I was originally going to take my step 2 exam this Sat but I've been studying for it during family medicine and just don't feel ready. Took a practice test and got a 206 on Weds and applied for an eligibility period extension. I really want to focus on doing well on my fourth year rotations (starting next week) and getting letters of recommendation so is it ok if I take step 2 at the end of Oct? I'll be on maternity leave actually and my husband will be home as well so I'm thinking I'll be able to get a good chunk of studying done and be more prepared.
Ok to take step 2 in Oct after residency apps submitted
- Thread starter lilek22
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yes, historically many/most people hadn't completed step 2 but now more and more people are. step 1 is the main thing looked at, so the only reason to do it early would be if your step 1 was bad.
Step 1 was a 218, not great but good enough for psych I think.
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are u a U.S. student, foreign or Caribbean? if you are a U.S. student you should be fine, if you are foreign or Caribbean student it makes a difference and you should try to have your scores in by the time ERAS opens or at least by Oct 1st.
obviously take the test when you are ready, you want to make sure you pass etc. however just keep in mind that the sooner your scores are out the better
obviously take the test when you are ready, you want to make sure you pass etc. however just keep in mind that the sooner your scores are out the better
US student in a mid tier MD program
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I'm assuming you're talking about CK? I don't think it'll matter. I took CK pretty early but it was never discussed at any point apart from making sure that you submit your transcript prior to the rank deadline. If you're talking about CS, I didn't end up taking it until the beginning of December. I suppose doing CK earlier could be advantageous if you're likely to do well and the score can act as a helpful supplement to your step 1 score.
I had a few friends that didn't take CK until later on in the cycle (November/December) and it didn't seem to affect them.
I had a few friends that didn't take CK until later on in the cycle (November/December) and it didn't seem to affect them.
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If you have no red marks on your name, then historically you would have been fine. Typically we have not used Step 2 for invitation determination. It will be interesting to see whether the increases in applications that we saw last year continues this year and whether the increases start to affect how a lot of the programs operate vis-a-vis handing out invitations and ranking of applications.
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Psychattending is right. Almost no programs will exclude applicants without step II, but as numbers climb, it could be the next filter added. Having step II is better than not having it. It will all come down to how many applications we get without any other red flags. If a program interviews 100 people, step II will not matter if there aren’t 100 people who look fine and have step II. If there are 100 applicants who look fine and have step II, step II will be required. Even if we say it isn’t required, we pick the best applicants to interview. Our standards fluctuate with the quality of the pool. Lately, everyone has been getting a little pickier, not much more, just a little more. If the pool thins, our standards will drop in a New York minute. Most program directors can tell you exactly how many interviews they will do next year. They don’t have a clue what their standards will be, but they will be soft or hard enough to hit that number every time.
