Need to take Step 2 & Step 1 as a DO student?

[shaha14310]

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Hi, I am an OMS-III and took Step 1 this past summer. I scored a 220 and will be applying psych in the upcoming match. Do you think it is necessary to take step 2 or will I be fine just taking level 2?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Step 1 and Step 2 CK are the only ones you need to take. You don't have to take Step 2 CS.

 

[shaha14310]

Yes I know, but I’m wondering if it is necessary to take step 2 CK. Can I get away with only taking Level 2 CE?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Necessary? Probably not. Will it help if you take it and increase? Yes most likely.

 

[shaha14310]

Yeah I’m just trying to match somewhere in psych and am worried about the talk about increased competitiveness

 

[You shall know the Truth]

Necessary? Probably not. Will it help if you take it and increase? Yes most likely.

I agree

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Yeah I’m just trying to match somewhere in psych and am worried about the talk about increased competitiveness

If you're worried then I would do suggest to do everything you can to mitigate that worry, I.e. take Step 2 CK.

 

[risus_sardonicus]

Take it.

PDs don’t understand comlex scores, if you want to compete with your MD counterparts you need both step 1 and ck


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Hi, I am an OMS-III and took Step 1 this past summer. I scored a 220 and will be applying psych in the upcoming match. Do you think it is necessary to take step 2 or will I be fine just taking level 2?

I would take it if you scoring shows an improvement. A 220 will open doors all on its own tho.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Take it.

PDs don’t understand comlex scores, if you want to compete with your MD counterparts you need both step 1 and ck


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

I am going to disagree on this front with psych. It has been down for so long that they are somewhat familiar. Psych was happy to have any US grad even a few years ago.
Still think OP should take CK as there are some places that still restrict by step.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Yes I know, but I’m wondering if it is necessary to take step 2 CK. Can I get away with only taking Level 2 CE?

You absolutely can 'get away' with just level 2. However, if you can do step 2 and improve I think you should. There is a decent chance tho that you will get to the end of interview season and see other people who matched to similar places without it.

If you want to wait till you get level 2 back and then decide that might be prudent. Seems like a lot of people in my year dropped on level 2 where as that seems less common on step 2.

 

[hallowmann]

If you can improve, just take it. It's not particularly expensive as far as those exams go, still only takes a day, and is actually very similar in focus to Level 2 CE. As others have said, you could certainly get away with not taking it, but why take the risk of wondering "what if?"

Also, some advice, time it so the results come out after apps are released so that you have the option to not release if you do worse. That way, worst case scenario you don't improve or do worse and apply with only a Level 2.

 

[shaha14310]

What do you mean time it so the results come out after apps are released? Won’t my Step 2 score be released no matter what because I have to put in my NBME number to release my Step 1 score?

 

[hallowmann]

What do you mean time it so the results come out after apps are released? Won’t my Step 2 score be released no matter what because I have to put in my NBME number to release my Step 1 score?

No. Your score reports get released when you release them and apps are submitted. They don't automatically get updated, you have to re-release the report to update programs of new scores. Even then not all the programs will see the updated report unless they explicitly download your new app.

Disclaimer: it's been a while since I've been on ERAS, but I believe this is still the case

 

[NVO]

What do you mean time it so the results come out after apps are released? Won’t my Step 2 score be released no matter what because I have to put in my NBME number to release my Step 1 score?

If you get your score back after you submit your apps, its on you to update your app with your new score. A lot of MD students do this too actually. The idea is that you'll still get invites with your Step 1, and if you score well on Step 2, its almost like a way to contact programs that didn't send you an invite and say hey look at me now

 

[BorntobeDO?]

No. Your score reports get released when you release them and apps are submitted. They don't automatically get updated, you have to re-release the report to update programs of new scores. Even then not all the programs will see the updated report unless they explicitly download your new app.

Disclaimer: it's been a while since I've been on ERAS, but I believe this is still the case

Still true

 

[risus_sardonicus]

If you get your score back after you submit your apps, its on you to update your app with your new score. A lot of MD students do this too actually. The idea is that you'll still get invites with your Step 1, and if you score well on Step 2, its almost like a way to contact programs that didn't send you an invite and say hey look at me now

Look at me now, I’m getting paper

 

[Sardonix]

I would take Step 2. The last couple years of psych matches have been increasingly intense and from what I've seen psych applicants posting this year, the trend is continuing. If you feel Step 2 will improve from Step 1 (which is the case for most people who do reasonably well on Step 1) then definitely do it.

 

[shaha14310]

Hey everyone! Just want to report back that I took Step 2 and got my score back. I scored a 255. I was extremely surprised as I didn't feel that great coming out of the exam. How do you think this affects my chances at matching psych? I know psych isn't all about scores and was wondering what you all thought.

 

[deleted859689]

 

[full_rocker]

Hey everyone! Just want to report back that I took Step 2 and got my score back. I scored a 255. I was extremely surprised as I didn't feel that great coming out of the exam. How do you think this affects my chances at matching psych? I know psych isn't all about scores and was wondering what you all thought.

Congrats on an excellent score!

Based on the post above me showing the 2020 NRMP DO Charting Outcomes, your chances look very good! Apply smart and to places where you feel you will be a good fit/happy.

I've been going on multiple Zoom "meet and greets" with residency programs in my speciality of interest. It has been a decent way to see if a program's "culture" and career outcomes fit me. My hunch is psych programs are hosting these as well.

Good luck!

 

[ohmanwaddup]

this right here. To my knowledge this is true for most specialties. Those that took step 1 and 2, regardless of score, matched better than their fellow students who did not

 

[genessis42]

But would it still make sense for DO students to write Step even with it becoming Pass/Fail?

My school keeps telling us how the COMLEX is “our” exam and we don’t need usmle. But most of the upperclassmen I know hate the nbome for how it handled stuff this year

 

[ohmanwaddup]

But would it still make sense for DO students to write Step even with it becoming Pass/Fail?

My school keeps telling us how the COMLEX is “our” exam and we don’t need usmle. But most of the upperclassmen I know hate the nbome for how it handled stuff this year

Your school is lying. Yes you should still take it. if anything it being pass fail means you have even more incentive to take it

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

But would it still make sense for DO students to write Step even with it becoming Pass/Fail?

My school keeps telling us how the COMLEX is “our” exam and we don’t need usmle. But most of the upperclassmen I know hate the nbome for how it handled stuff this year

Yes. Many programs already filter DOs out that don’t have Step scores, so why wouldn’t they keep filtering for them when the bar now is much lower (just passing)? It would be so easy to eliminate every app that doesn’t have a P on it.

 

[full_rocker]

But would it still make sense for DO students to write Step even with it becoming Pass/Fail?

My school keeps telling us how the COMLEX is “our” exam and we don’t need usmle. But most of the upperclassmen I know hate the nbome for how it handled stuff this year

Any student who chooses not to take the USMLE exams is doing him/herself a significant disservice.

There are valid reasons NOT to take the USMLEs including overall poor academic performance, repeated year(s), and/or COMLEX board failure(s).

Deciding NOT to take it for reasons such as cost, extra time/prep, or the fallacy that it is equivalent to the USMLE is a poor choice.

Sit for the USMLE. Regardless of the future proposed scoring changes, it is a superior exam in every aspect.

 

[ohmanwaddup]

Any student who chooses not to take the USMLE exams is doing him/herself a significant disservice.

There are valid reasons NOT to take the USMLEs including overall poor academic performance, repeated year(s), and/or COMLEX board failure(s).

Deciding NOT to take it for reasons such as cost, extra time/prep, or the fallacy that it is equivalent to the USMLE is a poor choice.

Sit for the USMLE. Regardless of the future proposed scoring changes, it is a superior exam in every aspect.

Not in every way. It is nowhere near as holistic, and clearly 400Qs is wayyyyyyy better than 280 /s

 

[unexpectedcomplications]

220 is acceptable but Psych is becoming more competitive. You should take Step 2