depends.

 

[splik]

Well done on passing.I would not have sent the score report as they would receive an update of your USMLE transcript anyway but this shouldn't harm you. Step III will make you more competitve but most importantly means your eligible for a H1b. As most applicants dont have Step III it makes it hard to use to make comparisons so a pass is all that matters to most. Step 1 scores are always more important. Don't worry about it.

 

[HHH3]

Well done on passing.I would not have sent the score report as they would receive an update of your USMLE transcript anyway but this shouldn't harm you. Step III will make you more competitve but most importantly means your eligible for a H1b. As most applicants dont have Step III it makes it hard to use to make comparisons so a pass is all that matters to most. Step 1 scores are always more important. Don't worry about it.

Our scores and scenarios are pretty similar. I'd imagine that being done with the Step 3 is generally a good thing, since it frees you up for licensing requirements, and the program won't have to lose you for a few days to take the exam on their clock. I'm sure some can look at it as a negative if they really want to. Like many things, it depends.

Thanks.

Well, I wanted to show them an in-the-face proof of passing, because the USMLE transcript would have been updated in no less than 2 days. And the PDs are quite busy (or that's what they say), so I didn't want to risk the chance of them missing to check on ERAS in 2 days, and just forgetting all about it. From what I've learned, ERAS does not notify them for updates; they have to check on their own. And being this late in the season, the chance of them checking on their own is pretty slim.

May be I worried too much about this, but that's what happened. Your replies comfort me though, because it's quite logical that the PDs would not care about the 2-digit score, as it's ever-changing.

 

[Buzz Me]

Okay, I hope the PDs too share your view on the 2-digit score, because some of them do talk about it.

No, not really.

Too late to do anything now - your Step 3 score is significantly lower than your Step 1 and 2 CK scores (over a standard deviation), but nothing you can do about it now! So just wait and see what happens.

 

[Top Gun]

They're only going to care that you passed Step 3. It means you won't have to take time off during internship or residency to take the exam. Its not like the majority of residency applicants have already taken and passed Step 3 before starting internship anyway.