Honest opinion please

[neuronerd12]

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Recently wrote CK and ended up with 218/89. This was my first step. I am still not sure if I want to repeat residency in America again, but I am very keen on doing a fellowship there. Is this score too bad? If I score better in other steps, what will be my chances realistically? I want an honest opinion, because I don't want to waste family money for near impossible ventures. Thanks in advance
In case anyone from Sri Lanka here, just drop me a pm!

 

[mydodger]

What is your Step 1 Score? The [pdf warning] average matched Step 1 score for Ophthalmology was a 238 in 2012. Most medical students do better on the Step 2 than they do on the Step 1. Honestly if you were a US medical student with a 218 Step 1 score you'd have some difficulty matching but still some hope. With that score on Step 2 CK and being a foreign medical graduate I would think that your chances are going to be fairly low. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Anything is possible, but matching with low stats is very hard. If you were motivated then another option would be to try to find some Ophthalmology research at a US medical school which has an Ophthalmology residency program and try to do a couple of years of research with them so that you have a strong personal relationship with the faculty. That may increase your chances of succeeding in the Ophthalmology match, but it is of course a big investment.


Hopefully an attending ophthalmologist will comment here to confirm or refute what I have said. Good luck in whatever you choose.

 

[umsami]

It really isn't a straight numbers game. As you'd be applying straight to fellowship as an IMG, if you decided you wanted to stay and repeat residency you'd be in a different position then a fresh from medical school grad. My understanding is that most people who do that tend to match with the program they did their fellowship with...or an associated program. The main concern at that point would be that you have all three steps and are licensable. You wouldn't be eligible to sit for Step III until you have some US training anyway (at least in the States I know of).