How Bad Is Retaking The Test?

[Llenroc]

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Is it worse to pass it the first time around with a 185, or to fail and then take it again and get something like 205?

Not that I'm planning to fail, just curious. I've read some residency programs won't even look at your application if you have any record of Step 1 failure.

 

[exmike]

if you fail but then get a 250 or something, i'm sure you could say you got deathly ill during the test.

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

if you fail but then get a 250 or something, i'm sure you could say you got deathly ill during the test.

no. you're not sure. you're just guessing. 🙄


of course it's better to pass it the first time. i have heard that many good residencies won't even look at you if you've failed once.

 

[twesting2173]

.

 

[exmike]

no. you're not sure. you're just guessing. 🙄


of course it's better to pass it the first time. i have heard that many good residencies won't even look at you if you've failed once.

yeah, b/c i was being SOOOO serious. 🙄

 

[SkylineMD]

i agree that it is best to pass the first time around...even if its a 180.

A 180 score would still be considered failing correct? Minimum score to pass step 1 would be 182

 

[AmoryBlaine]

I was talking to a PD in medicine and he said that failing Step 1 was a very big deal. If you do, it is very important that you do well the 2nd time so it can be chalked up to a bad day. He said the deal was that residency programs look terrible if a resident fails their specialty boards and that he views Step 1 failure as a "warning flag" for that. Actually he said that getting a great score wouldn't help you as much as failing would hurt you, if that makes sense.

The problem is that VERY few MD students fail the boards, so if you do it puts you in a category with less than 10% of you peers. You can see how this would be a problem for PDs...

 

[Duchenne's]

Can you retake Step 1 if you're just "not happy" with your score?

Or is it only possible to retake it if you have straight out failed it?

T-2 days until D-Day for me!!!!!

 

[abbaroodle]

Can you retake Step 1 if you're just "not happy" with your score?

Or is it only possible to retake it if you have straight out failed it?

T-2 days until D-Day for me!!!!!

You can only retake it if you fail. (Note: there may be some exceptions...like you need to take all three steps within 10 years, or some other arbitrary time limit, so if you drop out of school and then return you may be able to or have to repeat step I...but I would assume that you will not find the one tiny loophole.)

Don't focus on passing or your score or residency or anything else right now. Just focus on doing the best you can and getting as many questions correct as possible. You will do the best you can. Hopefully, you will be happy with your results in the end.

I also have 2 days - I hope Thrusday is a lucky day for us! I am trying to figure out - should I focus on stuff I know and really get it solid? Or should I try to pick up stuff I dont know...like all those stupid rare genetic diseases with weird biochem pathways that I have no clue about....I am leaning more towards the first.