Importance of Step 2 CK score for getting interviews? Hurricane might delay my test...

[safe]

Hello, as the title says I'm curious about how common it is for programs to require your Step 2 CK score before they offer an interview invite. I understand that this is becoming increasingly common. I'm looking at ~top 20 IM programs if that makes any difference.

There's severe flooding expected on my test date and my site is likely to shut down. The next available date is September 6, or earlier if I'm willing to drive 4 hours to another city. I'd prefer not to but I will if it's critical to get my scores back by Oct 1.

Thanks for your thoughts.

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[rokshana]

Hello, as the title says I'm curious about how common it is for programs to require your Step 2 CK score before they offer an interview invite. I understand that this is becoming increasingly common. I'm looking at ~top 20 IM programs if that makes any difference.

There's severe flooding expected on my test date and my site is likely to shut down. The next available date is September 6, or earlier if I'm willing to drive 4 hours to another city. I'd prefer not to but I will if it's critical to get my scores back by Oct 1.

Thanks for your thoughts.

ideally you should have that by sept 15...top pograms are competitve and they have more than enough qualified applicants so can be more selective...without all you steps in place, some programs may place your application in a "hold" file.

personally i'd drive the 4 hours to make sure i got CK out of the way.

be sure to apply to some safety programs.

 

[safe]

Shoot really? I was under the impression that programs don't review applications until they get the MSPE on Oct 1 :/

 

[stop2stop]

ideally you should have that by sept 15...top pograms are competitve and they have more than enough qualified applicants so can be more selective...without all you steps in place, some programs may place your application in a "hold" file.

personally i'd drive the 4 hours to make sure i got CK out of the way.

be sure to apply to some safety programs.

Can someone comment on this? Very much appreciate the input, but I have not found this to be the case with recent graduates I know, many whom took Step 2 late in the year and were accepted to top programs.

Step 2 timing can be difficult, even prohibitive if your school does not finish clerkship year until late and there are other priorities such as research, Sub-I, etc. I assume program directors are aware of this?

 

[rokshana]

Shoot really? I was under the impression that programs don't review applications until they get the MSPE on Oct 1 :/

the majority of interviews are given out long before they see the MSPE.

being a US senior obviously will help you and you will m/l match somewhere since IM isn't horribly competitive for a USMD student, but if you want to be selective, the competitive programs are...well...competitive.

 

[Mad Jack]

the majority of interviews are given out long before they see the MSPE.

being a US senior obviously will help you and you will m/l match somewhere since IM isn't horribly competitive for a USMD student, but if you want to be selective, the competitive programs are...well...competitive.

I thought less than 20% of interviews were sent out in September, per the program director survey last year.

 

[rokshana]

I thought less than 20% of interviews were sent out in September, per the program director survey last year.

obviously its been a while since i interviewed for residency, but of the 20 invites i received, i would say probably got 13-14 before MSPE (but back then it was Nov 1st that was the release date).

if places are interviewing in October and November, it would make sense that they would want to get interviews solidified.

 

[safe]

Cool, I didn't know that data was out there. The 2016 PD survey shows that 19% of interview offers went out prior to Oct 1. I presume that not all schools require Step 2 CK before offering interviews. In that case, a delay in my score report until Oct 1 would supposedly impact me at <<20% of programs, hopefully closer to 0%.

 

[Matteo]

PGY-1 here. As long as the rest of your application is in line, and you don't need the Step 2 to show an upward trend - it's okay to take it a bit later. n=1, but I ended up taking it in late December and it presumably did not affect me. Obviously if you are able to take it earlier/get a strong score - it will bolster your application, but there is not set rule that it MUST be taken or you'll be put in interview purgatory. Good luck!

 

[W19]

PGY-1 here. As long as the rest of your application is in line, and you don't need the Step 2 to show an upward trend - it's okay to take it a bit later. n=1, but I ended up taking it in late December and it presumably did not affect me. Obviously if you are able to take it earlier/get a strong score - it will bolster your application, but there is not set rule that it MUST be taken or you'll be put in interview purgatory. Good luck!

That's what I was told by an advisor... She said the programs that your step1 is competitive for most likely will offer you interviews... The ones that are 'reach' are likely to wait for your step2 score... As far as CS, she said most programs don't care about it as long as you got your score in at the end of January or early February...

 

[Raryn]

The vast majority of IM programs do not require step 2 to interview as long as you have a decent step 1 score and go to school in the states. It's more or less universally required for FMG/IMGs though.

It is also getting more and more required to have a shared step 2 score (both parts) prior to the rank deadline in February. Too many programs have been burned by someone not passing CK or CS in the spring.

 

[Crayola227]

I was told by many PDs at the time of my interviewing face to face, and my Dean, that having Step 2 CK scores back in time for the program's rank list was ESSENTIAL or I would very possibly be unranked and unmatched, and I interviewed at many many places

OTOH, I was not told I would need it to garner interviews, and I didn't