New Pass/Fail step 1 exams Discussion

[Future_Bone_Docta]

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I have not been able to find a forum about this so I figured it could spark good discussion. If there is one, I would appreciate it if someone could link it.

I was just curious, so I have talked to multiple adcom members from schools. I was told that this will have a couple large impacts on residency placements:

1) Prestige of school plays a much larger factor
2) Resume building will be MUCH more important
3) Probably the most curiosity sparking: residency programs will actually look at your MCAT score much more heavily in placements due to no step 1 score.

How is that a very accurate measurement when it comes to residency placements? I almost compare that analogously to a medical school looking at an SAT score in admission to the school. I do not really see that being an accurate indicator of success in either situation.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I have not been able to find a forum about this so I figured it could spark good discussion. If there is one, I would appreciate it if someone could link it.

I was just curious, so I have talked to multiple adcom members from schools. I was told that this will have a couple large impacts on residency placements:

1) Prestige of school plays a much larger factor
2) Resume building will be MUCH more important
3) Probably the most curiosity sparking: residency programs will actually look at your MCAT score much more heavily in placements due to no step 1 score.

How is that a very accurate measurement when it comes to residency placements? I almost compare that analogously to a medical school looking at an SAT score in admission to the school. I do not really see that being an accurate indicator of success in either situation.

No one will care about your MCAT score.

 

[KnightDoc]

I have not been able to find a forum about this so I figured it could spark good discussion. If there is one, I would appreciate it if someone could link it.

I was just curious, so I have talked to multiple adcom members from schools. I was told that this will have a couple large impacts on residency placements:

1) Prestige of school plays a much larger factor
2) Resume building will be MUCH more important
3) Probably the most curiosity sparking: residency programs will actually look at your MCAT score much more heavily in placements due to no step 1 score.

How is that a very accurate measurement when it comes to residency placements? I almost compare that analogously to a medical school looking at an SAT score in admission to the school. I do not really see that being an accurate indicator of success in either situation.

You should probably search a little harder, because there have been a TON of posts about this, on multiple threads here, since it was first announced.

While there has been plenty of speculation back and forth about the whether or not school prestige will be any more important than it already is, absolutely no one other than you has suggested that anyone will care about MCAT scores when interviewing for residencies. The most popular opinion has been that Step 2 will replace Step 1 as a metric PDs will use, at least until Step 2 goes P/F.

If you search hard enough, you will find all of this for yourself. Happy hunting!!!

 

[iforget2]

There's a popular resource in medical school for Step 1 called Boards and Beyond. The founder, Dr. Ryan, said he talked to multiple PD's and they all responded that Step 2 will now be the biggest deciding factor when it comes to ranking applicants. Essentially, as was speculated by many, Step 2 is now the new Step 1.

 

[TheDataKing]

3) Probably the most curiosity sparking: residency programs will actually look at your MCAT score much more heavily in placements due to no step 1 score.

this isn't happening. I've spoken to numerous PDs and they have all said step 2 ck will be the new "benchmark" to help filter applications.

 

[DarklingThrush]

this isn't happening. I've spoken to numerous PDs and they have all said step 2 ck will be the new "benchmark" to help filter applications.

Yeaaah considering the majority of the MCAT has literally nothing to do with medicine, there would be no way. I’m going to take a wild guess and say That most PD’s don’t care if you knew how to calculate torque 6 years ago. Also your MCAT score is, in many cases, at least loosely related to the tier of school you attend... they don’t need to see your score.

 

[Goro]

I have a strong suspicion that the people who are thinking that PDs will use MCAT scores as a screen are either 100% oblivious to this process, or are hyperacehivers who feel their self-worth validated by their stats.

 

[KnightDoc]

I have a strong suspicion that the people who are thinking that PDs will use MCAT scores as a screen are either 100% oblivious to this process, or are hyperacehivers who feel their self-worth validated by their stats.

... or are wishful thinkers who are hoping that doing well on a test used for admission to professional school is going to help them get a job 5, 6, 7 or more years later!

 

[Sosaveli]

Everything I’ve seen says 2CK will be the new step 1. I’ve heard a lot of people on the forum and residents in real life in competitive specialties say that studying like Step 1 is still graded is a good way to learn material and set yourself up for Step 2 & Shelf success.

 

[Future_Bone_Docta]

I have a strong suspicion that the people who are thinking that PDs will use MCAT scores as a screen are either 100% oblivious to this process, or are hyperacehivers who feel their self-worth validated by their stats.

Oddly enough it was actually straight from the head of admissions at one of my State Medical Schools in a head to head meeting I had with them in person! But okay it seems like the consensus is that it will most certainly not actually be the case.

 

[medasez]

When is Step 2 CK taken? Is this before getting residency interviews?

 

[rdyotz]

When is Step 2 CK taken? Is this before getting residency interviews?

Previously, it was usually only done before applying if you had allow step 1 score and wanted to look more competitive. Now, everyone will be taking it prior to applying.