I failed Step 3 multiple times and have finally passed. US MD grad with a first pass on Step 1, 2, and CS. Was in a residency program but did not progress to third year due to being unable to pass Step 3. Have been out of residency since that time but passed the exam now. Will go through the ERAS process and also the open positions that are available. My multiple failures on the exam were due to a lack of preparation and likely the stress that I was experiencing while at my program. How much will my Step 3 score matter at this time? I scored a 211. I know that Step 3 is usually seen as a pass/fail thing but I am wondering how my failures will play out in my journey. Thanks!
Multiple Step 3 failures and have passed! How will my match process go?
- Thread starter bailess90
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A big question is how long have you been out of residency and what have you been doing since then?
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I have no idea of what your chances are but seems like you're motivated to give ERAS a try so go for it. I don't think it's worth speculating on your chances as the reward is a potentially fulfilling career in medicine while the opportunity cost is a couple thousand down the drain and some half-days on Zoom.
In regard to what you need to do, if I was an APD/PD and I saw this, the first thing I would suspect was not that you have a knowledge deficit (you passed Step 1, 2CK+CS) but that you may have an issue with meeting deadlines or balancing between tasks. The "differential" (if you will) for this is broad and includes everything from a life event, being chronically unorganized, and having uncontrolled mental illness (including substance abuse). What you need to do in your PS/Interviews is to tell a consistent, honest account of what happened and to take complete accountability for what happened while at the same time demonstrating how badly you still want this. After you do that, each program director will form a different opinion and read between the lines. Some will honestly give you a hard pass during interview screening. Some will invite you and then rank you at the bottom by default (especially with these virtual situations ongoing), and some places may have an interest and you have no control over that. Just give it a shot and just try to weather it all.
