just got a low step 2ck score and dont want to release it, any advice?

[stillhere]

---

Members do not see this ad.

i am an AMG, applying for internal medicine. i have gone to a couple of interviews already and have 6-7 more to go in january. I just found out my step 2ck score, I passed but it is very very low!! so i dont want to release it until after the rank lists are submitted in february. can i do that?

or will programs that i've already interviewed at be calling me up and inquiring about my step 2 score?
basically will any program not rank me if i dont have my step 2 score in before the rank list deadline???
Please advise!!!!!

 

[Faebinder]

Sounds like you will hurt your ranking.... don't be surprised if they call/email you to ask about your step 2..... score. Not releasing it shows a bigger negative in my opinion than releasing a low score.

Not releasing it could mean a number of things like a failed score or a dismissal on attempt or anything really.

You need to hear from a program director's opinion and I am pretty sure it will match mine.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If no PD asks, then "no harm, no foul" and you are not under any obligation to tell them.

If anybody asks, you will need to decide what to do. If you release, it goes to all programs, not just the one that asked. Not releasing after being asked = automatic removal from the rank list in my program, but perhaps other programs aren't so strict. I guess you could email your scores directly to the PD that asks, and not release to the rest -- that's certainly legal.

If you selected "automatically release scores" when you took step 2, then your decision is made for you.

If someone asks and you tell them anything other than the truth -- i.e. "I'll be taking it in February" or "I haven't gotten my scores yet" -- they can consider terminating you for lying on your application and/or unprofessional behavior, so I wouldn't suggest that.

 

[stillhere]

I did not automatically release my score in the eras application, so i'm ok there. but if a program director does ask me for the score, will they be ok if i email it/fax a copy directly to them or will they expect me to release it on the eras application?

like aProgDirector said if i release it on the eras application it will go to all the programs, which i prefer not to do.

i know i did bad b/c i was sick around the time of the exam. and i was going to delay the exam but my interviews were two days later and i was starting a new elective. i know there's no excuse for a bad score but i just feel that since i did well on step 1, at least i have the potential to do well on boards...when i'm not sick with the flu. but how do you explain that to program directors? i'm soo bummed out right now 🙁

 

[dynx]

If no PD asks, then "no harm, no foul" and you are not under any obligation to tell them.

If anybody asks, you will need to decide what to do. If you release, it goes to all programs, not just the one that asked. Not releasing after being asked = automatic removal from the rank list in my program, but perhaps other programs aren't so strict. I guess you could email your scores directly to the PD that asks, and not release to the rest -- that's certainly legal.

If you selected "automatically release scores" when you took step 2, then your decision is made for you.

If someone asks and you tell them anything other than the truth -- i.e. "I'll be taking it in February" or "I haven't gotten my scores yet" -- they can consider terminating you for lying on your application and/or unprofessional behavior, so I wouldn't suggest that.

This is probably the smartest way to go. I wouldn't release the score to all programs. If they ask for it give it to that program ONLY. If they don't ask, don't volunteer it. As the poster quoted above sayse...Don't lie.

 

[stillhere]

This is probably the smartest way to go. I wouldn't release the score to all programs. If they ask for it give it to that program ONLY. If they don't ask, don't volunteer it. As the poster quoted above sayse...Don't lie.

no of course i won't lie to any program. but is there a way of finding out which programs require step 2 before submitting rank lists? and what is the deadline for programs to submit rank lists?
thank you for your advice

 

[pdintheusa]

You might want to consider releasing it if you listed on your ERAS "common application" that you took it in Oct/Nov.

We did check all of our applicants without step 2 scores to assess if they listed themselves as taking Step 2 before February. There were at least 3 last year that we did not rank because we had not received a score and they had listed that they would take it in the fall/winter.

Fault us if you will, but most schools require a passing score for graduation, and we can't take a chance on someone who has potentially failed the exam and is waiting to take it after the Match.

Just my 0.02 on what we do.

 

[stillhere]

but even if i released my score would programs still rank me? it seems like either way they will not rank me, and i'm freaking out about not matching into any program that I interviewed at. i'm an AMG at a pretty good school (comparable to Emory)with a step 1 score in the mid 230's but mediocre 3rd year grades. i really dont want to scramble and end up at a pathetic program.

my other question is, if you saw that someone did not release it would you contact them to ask them for the score? or do you not even bother calling them and then dont rank them?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

There are no simple answers to your questions. Honestly, I doubt someone will take you off their rank list without first asking for your step 2 score, but it certainly could happen.

More importantly, I think you need to take a long hard look in the mirror. Your last most mentioned "mediocre third year grades" and you blame your poor step 2 score on being ill. My experience is that a poor step 2 score is usually respresentative of a poor knowledge base, also perhaps suggested by your mediocre grades. I could be wrong, and certainly I only have your own statements to base this on, but there it is.

 

[Medical123]

There are no simple answers to your questions. Honestly, I doubt someone will take you off their rank list without first asking for your step 2 score, but it certainly could happen.

More importantly, I think you need to take a long hard look in the mirror. Your last most mentioned "mediocre third year grades" and you blame your poor step 2 score on being ill. My experience is that a poor step 2 score is usually respresentative of a poor knowledge base, also perhaps suggested by your mediocre grades. I could be wrong, and certainly I only have your own statements to base this on, but there it is.

You mentioned that you feel as if a poor Step 2 score is often representative of a poor knowledge base. In your opinion, is the Step 2 score more important than Step 1? I had always heard that Step 1 was one of the more important factors in deciding who gets interviewed and ranked at some of the more competitive programs.

 

[stillhere]

to aprogdirector:
i think it's funny that although a step 2 score of 78 is considered by nbme to be acceptable for passing, you still think it shows a poor knowledge base. sure if you had said that it indicates a poorER knowledge base compared to someone who got a 99, i would agree with you. but if i really had an overall poor knowledge base than i wouldnt have passed!!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Medical123: I can't speak for others, but I think scores on step 2 are more important than scores on step 1. I think they better represent a student / resident's clinical knowledge.

stillhere: I am not trying to insult you, and apologize in advance if that was the case. I can only report my own experience. The few residents in my program who score at the low end of the passing range on the USMLE Step 2 often go on to score poorly on the In Service Exam, and then struggle to pass the boards. Many report a "reason" for a low score on Step 2 (i.e. illness, stress, no time to study, room was hot, cute person near them was flirting with them the whole time, etc) and tell me that further testing will not be a problem, and are incorrect in that assessment. Some do fine, it is hard to tell in advance. My only point, and I apologize if it came across too harshly, was that after a "rock star" score on Step 1, the combination of "mediocre" (your description) clinical scores and a low step 2 are potentially concerning for some sort of problem.

 

[Faebinder]

Medical123: I can't speak for others, but I think scores on step 2 are more important than scores on step 1. I think they better represent a student / resident's clinical knowledge.

stillhere: I am not trying to insult you, and apologize in advance if that was the case. I can only report my own experience. The few residents in my program who score at the low end of the passing range on the USMLE Step 2 often go on to score poorly on the In Service Exam, and then struggle to pass the boards. Many report a "reason" for a low score on Step 2 (i.e. illness, stress, no time to study, room was hot, cute person near them was flirting with them the whole time, etc) and tell me that further testing will not be a problem, and are incorrect in that assessment. Some do fine, it is hard to tell in advance. My only point, and I apologize if it came across too harshly, was that after a "rock star" score on Step 1, the combination of "mediocre" (your description) clinical scores and a low step 2 are potentially concerning for some sort of problem.

I dont know prog...

There is good conclusive evidence that shows that Step 2 score is more a factor of verbal ability. I mean look at that study. It is showing that performance goes back to SAT verbal section! Granted that correlation does not mean causation but clearly a link is there which means that a lack of medical knowledge is not a good conclusion of bad Step 2.

 

[Medical123]

Medical123: I can't speak for others, but I think scores on step 2 are more important than scores on step 1. I think they better represent a student / resident's clinical knowledge.

Thanks. I was just curious!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Like any good unresolved issue, there is evidence on both sides. Clearly, there is no one single predictor of how students will do in residency -- if there was, we'd be using it.

 

[stillhere]

to a progdirector: it just seems like you are trying to tell me that I am doomed to fail in residency, and that i should not even bother to rank any program b/c they wouldnt rank me and i should stop wasting everyone's time and give up medicine right now b/c you think i am certain to fail future exams.

i know other people who failed one or two shelf exams and they still managed to get a decent step 2. and what you said earlier also applied to them when they failed the shelf but they ended up doing fine.

i know i said my third year scores were mediocre but at least i passed all the shelf exams the first time. i had two shelf exams that were good enough to get honors but my overall grade ended up being commendable b/c clinically i got commendable. and other shelf exams were satisfactory with clinical score of commendable. for my SubI in internal medicine i got honors overall. this sounds mediocre to me b/c i lot of students around me were getting honors in everything. but i dont believe these grades indicate that i have some sort of a problem like you suggested!!

and i talked to my dean who was really optimistic about the whole situation and said that i would be fine in residency. you even said yourself that some people do fine too. and i already made a schedule for myself to study core IM topics these next few months until may/june so that i will be more confident during intern year.
i know you werent trying to be mean on purpose but it sounded like you were trying to scare me into quitting medicine. i am still confident that i can be a good doctor and succeed in residency even if i have to scramble for a spot. so instead of telling me that i have a problem or that i need to look in a mirror, please let me know if you have any positive advice (like what books/resources to use right now) to help me be better.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Actually, I agree with your dean. With the above information, I wouldn't call your clinical grades "Mediocre" at all. If you've got good clinical grades and reasonable shelf scores, then that sounds great. I apologize if I've upset you, it wasn't my intent at all. Your USMLE score seems to be out of proportion to your other scores.

My only advice is to keep reading. Many med students at this point "take a breather" and stop reading, have more fun, etc. That's good (and I recommend that you do some of that also), but the more you read the better!

Good luck in the match, and I expect you'll do fine.

 

[dancelover]

I took my step 2 CK in October of my 4th year of med school (i'm now an intern). Did fine, but not stellar, and never released it b/c i didn't think it could help my application. Went on 21 interviews, with multiple interviewers at each institution, and was asked only 1 time whether or not i had taken step 2. Even then, the interviewer never asked for my score. I don't know if the rules have changed, in terms of whether or not programs require Step 2 results before they'll add you to the rank list, but i would agree with some of the other posters - don't release it to every program through ERAS, but don't lie about it if you get asked.

 

[stillhere]

Actually, I agree with your dean. With the above information, I wouldn't call your clinical grades "Mediocre" at all. If you've got good clinical grades and reasonable shelf scores, then that sounds great. I apologize if I've upset you, it wasn't my intent at all. Your USMLE score seems to be out of proportion to your other scores.

My only advice is to keep reading. Many med students at this point "take a breather" and stop reading, have more fun, etc. That's good (and I recommend that you do some of that also), but the more you read the better!

Good luck in the match, and I expect you'll do fine.

i guess my grades seem mediocre compared to other students in the class b/c i never got honors clinically in any rotation!! so that made my self-confidence lower and then i was burned out by the end of third year.

but anyway if anybody has any advice on what resources to use now in preparation for intern year please let me know, i plan on using my kaplan step 2ck books and first aid book but i dont know if thats good enough.

 

[Pox in a box]

My only advice is to keep reading. Many med students at this point "take a breather" and stop reading, have more fun, etc. That's good (and I recommend that you do some of that also), but the more you read the better!

If you want to be on a severe burnout, read every day of med school. But it sure works (in theory)!