No passing CS score until April/May – Match/SOAP eligible?

[so.many.questions.]

My husband (AMG) is retaking the CS in the next cycle and his score won’t be out until 4/22/20 or later. I cannot find consistent info re: whether he is even eligible to match/do SOAP without a passing CS score.

Also, his dean added an addendum to his dean’s letter about his failing CS score, so we are not sure if all of his programs now know he failed or not. He was asked about it in an interview last week, which is how he even found out about the addendum. I have read accounts of students being told by their home institution not to tell programs unless asked, so did his dean do something unusual? The dean said he was required to, but the document he cited (Match Participation Agreement For Medical Schools For the 2019 Main Residency Match®) is not 100% explicit.

Any and all advice is appreciated! Not being able to ask peers about this makes the process that much more stressful and confusing.

Here is what I am referring to when I reference unclear rules re: Match/SOAP eligibility:

If I Have Not Received My ECFMG Certification When Ranking Opens, Can I Still Enter My Rank Order List?​

​

Yes, you can enter a rank order list. If the NRMP receives notification from ECFMG® that you have passed the required examinations (USMLE® Step 1 and Step 2 CK and CS), you will be included in the Main Residency Match. If the NRMP does not receive ECFMG confirmation of passed examinations, you will be withdrawn from the Main Residency Match shortly after the Rank Order List Deadline and your rank order list will NOT be used when the matching algorithm is processed. (If I have not received my ECFMG certification when ranking opens, can I still enter my rank order list? - The Match, National Resident Matching Program)​

​

​

NRMP Main Residency Match®​

​

The NRMP matches applicants with available residency positions. You are required to register with NRMP by the NRMP Late Registration deadline in February in order to participate in this season’s Match.​

​

Additionally, to participate in the Match, NRMP requires that the passing results of all exams required for ECFMG Certification (USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 2 CS) are available by the NRMP Rank Order List Certification deadline. You must also certify your NRMP Rank Order List by this deadline. If you have not yet taken and passed USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS), please see the Step 2 CS Score Reporting Schedule. You do not need to be ECFMG certified in order to participate in the Match.​

​

...​

​

To be eligible to participate in SOAP, an international medical student/graduate must, among other requirements:​

​

• Have registered with AAMC’s MyERAS 2020.​

• Have registered with the NRMP for the 2020 Main Residency Match.​

• Be fully or partially unmatched.​

• Have taken and passed the examinations necessary for ECFMG Certification.​

​

(ERAS Support Services - Applicants NRMP)​

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Lilyhopeless]

If your husband is an AMG then you don't have to worry about the ECFMG certification. As a matter of fact, it is very common for many USMD students to go through the match with no CS grade at all. A very close friend of mine is going through with that right now, he is procrastinating too much and took it very late. He would only have his grade in April. He is cursing himself as he is worried that he might fail it and will not be able to graduate ontime.

Also, just to clarify that when we are saying AMG or USMD, we meant medical students who attend med schools in the US. If the institution is anywhere but stateside, then he is not an AMG or USMD at all. He can be an american citizen but if he attends school outside of US, he will need the ECFMG ceritification. If not certified by the deadline, his ROL will be removed.

Regarding what your dean did, that seems strange. I, unfortunately, failed the PE and just recently passed it. My MSPE was not changed at all. And what you researched is correct, my school, while they told me to be honest if asked directly, adviced me to not mentioned anything at all about the failed PE if it was not brought up. In their words, "don't look gift horses in the mouth and just keep mum about it." and they even helped coaching me for the best diplomatic ways to answer that situations without being weird.

But other people might have more experience than me in this matter!

 

[so.many.questions.]

If your husband is an AMG then you don't have to worry about the ECFMG certification. As a matter of fact, it is very common for many USMD students to go through the match with no CS grade at all. A very close friend of mine is going through with that right now, he is procrastinating too much and took it very late. He would only have his grade in April. He is cursing himself as he is worried that he might fail it and will not be able to graduate ontime.

Also, just to clarify that when we are saying AMG or USMD, we meant medical students who attend med schools in the US. If the institution is anywhere but stateside, then he is not an AMG or USMD at all. He can be an american citizen but if he attends school outside of US, he will need the ECFMG ceritification. If not certified by the deadline, his ROL will be removed.

Regarding what your dean did, that seems strange. I, unfortunately, failed the PE and just recently passed it. My MSPE was not changed at all. And what you researched is correct, my school, while they told me to be honest if asked directly, adviced me to not mentioned anything at all about the failed PE if it was not brought up. In their words, "don't look gift horses in the mouth and just keep mum about it." and they even helped coaching me for the best diplomatic ways to answer that situations without being weird.

But other people might have more experience than me in this matter!

Thank you for your reply! I did actually figure the certification thing out later today. He is in the states and a citizen, so he doesn’t need to do that. I guess the question of why the deans letter was changed is still unclear. Let’s hope he matches at all...if the letter hadn’t been changed I’d be much more hopeful for sure.

 

[shtumpa]

I’m surprised the Dean let programs know without discussing it with the applicant first.

Maybe the Dean thought it is transmitted automatically anyway so thought they were doing a favor.

 

[so.many.questions.]

I’m surprised the Dean let programs know without discussing it with the applicant first.

Maybe the Dean thought it is transmitted automatically anyway so thought he was doing a favor.

Agreed. It struck me as odd. Oh well, too late now!