Ophtho progs deadlines for test taking

[demspawn]

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I am planning on applying for the match this summer but I have not yet passed my second step.
Do ophtho progs have a deadline for having passed all exams before the actual matching or is it right before you startyour residency?
If I havent passed my step 2 before my interviews, will that have a negative effect on the interviewers??

Thanx
D

 

[medduck]

Not having taken step 2 has no effect on interviews. Most students who do well on step 1 purposefully postpone step 2 until after or around the time of the match, just in case they do worse. Some med schools require students take step 2 by Dec or Jan. In this case, programs still do not get the scores by match time because you have to mail them yourself. The SFmatch may have automatic reporting of USMLE scores set up, like the NRMP, by this year-I doubt it though, the SFmatch is still rather archaic.

Ophtho programs don't require that you pass step 3 before starting residency but it is highly recommended. My program recently sent me an email about that. Dr. Doan related a story of someone waiting until the PGY-4 year, failing, and not being allowed to start fellowship.

 

[demspawn]

Thank you very much ... concise and to the point.
Really helpful answer.
Ahve a good day and thenk you again

 

[GeddyLee]

Well, while medduck's reply is pretty much on target and sums up my strategy for taking step II after the match date, I should say that I had several interviewers ask me when I would take step II and why I had postponed it. This is, as I'm sure you'd understand, a difficult question to answer. Potential answers are:

1-I'm lazy and don't feel like taking it until after i've secured my residency
2-I kicked butt on step I and feel that it was pure luck, so I don't want to out myself by doing badly on step II

Postponing step II may also leave a factor of doubt in your application, because in the event that you fail it, it may delay your graduation and ability to start your program on time.

I don't know if these factors weighed in on my failure to match last year, however, I certainly wish I had taken it in time for my step II scores to be a part of my application. It's a bit of a crap-shoot...if you're certain you'll do well and have 3-4 weeks to study hard for it, by all means take it before interview season starts....things get hectic then and will only lead to further postponement.

 

[demspawn]

Hhhhhhmmmmmm
It is now getting more complicated...

I will see what Ill do.
D

 

[Jaded Soul]

So is it bad to be honest and say that you postponed Step 2 because your Step 1 score was high? That would be the truth. Or would they rather hear something like you had lots of free time to study for Step 1 and little free time for Step 2 so you wanted to wait until things calmed down later in 4th year?

 

[Andrew_Doan]

So is it bad to be honest and say that you postponed Step 2 because your Step 1 score was high? That would be the truth. Or would they rather hear something like you had lots of free time to study for Step 1 and little free time for Step 2 so you wanted to wait until things calmed down later in 4th year?

Few people will ask this, and most attendings will not care.