Importance of Step 2 for reapplicants to IR/DR next year

[bigTime_painDoc]

I am a 4th year med student at a top med school that is really interested in IR/DR. I applied for a surgical sub specialty, but I have a gut feeling that I won't match. I have always been interested in IR and DR (more so IR), but opted for the surgical sub. If I don't match, I want to try to delay graduation and reapply to only IR/DR this fall.

I have a strong step 1 score (260+) but I just took step 2 and got a 245. I have lots of research experience (20+ publications and 10+ first author papers) and will have very strong letters from my mentors, two of whom are radiologists. Will the drop on Step 2 kill my application? Should I do away rotations? Would really appreciate any input that those on this forum have to offer.

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[MouseChair]

Too early to say - you may match.

Your step 2 isn’t bad imo…

The DR->ESIR pathway should be open to you (and honestly is better)

 

[bigTime_painDoc]

Too early to say - you may match.

Your step 2 isn’t bad imo…

The DR->ESIR pathway should be open to you (and honestly is better)

Thanks so much for the response. Yea I'm mainly worried about how the step 2 will look, given the new emphasis on it with P/F step 1. Not sure whether a good step 1 score can offset it to an extent/at all. Reassuring to hear you think its not that bad.

Do you have any tips on what I should do between now and when I apply? Should I just do research?

 

[g3tb0mbed]

Unlikely any program pays attention to step 1 in the match next year since 99% of applicants will not have a score. You should still have a good chance to match though with your program and stats

 

[MadRadLad]

Step 2 will become the new Step 1. If you don't have it, you are at a disadvantage against the people who took it and did well. But with a 260+ step 1 it may not matter as much.

I would try to network with rads departments and try to show interest in rads. Rads is pretty friendly to other applicants but you don't want to come off as someone who is obviously using it as a backup.