Not getting the residency you wanted?

[circulus vitios]

I've read stories of medical students being forced into Family Practice residencies because of low USMLE/COMLEX scores, and consequently hating their lives. I'm only a pre-medical student but I have a feeling I won't like the clinical side of medicine. I'd much prefer something like pathology but it scares me to think that if I somehow mess up and get bad marks, I'll be stuck doing a residency I absolutely hate. Is there any way of retaking the USMLE/COMLEX exams and getting into a residency of my choice? Or are the exams a one time deal?

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[Bacchus]

Despite your life "being over" you'll still have to pay off your loans. Guess the best advice is to not screw up along the way and as soon as you need help get it. I believe you can resit for your boards; you have to if you fail.

 

[flip26]

I've read stories of medical students being forced into Family Practice residencies because of low USMLE/COMLEX scores, and consequently hating their lives. I'm only a pre-medical student but I have a feeling I won't like the clinical side of medicine. I'd much prefer something like pathology but it scares me to think that if I somehow mess up and get bad marks, I'll be stuck doing a residency I absolutely hate. Is there any way of retaking the USMLE/COMLEX exams and getting into a residency of my choice? Or are the exams a one time deal?

There is a lot of risk in medical school - not much risk of flunking out - but plenty of risk in not obtaining the scores that will give you a leg up to that dream residency.

Nobody should enter med school unless they go into it understanding the "risks" and not willing to accept the "lowliest" of MD specialties...whatever you think those are.

 

[MrBurns10]

I don't know about the COMLEX, but for step 1 you can only retake if you fail. A poor step 1 score is a significant hindrance but in no way kills your application to all but the most competitive fields. Doing really well on step 2 and substantive research can both help. And you may have to "settle" for that community program in North Dakota, but in the end you'll still be a blank.

No one can force you into a job you don't want to be in. If you don't get into path (which is one of the "easier" ones to get into in terms of median step 1 scores), you can always do research after 4th year or some other thing that can help you for the match. And if after trying a few times you still don't get what you want, then maybe do something else. I'd much rather go into consulting or real estate than go into a medical field that I really dislike.

 

[Law2Doc]

And if after trying a few times you still don't get what you want, then maybe do something else. I'd much rather go into consulting or real estate than go into a medical field that I really dislike.

Student loans make "trying a few times" prohibitive for most students. It's hard to pay these while in neither school nor a residency. And you won't have an easy time getting into consulting without having worked a bit first -- your MD means little to these companies without some physician experience; there are other threads on this on SDN.

Honestly, if you have no interest in working with patients, you are going to hate med school, and as a result have a very hard time with it. Med schools exist to train clinicians. Everyone else is just biding their time. I honestly don't recommend med school to folks who have no interest in working with patients -- there are almost always higher yield paths to the jobs they really seek. For instance, there are other ways to do a lot of the functions of a pathologist without going to med school; consider pathology graduate schools or maybe try to go work as a coroner.

 

[MrBurns10]

Student loans make "trying a few times" prohibitive for most students. It's hard to pay these while in neither school nor a residency. And you won't have an easy time getting into consulting without having worked a bit first -- your MD means little to these companies without some physician experience; there are other threads on this on SDN.

Agreed about the consulting. As for student loans, if you want it bad enough...well, that's up for you (the general you) to decide. I was just presenting the option.

 

[circulus vitios]

Which is the major contributing factor in residency acceptances? Step I or II? Or both?

 

[MrBurns10]

Which is the major contributing factor in residency acceptances? Step I or II? Or both?

Step 1. For most programs, you don't have to even release your step 2 before you're ranked if you don't want to.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

And fyi... pathology is not a particularly competitive specialty. Most anyone who applies in path gets it.

 

[stixx]

Guess the best advice is to not screw up.

Word. If you get in it's because the school believes you have a reasonable chance of succeeding (whatever their standards of "success" are). Don't throw away that chance.

 

[Law2Doc]

And fyi... pathology is not a particularly competitive specialty. Most anyone who applies in path gets it.

The first statement is true. The second is false. It's a lot easier to get than the competitive fields. But the average step 1 for path is about the same as the average for US test takers, and fewer than 100% of US applicants match, so it's not like anyone who applies gets it. A modest percentage of US applicants, and most offshore applicants won't.