MD/PhD students and USMLE scores changing over time

[cyberer]

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Hey guys- I am a 7th year MD/PhD student who hasn't posted on these boards since I took step 1 5-6 years ago.

I received a score of 229 on step 1 back in 2011 when the average score was ~220.

I am applying for residency with the class of 2018 (after taking the time off for my PhD) and I have been told that that class's average USMLE score was a 230.

So, I am obviously concerned that my above average score has become a below average score that may fall below cutoffs in my chosen specialty (rad onc).

I spoke to the Rad Onc Chairman at my medical school hospital and he said that I was worrying for nothing and that they would likely look at percentile scores. But I'm not even sure percentile scores exist for step 1 (at least I don't think I was given one).

Has anyone else come across this or have any insight?

 

[globe199]

Hey guys- I am a 7th year MD/PhD student who hasn't posted on these boards since I took step 1 5-6 years ago.

I received a score of 229 on step 1 back in 2011 when the average score was ~220.

I am applying for residency with the class of 2018 (after taking the time off for my PhD) and I have been told that that class's average USMLE score was a 230.

So, I am obviously concerned that my above average score has become a below average score that may fall below cutoffs in my chosen specialty (rad onc).

I spoke to the Rad Onc Chairman at my medical school hospital and he said that I was worrying for nothing and that they would likely look at percentile scores. But I'm not even sure percentile scores exist for step 1 (at least I don't think I was given one).

Has anyone else come across this or have any insight?

They started posting the percentiles on the USMLE website relatively recently (see below link). Unfortunately, MSTP students applying in "non-traditional" MD/PhD specialties are more often than not hurt by how Step 1 scores rise while we're off in PhD-land.

http://www.usmle.org/pdfs/transcripts/USMLE_Step_Examination_Score_Interpretation_Guidelines.pdf

Although in theory PhD research is supposed to help MD/PhDs in the match, at the end of the day a low Step 1 may result in residencies never even seeing your application because it was machine-filtered out without taking the percentile into account. Sorry I don't have any more insight as I'm still in the middle of my PhD, but as an anecdote, last year a senior student from my program was having trouble getting interviews in the ob/gyn match due to a low (probably <220) Step 1 score. Regardless, she matched to a competitive academic program in the end because she had attendings from our ob/gyn department make phone calls on her behalf.

So it would be great if you could get people in your Radonc department to go to bat for you! This is probably even more important in Radonc given how small of a field it is. Remember you also have away rotations...

So hang in there and don't give up on Radonc! If you're sure that's what you want to do, you should show how badly you want it!

 

[TheBigPicture]

You should head over to the physician scientist forum if you haven't been there yet. One of their mods, Neuronix, has written a lot about "score creep" during the MD-PhD training. Also, I believe he is doing a Rad Onc residency, so he might have some insights there as well.

EDIT: here is one thread I found from there on the topic.
http://www.forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/impact-of-board-score-creep-on-md-phds.855953/

 

[Psai]

You should head over to the physician scientist forum if you haven't been there yet. One of their mods, Neuronix, has written a lot about "score creep" during the MD-PhD training. Also, I believe he is doing a Rad Onc residency, so he might have some insights there as well.

EDIT: here is one thread I found from there on the topic.
http://www.forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/impact-of-board-score-creep-on-md-phds.855953/

He's trying to publish but no one's interested if i recall correctly

 

[URHere]

I'm applying for this year's match with the same exact problem (and score).

I think that score creep is a real concern. As others have said, residency programs can set filters based on things like Step scores, and those filters would not take your exam date into account. I can't say how much of a problem this will be for you in Rad Onc (especially since a PhD holds slightly more weight there than in other fields), but I think my Step 1 score hurt my application for Med/Peds. My advisors recommended applying to several top programs based on my clinical grades and research CV and many of those scores flatly ignored my application. Expect the average score to be even higher when you apply - it goes up every year.

My advice to you would be to take Step 2 CK early enough to have a score on your initial ERAS application. If you nail it, that may help your application. Also try hard for Honors and AOA, which may also push your application past those pesky filters. As a bit of unsolicited advice, shelf exams tend to crush MD/PhD students, so take them seriously. It's not easy to jump back into weirdly nuanced multiple choice exams after a 3-5 year break.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Hey guys- I am a 7th year MD/PhD student who hasn't posted on these boards since I took step 1 5-6 years ago.

I received a score of 229 on step 1 back in 2011 when the average score was ~220.

I am applying for residency with the class of 2018 (after taking the time off for my PhD) and I have been told that that class's average USMLE score was a 230.

So, I am obviously concerned that my above average score has become a below average score that may fall below cutoffs in my chosen specialty (rad onc).

I spoke to the Rad Onc Chairman at my medical school hospital and he said that I was worrying for nothing and that they would likely look at percentile scores. But I'm not even sure percentile scores exist for step 1 (at least I don't think I was given one).

Has anyone else come across this or have any insight?

The one nice thing about Rad Onc is that while good Step scores definitely help, they are not the end-all be-all that they are in other "competitive" fields. As long as your PhD is in Rad Bio or something cancer related and applicable to Rad Onc (and assuming you do well clinically) I think you'll match somewhere just fine. Yes, it will likely not be in as good of a program than if you had applied previously, but then your PhD wouldn't have been complete either (with the requisite pubs, etc.).

 

[ratherbefishing]

This thread should be moved to the MD/PhD forum, you will get more responses there