If you matched FM after COMLEX level 1/Step 1 failure, tell us your success story. WE NEED YOU <3

[DoctorTea26]

This is a lesser talked about subject IRL but dominates the content online because failing boards sucks and leaves you with such horrific self doubt. I'm hoping my future colleagues who experienced a boards failure will share their match successes with us here so we have some faith as we begin the 2022 match season.

Where did you interview? Did you have application strategies? What was your retake score? What about level 2? How did you address your failure in interviews?

THANK YOU in advance for sharing --I have gotten so much support from SDN throughout medical school! Appreciate all of you <3

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[Ozone2552]

US-IMG Grad, Feb 2020. Didn't match in 2020, but matched into one of my preferred specialties this cycle and will be starting in July. I took STEP 3 prior to intern year (to beef up my application) and continued to work in a clinic to keep the rust away. This is along the lines of how I answered when asked, and I WAS asked, about my STEP failure:

"I am glad that you have brought that up (or something along those lines). There are two things that I would like to explain about that. I believe that outcome was not reflective of me as an applicant or future physician. I believe my preclinical transcript (top quartile) and clinical transcript (honored all except two rotations, which were "pass") support this, as do my letter's of recommendation. However, I can tell you that what was reflective in that situation was what I learned from it and how I responded to that failure. There are times when we are faced with adversity, whether with an exam, or in clinical practice when managing a patient. Perhaps the outcome was not what we had worked for/hoped for, as was the case with STEP 1. I assessed what happened and where I had gone wrong and created a plan that I then implemented to overcome this obstacle. And this is the exact response that I will have in clinical practice. With each set-back, I have and will respond with the same tenacity and overcome."

This isn't an EXACT replication of what I said, but it is close. When application season rolled around I worked with school advisors on an approach and the first thing we talked about was STEP 1. The best thing, and it really was, was to come up with a response that was professional and accomplished two things: 1) didn't sound like a copout; and 2) genuinely explained what happened, what your response was, and what you learned from the experience; even better if you could translate this to clinical practice. Once I had something in mind and talked about it with my advisor I just rehearsed it so that if and when I was asked, there wasn't any stammering or "hemming and hawing". We may not like to think about our failures or setbacks, but PD's won't take issue with it. So be prepared.

 

[DoctorTea26]

US-IMG Grad, Feb 2020. Didn't match in 2020, but matched into one of my preferred specialties this cycle and will be starting in July. I took STEP 3 prior to intern year (to beef up my application) and continued to work in a clinic to keep the rust away. This is along the lines of how I answered when asked, and I WAS asked, about my STEP failure:

"I am glad that you have brought that up (or something along those lines). There are two things that I would like to explain about that. I believe that outcome was not reflective of me as an applicant or future physician. I believe my preclinical transcript (top quartile) and clinical transcript (honored all except two rotations, which were "pass") support this, as do my letter's of recommendation. However, I can tell you that what was reflective in that situation was what I learned from it and how I responded to that failure. There are times when we are faced with adversity, whether with an exam, or in clinical practice when managing a patient. Perhaps the outcome was not what we had worked for/hoped for, as was the case with STEP 1. I assessed what happened and where I had gone wrong and created a plan that I then implemented to overcome this obstacle. And this is the exact response that I will have in clinical practice. With each set-back, I have and will respond with the same tenacity and overcome."

This isn't an EXACT replication of what I said, but it is close. When application season rolled around I worked with school advisors on an approach and the first thing we talked about was STEP 1. The best thing, and it really was, was to come up with a response that was professional and accomplished two things: 1) didn't sound like a copout; and 2) genuinely explained what happened, what your response was, and what you learned from the experience; even better if you could translate this to clinical practice. Once I had something in mind and talked about it with my advisor I just rehearsed it so that if and when I was asked, there wasn't any stammering or "hemming and hawing". We may not like to think about our failures or setbacks, but PD's won't take issue with it. So be prepared.

Thank you for this, I really appreciate your response. I have been thinking a lot about how I may respond, but also how I can turn it into a Michael Scott response --"my weaknesses are really my strength" lol but I do believe you hit the nail on the head when saying your explanation should reflect the truth and what you have gleamed from the situation, after all, it's a chance to put the whole situation behind you. thanks again! <3

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Not my case, but my friend failed level 2 multiple times. Went unmatched first time. Matched the second. The key was to really do leg work to find out what programs would take him seriously. Here matched with 4 ranks though, so try not failing 3 times the same level like he did

 

[Ozone2552]

Thank you for this, I really appreciate your response. I have been thinking a lot about how I may respond, but also how I can turn it into a Michael Scott response --"my weaknesses are really my strength" lol but I do believe you hit the nail on the head when saying your explanation should reflect the truth and what you have gleamed from the situation, after all, it's a chance to put the whole situation behind you. thanks again! <3

No problem. I hadn't considered a Michael Scott approach, lol. It's funny that you mention putting it behind you; I began to notice that the more I "rehearsed" the explanation and really thought about what happened and what I did to pass on the second time it became less difficult to think about it, let alone talk to a complete stranger about it. Really therapeutic in a way.

 

[DoctorTea26]

No problem. I hadn't considered a Michael Scott approach, lol. It's funny that you mention putting it behind you; I began to notice that the more I "rehearsed" the explanation and really thought about what happened and what I did to pass on the second time it became less difficult to think about it, let alone talk to a complete stranger about it. Really therapeutic in a way.

What are you thoughts about addressing the failure in your personal statement? I have gotten that advice from a program director, granted it was for a surgery program so yea that's not happening, but did you mention it in yours??

 

[Ozone2552]

What are you thoughts about addressing the failure in your personal statement? I have gotten that advice from a program director, granted it was for a surgery program so yea that's not happening, but did you mention it in yours??

I would say that it depends on your narrative. Were you planning on writing about overcoming obstacles and how that can relate to surgical practice? There is definitely a way that you can write that, but if you have a clear and genuine narrative that you want to describe that led to choosing surgery, then I would lead with that. I, personally, did not address it in my PS. If your advisor is recommending that you address the failure in your PS, then one way to satisfy both sides (i.e. what you want to write about and what is recommended by your advisor) is to work that into your PS in some way.

For example, maybe you are writing about your journey through/to medicine from the perspective of adversity and overcoming said adversity. Being the problem solver became a calling in life for you. This opens up a segue to discuss (and my recommendation would be to place this in the last paragraph or second to last paragraph) a STEP/COMLEX failure. Only a suggestion.