Low step 1/2 and competitiveness for fellowship

[notApenguin]

Hey sdn, I’m a pgy-2 IM resident getting ready to apply for heme/onc this cycle. I have a 21x/23x on step 1 and 2 but matched into a ~top 30 IM program (probably only b/c my SO got me an interview after interviewing at my institution for a different specialty) and otherwise feel that I have a solid application: 2 first author pubs and middle author on 5 other publications during residency, strong clinical evaluations, expect to have strong LORs from PD and mentors, extensive leadership experiences during residency (if that even matters for fellowship), usmd. It’s hard for me to gauge my competitiveness for fellowship. Can I expect to be screened out of many heme/onc programs because of my low step scores? Any recommendations on total amount of programs I should apply to and breakdown of “reaches” vs. “safety” programs?

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[Ubba]

Hey sdn, I’m a pgy-2 IM resident getting ready to apply for heme/onc this cycle. I have a 21x/23x on step 1 and 2 but matched into a ~top 30 IM program (probably only b/c my SO got me an interview after interviewing at my institution for a different specialty) and otherwise feel that I have a solid application: 2 first author pubs and middle author on 5 other publications during residency, strong clinical evaluations, expect to have strong LORs from PD and mentors, extensive leadership experiences during residency (if that even matters for fellowship), usmd. It’s hard for me to gauge my competitiveness for fellowship. Can I expect to be screened out of many heme/onc programs because of my low step scores? Any recommendations on total amount of programs I should apply to and breakdown of “reaches” vs. “safety” programs?

Apply to any program you can envision tolerating for 3 years. It is getting quite competitive.

 

[Dwan]

Hey sdn, I’m a pgy-2 IM resident getting ready to apply for heme/onc this cycle. I have a 21x/23x on step 1 and 2 but matched into a ~top 30 IM program (probably only b/c my SO got me an interview after interviewing at my institution for a different specialty) and otherwise feel that I have a solid application: 2 first author pubs and middle author on 5 other publications during residency, strong clinical evaluations, expect to have strong LORs from PD and mentors, extensive leadership experiences during residency (if that even matters for fellowship), usmd. It’s hard for me to gauge my competitiveness for fellowship. Can I expect to be screened out of many heme/onc programs because of my low step scores? Any recommendations on total amount of programs I should apply to and breakdown of “reaches” vs. “safety” programs?

Scores still matter, but research and name of IM residency are the biggest factors, so you should be fine. Hard to say what is a reach or safety, because each program has their own priorities. If you have first author papers in top journals, that can definitely overcome low scores and you would still be competitive for "top" programs. Apply a broad range of programs.

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

Can you match at your home program that would be easiest IMO

 

[gutonc]

Hey sdn, I’m a pgy-2 IM resident getting ready to apply for heme/onc this cycle. I have a 21x/23x on step 1 and 2 but matched into a ~top 30 IM program (probably only b/c my SO got me an interview after interviewing at my institution for a different specialty) and otherwise feel that I have a solid application: 2 first author pubs and middle author on 5 other publications during residency, strong clinical evaluations, expect to have strong LORs from PD and mentors, extensive leadership experiences during residency (if that even matters for fellowship), usmd. It’s hard for me to gauge my competitiveness for fellowship. Can I expect to be screened out of many heme/onc programs because of my low step scores? Any recommendations on total amount of programs I should apply to and breakdown of “reaches” vs. “safety” programs?

"Everything" matters. But some stuff matters more than other stuff. What matters to one program will be different from the next. Your app isn't in any way bad, or exceptional. It's very solid though. So just go for it.