Mentor/advice?

[chromuffin]

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My school has been terrible with getting back to me about a mentor/giving me advice. Guess I need to turn to here. I'm an MS3..

My step 1 was horrendous for Rads (218). Need to know if I have any chance at an academic institution. I've had 3 rotations and gotten P on 2. Honored 1. I've only got a summer of research in oncology. Hoping to take step 2 in mid-June 2018 so it reflects on my application. Currently around 52nd percentile on UW but it hasn't been translating well onto shelf exams.. I'm scoring poorly. Any advice? For what it's worth, step 1 was taken after less than two weeks of dedicated and my scores were projected to be 230s based on practice exams.

 

[CloudEmperor]

Take Step 2 early. Your target should be to improve at least 20 points.

You can match radiology with a 218 Step 1 without difficulty, but you have to open up your search to more areas and community programs. You can match at an academic with a decent shot although it may not be where you want to go, i.e. you may be in North Dakota for a few years.

 

[chromuffin]

Take Step 2 early. Your target should be to improve at least 20 points.

You can match radiology with a 218 Step 1 without difficulty, but you have to open up your search to more areas and community programs. You can match at an academic with a decent shot although it may not be where you want to go, i.e. you may be in North Dakota for a few years.

Do you recommend an away at some academic programs?

 

[DrfluffyMD]

DO or MD?

 

[chromuffin]

DO or MD?

MD

 

[CloudEmperor]

Do you recommend an away at some academic programs?

They aren’t really helpful for radiology so I don’t think they’re necessary. The only thing is if you want to break into a specific region like the West coast then I’d go.

 

[chromuffin]

They aren’t really helpful for radiology so I don’t think they’re necessary. The only thing is if you want to break into a specific region like the West coast then I’d go.

Wanting to go to the southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah) if possible. I know it's not overly competitive but A I have no ties and B my step score is far from competitive

 

[DrfluffyMD]

Wanting to go to the southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah) if possible. I know it's not overly competitive but A I have no ties and B my step score is far from competitive

Do away at community programs at those places. I doubt your score will be good for academic programs.

 

[CloudEmperor]

My PD told me when I asked him that a lot of the SW programs aren't really competitive. New Mexico I don't think is that competitive, but I can't view their residents to see. You can definitely match radiology though, but you may not have a say where you end up at.

 

[chromuffin]

Do away at community programs at those places. I doubt your score will be good for academic programs.

Could this be countered with, say, a 250 Step 2?

 

[DrfluffyMD]

Could this be countered with, say, a 250 Step 2?

Less likely than a more clinical field like EM.

 

[guytakingboards]

Less likely than a more clinical field like EM.

I'll counter and say yes, at least for my program. We need to know you can pass the Core exam (aka the boards) at the end of the R3 year.

What I've told people is that the average Step 1 score of matched radiology people is ~240. So roughly that's the stats of the group of people taking the Core exam. ~12% of people fail the Core exam. If an applicant has average or below average Step scores overall, they're behind the eight ball immediately. Plenty of those people with below-average USMLE scores pass the Core, but there's concern there. A good Step 2 score would ease those concerns.

 

[chromuffin]

I'll counter and say yes, at least for my program. We need to know you can pass the Core exam (aka the boards) at the end of the R3 year.

What I've told people is that the average Step 1 score of matched radiology people is ~240. So roughly that's the stats of the group of people taking the Core exam. ~12% of people fail the Core exam. If an applicant has average or below average Step scores overall, they're behind the eight ball immediately. Plenty of those people with below-average USMLE scores pass the Core, but there's concern there. A good Step 2 score would ease those concerns.

Good to know. The reason I ask is because my step 1 score poorly reflects my MK on account of personal issues surrounding my step 1 date.