Hello all. I had a question for you guys. I was thinking about taking step 2 early. I didn't do horrible on my step 1, I just did around average (220). I just wanted to take step 2 early to get it out of my way. The problem is I don't understand how it is reported because I hear different things from different people. my question is if I take step 2 early like in August of this year, do I have the option to suppress or release my score on my application when I apply to residency? and also if I suppressed it would the residency programs know that? Basically if I do better than my step 1 score I would release it and if I did worse I would suppress it. But obviously I don't want to not have that choice or be able to suppress it only at the expense of the residency programs knowing I did so. To the guys who are familiar with this how does this work? and is there a timing of taking the step 2 where this is more possible. Please enlighten me. Thanks
Important step 2 question help, Anyone?
- Thread starter shaz8901
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Stop monkeying around, take it early, beat your 220, and send it to the programs (automatically or manually).
This question has been asked before and there's not a great answer as far as I know.
This question has been asked before and there's not a great answer as far as I know.
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So, if you score well, you want to show everyone how SMAAAT you are, but if you tank it, you want to hide the truth, and try to sneak into a decent gas program?
WEAK!
Good luck with your "plan."
WEAK!
Good luck with your "plan."
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I don't want to sneak into any program or hide anything. I am trying to be strategic in applying for a residency. I plan on working hard and doing the best I can where ever I match. So please I don't need any judgmental responses from my colleagues. FYI how you do on your step 1 or 2 or whatever test, doesn't say your smart or not, and doesn't say you will be good physician or not.
I would encourage you to take Step 2 early and report it. I thought Step 2 was easier than Step 1, and was definitely easier to study for. As long as you can dedicate 2-3 weeks to prepare you should be able to improve. My Step 1 was in the 220s and I was able to break into the 240s, which I believe helped me get some interviews that I may not have otherwise. Be confident, study hard (use Step 2 Secrets and UWorld), and you'll do well.
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As you made it this far, you must know that regardless of how these tests (sat, mcat, usmle, etc) correlate with your future potential, they are all used to guage applicants. The tests are standardized, so the results should be as fair as possible. Instead of trying to find loopholes in the system, just go back to the basics that got you this far. Get serious, study hard, take practice tests as needed, and score well.👍 The USMLE gets easier and easier again. Students get lazier and lazier in 3rd and 4th year. If you work your backside off you can kill it, and go into derm instead!
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Here is the answer to your question:
It depends on when you want to submit ERAS.
Say you plan on submitting ERAS on September 1st. The earliest you can take Step 2 and still have the option of not automatically reporting your score (ie "suppressing") is the second week of August, because Step 2 scores come back within 3 weeks. *If you get your Step 2 score back at any date before submitting ERAS, then your score automatically becomes part of your USMLE transcript, which must be sent in its entirety to the programs.
For example, if you take Step 2 on August 8 and you get your score on August 29, it, by default, becomes part of your USMLE transcript, along with your Step 1 score. At this point, you must transmit your whole transcipt when you submit your ERAS application, including your Step 2 score, whether you like it or not.
On the other hand, if you take Step 2 on August 15, you mostly likely won't get your score back until say September 6th. When September 1st rolls around, you submit your application, transmit your ERAS transcipt with only your Step 1 score and hit "NO" on the question that asks if you want to automatically transmit your USMLE transcipt when a new score becomes available, thus "suppressing" your score. If on September 6th you like your score, all you have to do it re-transmit your USMLE transcipt on ERAS. If you don't like your score, then just continue to suppress it and you're good.
This all changes if you don't plan on submitting exactly on September 1st though, but the rules remain the same. If you want the option of supressing, take step 2, click "NO" on ERAS, but don't wait more than 3 weeks before submitting your application, because if you do, your score becomes, by default, part of your application.
If you do suppress your score in this manner, all the residency programs see is that you've only submitted your Step 1 score. They can only conclude that either: A. You've suppressed a bad Step 2 score, or B. You didn't take it either because you thought your Step 1 score was good enough to stand alone or that you didn't want to risk it. So, programs don't necessarily know why there is no Step 2 score listed, but they can venture a pretty good guess.
I hope this helps. If it doesn't, then I'm sorry, and god speed. 😉
It depends on when you want to submit ERAS.
Say you plan on submitting ERAS on September 1st. The earliest you can take Step 2 and still have the option of not automatically reporting your score (ie "suppressing") is the second week of August, because Step 2 scores come back within 3 weeks. *If you get your Step 2 score back at any date before submitting ERAS, then your score automatically becomes part of your USMLE transcript, which must be sent in its entirety to the programs.
For example, if you take Step 2 on August 8 and you get your score on August 29, it, by default, becomes part of your USMLE transcript, along with your Step 1 score. At this point, you must transmit your whole transcipt when you submit your ERAS application, including your Step 2 score, whether you like it or not.
On the other hand, if you take Step 2 on August 15, you mostly likely won't get your score back until say September 6th. When September 1st rolls around, you submit your application, transmit your ERAS transcipt with only your Step 1 score and hit "NO" on the question that asks if you want to automatically transmit your USMLE transcipt when a new score becomes available, thus "suppressing" your score. If on September 6th you like your score, all you have to do it re-transmit your USMLE transcipt on ERAS. If you don't like your score, then just continue to suppress it and you're good.
This all changes if you don't plan on submitting exactly on September 1st though, but the rules remain the same. If you want the option of supressing, take step 2, click "NO" on ERAS, but don't wait more than 3 weeks before submitting your application, because if you do, your score becomes, by default, part of your application.
If you do suppress your score in this manner, all the residency programs see is that you've only submitted your Step 1 score. They can only conclude that either: A. You've suppressed a bad Step 2 score, or B. You didn't take it either because you thought your Step 1 score was good enough to stand alone or that you didn't want to risk it. So, programs don't necessarily know why there is no Step 2 score listed, but they can venture a pretty good guess.
I hope this helps. If it doesn't, then I'm sorry, and god speed. 😉
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Thank you very much for actually answering my question. The only follow up question is, with this suppression thing your talking about, is there any way residency programs know that I took the step 2 and am suppressing it or will they just not know anything and like you said it could be cuz I choose not to submit it even though I took it, or just didn't take it yet. by the way thanks alot for answering my question it helped
