Official 2013-2014 - What are my chances thread?

[boovog]

Edited to remove specifics now that interview season is closer. Thanks to everyone who replied!

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[notdeadyet]

Boovog- With an application like that, you should get interview offers from many to most of the top programs you apply to. Best of luck...

 

[pyknotic]

Step 1: 238
Step 2 CK/ CS: Comin up, plannin on gunning and nabbing the 250 magic
School: Wake Forest
Class Rank: middle of the pack
Grades in Clerkship: Honors Psych, HP FamMed and Neurology, P Int Emg Obgyn, Surgery and Peds unknown but most likely HP
AOA: no
Research/ Publications: Research proj on MR spectroscopy nicely related to psych/neuro but no pubs yet (4th year?)
Volunteering and Leadership: Tons. President of Psych IG, founder of two orgs related to student wellness and mental health, many hours put in volunteering at projects inc. teenagers, children, elderly w/ dementia, developmentally disabled kids etc.
Red Flags: none

And I just want to end up at a great program with a ton of opportunities. Location is less important at this stage.

Thanks so much!

Great scores on boards, good performance on wards, no red flags, and a demonstrated interest in psychiatry -- throw in a few excellent LoR's, and you will be a very desirable candidate come interview season.

 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

you'll be fine

 

[Capote25]

I have similar stats and applied to ~50 and received ~20 interviews, including some in California and a few other well-respected programs. One of my roommates applied to maybe 30-35 and got 8 interviews with slightly worse grades. Just apply broadly and you should be fine.

Will it be an issue if I didn't get Honors in Psych? I scored very high on the NBOME shelf exam (123/130). I had two evaluations from my clerkship, one was excellent and the second was done by a doctor who I think didn't understand/care to read the evaluation thoroughly and marked me as adequate down the line. I obviously would like to think I deserved a better grade on my evaluation, oh well. So my question is, do residency programs take the time to look at the shelf exam score or do they just see if you got Pass/High Pass/Honors? How much will getting High Pass instead of Honors affect my chances if I'm already an average student?

 

[notdeadyet]

If you're asking about allopathic programs, they will not look at your shelf score. They just see the grade.

A High Pass in psych is fine for most programs as long as the rest of your application is strong.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

See if you can get the attending who gave you the excellent eval to write you a letter of recommendation. When you ask, give them a copy of your personal statement and ask for feedback, talk about your interest in psych, and let them know how pleased you were that you got a great Shelf score. With any luck they'll refer to that in the letter they write.

 

[elloco]

Step 1: 238
Step 2 CK/ CS: Comin up, plannin on gunning and nabbing the 250 magic
School: Wake Forest
Class Rank: middle of the pack
Grades in Clerkship: Honors Psych, HP FamMed and Neurology, P Int Emg Obgyn, Surgery and Peds unknown but most likely HP
AOA: no
Research/ Publications: Research proj on MR spectroscopy nicely related to psych/neuro but no pubs yet (4th year?)
Volunteering and Leadership: Tons. President of Psych IG, founder of two orgs related to student wellness and mental health, many hours put in volunteering at projects inc. teenagers, children, elderly w/ dementia, developmentally disabled kids etc.
Red Flags: none

And I just want to end up at a great program with a ton of opportunities. Location is less important at this stage.

Thanks so much!

I like the fact that you decided to put your Step 1 score in bold.

 

[Rebs28]

Will it be an issue if I didn't get Honors in Psych? I scored very high on the NBOME shelf exam (123/130). I had two evaluations from my clerkship, one was excellent and the second was done by a doctor who I think didn't understand/care to read the evaluation thoroughly and marked me as adequate down the line. I obviously would like to think I deserved a better grade on my evaluation, oh well. So my question is, do residency programs take the time to look at the shelf exam score or do they just see if you got Pass/High Pass/Honors? How much will getting High Pass instead of Honors affect my chances if I'm already an average student?

Good on you for the high shelf score. I was in a similar situation, but my grade was lowered due to the shelf, rather than an eval. I earned an AB when my school runs on a B/AB/A system, so I think that's equivalent to your high pass. I wasn't asked about it at all during interviews, and I don't think it held me back one bit. I think you should be just fine with a high pass.

I like OPD's suggestion about mentioning your shelf score to your letter writer. You might even include your shelf score print-out in the materials you provide to her/him.

 

[psychminded]

Step 1: 245
Step 2 CK/ CS: Take in summer
School: MD school (USA) top 60 school
Class Rank: 2nd quartile
Grades in Clerkship: high pass family/neuro, pass peds/surgery, rest to complete
AOA: Nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: undergrad research- no publications, working on publication this year, lots of international community service undergrad/med school
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) nope
Overview of where you want to end up: Top Tier programs (MGH, Yale, Columbia, Hopkins)
What are my chances for these top places? Is this realistic? Other good programs to consider as well?

 

[nmbuk]

Step 1: 208
Step 2 CK/ CS: 228/Pass
School: middle of the pack private school
Class Rank: school doesn't rank
Grades in Clerkship: all pass except honors in psych
AOA: nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: currently getting an MPH (between third and fourth year) my thesis will be psych related. Hoping to get a publication or two in as well. A couple leadership positions at my school
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) nothing major
Overview of where you want to end up: Mostly interested in schools out west, though not necessarily California. I'd love some suggestions, access to outdoor recreation and a positive resident culture are my top priorities.

 

[jackson1]

Step 1: 208
Step 2 CK/ CS: 228/Pass
School: middle of the pack private school
Class Rank: school doesn't rank
Grades in Clerkship: all pass except honors in psych
AOA: nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: currently getting an MPH (between third and fourth year) my thesis will be psych related. Hoping to get a publication or two in as well. A couple leadership positions at my school
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) nothing major
Overview of where you want to end up: Mostly interested in schools out west, though not necessarily California. I'd love some suggestions, access to outdoor recreation and a positive resident culture are my top priorities.

I think you're in great shape. I'd definitely recommend checking out Utah. The residents were really down-to-earth and happy and you have access to a ton of outdoor activity in SLC. I've also heard great things about UNM. I'd look into UW, OHSU, and UC-Denver (they all seem to work their residents harder than average, but have great access to outdoor recreation and solid training).

 

[NYMD2B682]

Step 1: 208 (gross)
Step 2 CK/ CS: scheduled in Oct 2014
School: respected state medical school
Class Rank: probably bottom half
Grades in Clerkship: I've gotten three so far-Honors, High Pass, Pass
AOA: Nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: Some clinical volunteer work
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) I had to take off the first three months of third year (my parents were sick) which is the reason for my low Step 1 score too. I'm set to graduate on time so I'm not sure programs will even notice.
Overview of where you want to end up: My absolute top choice would be Univ of Washington but I think that's a long shot for me with my Step 1 :/ Other than that it doesn't matter to me much, I'd just like to get into the best possible program that I can get into. Any advice on how I can ensure that happens? I'm willing to apply to 60 programs if I have to ... just pissed about that Step 1. Thanks!

 

[splik]

Step 1: 208 (gross)
Step 2 CK/ CS: scheduled in Oct 2014
School: respected state medical school
Class Rank: probably bottom half
Grades in Clerkship: I've gotten three so far-Honors, High Pass, Pass
AOA: Nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: Some clinical volunteer work
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) I had to take off the first three months of third year (my parents were sick) which is the reason for my low Step 1 score too. I'm set to graduate on time so I'm not sure programs will even notice.
Overview of where you want to end up: My absolute top choice would be Univ of Washington but I think that's a long shot for me with my Step 1 :/ Other than that it doesn't matter to me much, I'd just like to get into the best possible program that I can get into. Any advice on how I can ensure that happens? I'm willing to apply to 60 programs if I have to ... just pissed about that Step 1. Thanks!

208 isn't bad, it's a solid passing score. i scored similar as an IMG and got lots of great interviews. you should strongly consider doing Step 2 CK/CS during the summer. almost everyone does significantly better on step 2. if the reason for your step 1 score was really because your parents were sick then you shouldn't be worried about doing it a bit earlier. a good grade on your IM clerkship will be looked favorably upon. At many programs your IM clerkship grade counts more than how you did on psychiatry! You should also get strong letters of recommendation and make sure you are an interesting application. Where you go to med school probably matters more than your step 1 score or at least is factored in, but there's not much you can do about that now.

UW does not have a step 1 cut off so your score would not bar you from interview. They do put some emphasis on whether you might be a good fit for the program (for example interest in c/l psychiatry, collaborative care, ties to WWAMI region), how you do on your medicine rotations, any ties to the area, and where you went to school. I am not sure how much of a difference away rotations make. Certainly most people who do aways at UW don't match there, and if you're not a good student it will absolutely kill your chances. However a good LoR from someone on the faculty will carry a lot of weight.

One thing about UW is they have several PGY-2 spots. PGY-2 spots at most programs are much, much less competitive than PGY-1 spots (the number of applicants is way smaller) and so if you have your heart set on it, you have a second chance the following year if you don't match there first time round. Several applicants have in fact done this. obviously you would need to do well during your intern year.

 

[NYMD2B682]

208 isn't bad, it's a solid passing score. i scored similar as an IMG and got lots of great interviews. you should strongly consider doing Step 2 CK/CS during the summer. almost everyone does significantly better on step 2. if the reason for your step 1 score was really because your parents were sick then you shouldn't be worried about doing it a bit earlier. a good grade on your IM clerkship will be looked favorably upon. At many programs your IM clerkship grade counts more than how you did on psychiatry! You should also get strong letters of recommendation and make sure you are an interesting application. Where you go to med school probably matters more than your step 1 score or at least is factored in, but there's not much you can do about that now.

UW does not have a step 1 cut off so your score would not bar you from interview. They do put some emphasis on whether you might be a good fit for the program (for example interest in c/l psychiatry, collaborative care, ties to WWAMI region), how you do on your medicine rotations, any ties to the area, and where you went to school. I am not sure how much of a difference away rotations make. Certainly most people who do aways at UW don't match there, and if you're not a good student it will absolutely kill your chances. However a good LoR from someone on the faculty will carry a lot of weight.

One thing about UW is they have several PGY-2 spots. PGY-2 spots at most programs are much, much less competitive than PGY-1 spots (the number of applicants is way smaller) and so if you have your heart set on it, you have a second chance the following year if you don't match there first time round. Several applicants have in fact done this. obviously you would need to do well during your intern year.

Thanks for the advice! I wanted to take Step 2 earlier but, because of that three month break at the beginning of third year, I have to take one core clerkship at the beginning of fourth year. With my Step 1 score I really don't want to take Step 2 without having finished my core clerkships. Where should I apply with this type of application and to how many programs?

 

[shan564]

As long as you have your Step 2 score by mid-late September, you should be fine. So you should be able to wait until a month into 4th year.

Apply at whatever programs interest you. Your competitiveness will depend heavily on your Step 2 score, but if it's above average, you'll be competitive at most programs.

 

[Jorje286]

.

 

[shan564]

Most programs will recognize that 2 first-author papers and a paper in a reasonably high-impact journal are a much bigger accomplishment than a month of volunteering.

 

[Jorje286]

Most programs will recognize that 2 first-author papers and a paper in a reasonably high-impact journal are a much bigger accomplishment than a month of volunteering.

.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

How important are ECs? My ECs are a lot more biased for research than volunteer/leadership, and I managed to get 2 first author pubs (one in a journal with IF>6), and I should get a third first author pub in a few months. I'll try to get involved in some volunteering now that my research is mostly done. Do programs look at those experiences equivalently?

The volunteering and previous work experiences just show us who you are--i.e. someone who does things to check off a box, or someone who actually enjoys service to others.

 

[Jorje286]

The volunteering and previous work experiences just show us who you are--i.e. someone who does things to check off a box, or someone who actually enjoys service to others.

.

 

[notdeadyet]

Well you've got to enjoy it to withstand the long term commitment. But how many pre-med or medical students would actually extensively volunteer if the adcoms didn't care? My guess is a small fraction, given the pseudo-obsession with salaries on this board and elsewhere when you end up making at least 150k.

The pseudo-obsession is a relatively new trend on this board. It's been trending towards money and the like more with recent membership.

Regarding the other, I think you'd be better off spending time professionally with something that really lights your fire. This comes across in interviews. It's not that difficult for someone whose been interviewing for any length of time to tell when someone is passionate about something vs. going through the motions. Research is great if you're passionate but I think folks sometimes over-rate the importance. A bit of time in lab and a couple of pubs doesn't amount to much if you're research track and is just a "oh, that's nice" if you're not.

I think folks are best of spending the little free time they have in medical school for professional development to really get out there and do what is interesting. If that's ends up being atypical ike sports psychology or group therapy for weight loss, so be it.

 

[Nasrudin]

I don't abide the tisk tisk of self-righteous pilgrims. Past or present.

Regarding how to impress--A 250 on step 1 doesn't hurt. Publications and a sincere interest in research are top flight stuff. AOA would be awesome. A pure string clinical honors as well. All the stuff that impresses PD's the world over.

Shoot for 10-15 points above average on the steps for top programs. It's not a rule or something anyone will state, just common sense. If you don't make that goal you are by no means out of the running for those programs.

Who you are, as has been said above is probably more important in psych than it is elsewhere.

 

[y0ung312]

I have quite the predicament if anyone wants to help. I recently graduated from a foreign medical school in Southeast Asia in 2013, but I'm also a US Citizen. I took my step 1 and got a 229, but I recently just received my Step 2 CK score, and got a 217. It was kind of devastating considering I was expecting at least 230, so I don't know what happened there. I want to Match in a Psychiatry Program this coming year, but I'm afraid I may have shot myself in the foot with this. I have 2 LOR's with 2 more coming for my match. I'm also doing research and hoping I can get a publication as a first author, though I'm not sure it will be in time for the match. So I also hate to be that FMG asking for advice, but do you think the lower Step 2 CK will be looked upon very poorly by PD's? Or is it an obstacle that can be tackled?

 

[slappy]

You may not have a shot at the very top programs, but that shouldn't stop you from applying. Get the rest of your application in shape instead of crying over spilled milk and practice to present yourself well at the interviews. Nothing anybody says here will change how many interviews you are going to get, but if you stay positive and present yourself with the right attitude, you will surely be able to match at a very good program. Good luck.

 

[notdeadyet]

I think SDN way overestimates the importance of Step 2. If you have a strong Step 1, most programs will not care about an applicants Step 2, as long as it's a passing score.

 

[psychattending]

I think SDN way overestimates the importance of Step 2. If you have a strong Step 1, most programs will not care about an applicants Step 2, as long as it's a passing score.

I would disagree. Step 2 CK is more important than Step 1 for 2 reasons -- CK tends to be more clinically relevant and people tend to spend more time studying for Step 1 than Step 2. All that said 229 and 217 are fine scores and within measurement error in my estimation. You might have issues getting an interview at the top programs but you should be a viable candidate at the vast majority of places.

 

[notdeadyet]

I would disagree. Step 2 CK is more important than Step 1 for 2 reasons -- CK tends to be more clinically relevant and people tend to spend more time studying for Step 1 than Step 2.

Interesting. Definitely counter to what I've seen. It must vary a lot by institution.

The fact that the majority of programs don't even require Step 2 to be done by time of interview or even ranking is kind of indicative though, no?

 

[slappy]

They do for IMGs right?

 

[y0ung312]

Thanks for all the advice and support. I agree that Step 2 is more important for IMG's than it would be for AMG's, but now that is done for me, I have to move forward and proceed with what I have. I sincerely appreciate the feedback. Cheers.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Interesting. Definitely counter to what I've seen. It must vary a lot by institution.

The fact that the majority of programs don't even require Step 2 to be done by time of interview or even ranking is kind of indicative though, no?

You can't get a state license without a Step 2, which will be a major deal breaker for starting residency. So if someone is looking marginal, we'd like to make certain it's in the bag before we offer them a slot.

 

[spacecat]

I'm a little worried since i'm a canadian citizen attending US allopathic.

Step 1: 235
Step 2 CK/ CS: Will be taking in september
School: mid-tier school, midwest
Class Rank: No class ranks given but i think >50th%?
Grades in Clerkship: H in psych and emergency med, HP IM, FM, Peds, OBGyn, P Surgery, Neurology
AOA: nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: 3 years of medical humanities research, 1 national presentation, 1 school presentation (1 of 11 selected out of my class) 3 poster presentations, 1 article will be sent for publication this summer; no specific psych research (only did some neuroscience research in college). LGBT advocacy stuff, visual art stuff (a few exhibitions but nothing exciting)
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) Will require an H1B visa.. no psych research while in med school.
Overview of where you want to end up: Northeast (boyfriend + family there)

How many programs should I apply to? I was thinking 25 - 30 (as long as I can find that many programs willing to sponsor the H1B visa). Will I have a decent chance at the more competitive programs/cities?

 

[slappy]

As a Canadian, don't you need a TN1 visa? Also, I don't think that's a red flag at all. Limitation, yes, but definitely not a red flag. As to the actual questions, I'll defer to someone more experienced in resident selection like OldPsychDoc or psychattending. Good luck with the match.

 

[shan564]

I'm a little worried since i'm a canadian citizen attending US allopathic.

Step 1: 235
Step 2 CK/ CS: Will be taking in september
School: mid-tier school, midwest
Class Rank: No class ranks given but i think >50th%?
Grades in Clerkship: H in psych and emergency med, HP IM, FM, Peds, OBGyn, P Surgery, Neurology
AOA: nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: 3 years of medical humanities research, 1 national presentation, 1 school presentation (1 of 11 selected out of my class) 3 poster presentations, 1 article will be sent for publication this summer; no specific psych research (only did some neuroscience research in college). LGBT advocacy stuff, visual art stuff (a few exhibitions but nothing exciting)
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) Will require an H1B visa.. no psych research while in med school.
Overview of where you want to end up: Northeast (boyfriend + family there)

How many programs should I apply to? I was thinking 25 - 30 (as long as I can find that many programs willing to sponsor the H1B visa). Will I have a decent chance at the more competitive programs/cities?

Sounds like you'll probably get what you want. The best way to improve your chances at the more competitive places would be to take CK earlier. Even if your score is a bit lower due to being slightly less prepared, just having it can make a big difference.

 

[spacecat]

Sounds like you'll probably get what you want. The best way to improve your chances at the more competitive places would be to take CK earlier. Even if your score is a bit lower due to being slightly less prepared, just having it can make a big difference.

Agh, I unfortunately scheduled my vacation around my SubI's and required rotations, so september kind of ended up being the only time I could do step 2 without eating into interview time. I'll be taking both of them the week of the 23rd... should I update the programs once I get my score? I was hoping to at least have the score before interviews. :-S

 

[shan564]

Agh, I unfortunately scheduled my vacation around my SubI's and required rotations, so september kind of ended up being the only time I could do step 2 without eating into interview time. I'll be taking both of them the week of the 23rd... should I update the programs once I get my score? I was hoping to at least have the score before interviews. :-S

Yes, you should update them when you get your score. That's how I got an interview at the place where I ended up matching.

 

[Bebopkatuba]

"if you want us to caress your ego in order to relieve some pre-application anxiety"

Yes, please

Step 1: 209
Step 2 CK/ CS: taking these in the fall
School: west-coast MD school
Class Rank: probably in the bottom quarter
Grades in Clerkship: honors in psychiatry, near honors in pediatrics, everything else satisfactory
AOA: nope
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: Two papers published while in medical school (medical but not psychiatry-related), two papers published before med school in neuroscience field, plus a handful of abstracts/posters; masters of science in neuroscience prior to medical school. Lots of school committees, class officer all four years, other minor volunteer stuff. Couple of awards and scholarships.
Red Flags: (step failures, etc) none other than low class rank
Overview of where you want to end up: I'd really like a residency on the west coast, but would take anything if necessary. Torn between being a practicing psychiatrist full time vs. half clinical/half research, would like a program that will prepare me to do either.

I'd love to hear opinions about chances, programs to consider, programs to avoid, how many programs to apply to, and what I can do to make the most of my chances (other than do well on Step 2, I figured that one out on my own!). Is 10 enough programs to apply to? 20? 30?

Thanks!!

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Bebopkatuda (like the name),
Well you may not have set the world on fire in med school, but you haven’t tripped up anywhere and you are coming from what I assume is a good school and you have some publications although not in psych and good extra curricular stuff. This all makes you probably above average in the psych applicant pool. Again, not out of sight, but above the mid line clearly.
Translated, I would say the very top programs are probably out of reach, but you should get interviews at excellent places and likely be a slam dunk in more than half the programs out there. 10 would do it unless you picked the 10 most exclusive programs in the country. If you want the West Coast, cover the West Coast. That should be enough top notch, very good and average types of programs to be safe with.

 

[Bebopkatuba]

thanks, moderately relieved. not incredibly relieved, but... moderately

 

[spacecat]

I don't know if I should ask elsewhere on the forums but how many programs should I apply for? I've asked the residency director who gave me the 25-30 figure, but I talked to the chairman of psych here and he suggested 40 (!) and to do 20 interviews (!!!). Is a visa THAT much of a problem if I'll be applying only to places that sponsor H1Bs?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

I don't know if I should ask elsewhere on the forums but how many programs should I apply for? I've asked the residency director who gave me the 25-30 figure, but I talked to the chairman of psych here and he suggested 40 (!) and to do 20 interviews (!!!). Is a visa THAT much of a problem if I'll be applying only to places that sponsor H1Bs?

The H1B is a dying breed. I think you'll find fewer and fewer programs willing to sponsor them, except for fellows, junior faculty, and truly EXCEPTIONAL residents.

 

[RichterBelmont]

USMLE Step 1: 233
COMLEX Level 1: 627
Step 2 CK/ CS: Will be taking COMLEX Level 2 next week
School: A relatively newer D.O. school but has been around for 20+ years
Class Rank: Not sure but top 25% realistically
Grades in Clerkship: Honors in Psychiatry
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: Former president of a sports club at school, some volunteer clinic work
Red Flags: None
Overview of where you want to end up: West coast preferably, but when it comes down to it, just any solid psych program regardless of where it is

 

[Dharma]

USMLE Step 1: 233
COMLEX Level 1: 627
Step 2 CK/ CS: Will be taking COMLEX Level 2 next week
School: A relatively newer D.O. school but has been around for 20+ years
Class Rank: Not sure but top 25% realistically
Grades in Clerkship: Honors in Psychiatry
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: Former president of a sports club at school, some volunteer clinic work
Red Flags: None
Overview of where you want to end up: West coast preferably, but when it comes down to it, just any solid psych program regardless of where it is

bump

 

[LimbicResponse]

USMLE Step 1: 233
COMLEX Level 1: 627
Step 2 CK/ CS: Will be taking COMLEX Level 2 next week
School: A relatively newer D.O. school but has been around for 20+ years
Class Rank: Not sure but top 25% realistically
Grades in Clerkship: Honors in Psychiatry
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: Former president of a sports club at school, some volunteer clinic work
Red Flags: None
Overview of where you want to end up: West coast preferably, but when it comes down to it, just any solid psych program regardless of where it is

Well, the one thing mid tier programs will look at regarding this application will be what your letters say about you. Have you had a chance to read them?

I would say if you have excellent letters you should aim for a program like UCSD, they have taken DOs in the past, although they had an usually strong intern class this past year. Overall a solid program. Good luck

 

[doctora2013]

USMLE Step 1: 236
USMLE Step 2CK: 259 CS: passed first try
School: FMG (not Carribean) - however undergrad at University of California SD graduated with honors (not sure if this counts). US citizen.
Class Rank: Not sure but top forty%
AOA: Nope
Grades in Clerkship: Pass in psychiatry
Research/ Publications / Extracurriculars: two years of research - submitted one abstract and one paper. Worked in refugee camps- big reason for move.
Red Flags: none
Overview of where you want to end up: Best program possible. What programs should I expect an interview from realistically? Will I have a good chance at competitive programs?

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Good numbers, you will get in unless you apply only at top places. These things are almost impossible to predict for sure so the only accurate advice is to look at the whole field, narrow it by geography preference and make sure you have a broad array of programs from the most to the least competitive and you should be fine.

 

[doctora2013]

Good numbers, you will get in unless you apply only at top places. These things are almost impossible to predict for sure so the only accurate advice is to look at the whole field, narrow it by geography preference and make sure you have a broad array of programs from the most to the least competitive and you should be fine.

Great advice! Thank you so much!

 

[shan564]

USMLE Step 1: 236
USMLE Step 2CK: 259 CS: passed first try
School: FMG (not Carribean) - however undergrad at University of California SD graduated with honors (not sure if this counts). US citizen.
Class Rank: Not sure but top forty%
AOA: Nope
Grades in Clerkship: Pass in psychiatry
Research/ Publications / Extracurriculars: two years of research - submitted one abstract and one paper. Worked in refugee camps- big reason for move.
Red Flags: none
Overview of where you want to end up: Best program possible. What programs should I expect an interview from realistically? Will I have a good chance at competitive programs?

Your stuff looks similar to mine, except that your scores are 9-17 points higher, your psych clerkship grade is a bit lower, and otherwise similar quantity/quality of extracurricular/research stuff. If you're a non-Carib FMG, the reputation of your med school might contribute a tiny bit - that helped me a lot because I went to a place with a recognizable name. I ended up going to WashU, and my other top choices were Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, Iowa, and Baylor. You'll get better interviews than I did because your scores are higher and you've already taken CS, which I hadn't done when I applied. Of the programs affiliated with "top 10" med schools (which I mention because you say "best program possible," which is hard to quantify), you'll probably get interviews at WashU, Yale, Penn, Duke, UW, and maybe Hopkins and Stanford. The only programs that might be a reach are the Harvard programs (except for South Shore, of course), Columbia, Cornell, UCLA, and UCSF.
UCSD also has a great program (especially in the opinion of those of us who are at WashU) - California can be tough for IMGs, but since you did your undergrad there, it might be realistic.

 

[Fabio001]

I just got my step 2 ck score back and it's significantly lower than my pretty high step 1 score that is in the mid 240's. How big of a deal is this? Do programs care about your step 2 score if your step 1 score is exceptional?

 

[1027353]

4th year DO Student here.

COMLEX 1: 408 (second try)
Step 1: 190 (second try)
COMLEX 2: Found out a failed a few days ago
COMLEX PE (the osteo CS equivalent): Passed in June
School: DO school on the western half of the country
Class Rank: lower 10%
Grades in Clerkship: As and Bs
AOA: No
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: Not much - some volunteering doing physicals for high school kids in the area. Nothing in psychiatry because I didn't decide upon the field until the middle of my 3rd year.
Red Flags: Failed both the COMLEX 1 and Step 1 on first try, took a year off to study for them then passed them the second try. I just failed COMLEX 2 and am planning on taking it again at the end of September.
Overview of where you want to end up: Anywhere. I realize I can't be picky now.

What should be my plan of action here? Passing the COMLEX 2 in September is key - I will get all of September off to do that. I plan on applying to at least 70 programs, as long as my boards meet the minimum requirements. Should I go ahead and submit my application in September before I get my COMLEX 2 back? Anything else I should do?

Thanks for your help.