quickie Q for current/past applicants

[frantic983]

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Hello all! I was hoping a few people could help me with identifying which of the below residency programs have a minimum step I score cut off (if you have an idea of what the min is, that would be helpful too):

Case Western
Cleveland Clinic
Northwestern
UI Chicago
Rush
Colorado
Rochester
Pittsburgh

Thank you in advance.

 

[ShaveBiopsy]

all prob somewhere in the 240s

 

[scumbagderm]

all prob somewhere in the 240s

no, that's ridiculous! 240 is the AVERAGE for MATCHED applicants. Therefore, there are plenty of people who match that have below this. I'd say closer to 220 is the cutoff at most places.

 

[Long Dong]

When I was a med student, my school said theirs was 230.

 

[Ignite hardcore]

The highest I've heard is 255 (faculty source) at one program this year. Other PDs in interviews say they personal review every application implying that there is not necessarily a cut-off there.

I would guess most programs do use a cut-off (esp. after that NRMP PD survey data recently released) and would say it is at least 235.

It has got to be tough to get 450-650 applications down to 40 interviews

 

[JanetteBournes]

The highest I've heard is 255 (faculty source) at one program this year. Other PDs in interviews say they personal review every application implying that there is not necessarily a cut-off there.

I would guess most programs do use a cut-off (esp. after that NRMP PD survey data recently released) and would say it is at least 235.

It has got to be tough to get 450-650 applications down to 40 interviews

255? Wow. 😱

 

[frantic983]

Here is my issue: I am interested in setting up an away rotation, and want to set it up at a location where I am not automatically disqualified. Without getting into specifics of my score, I am not safely outside the estimates already quoted.

Does anyone have a good idea how I can address this issue? I can't imagine being the first applicant with this concern.

Thank you to those who have already responded.

 

[Ignite hardcore]

She said 'quickie'

 

[Derm1210]

Here is my issue: I am interested in setting up an away rotation, and want to set it up at a location where I am not automatically disqualified. Without getting into specifics of my score, I am not safely outside the estimates already quoted.

Does anyone have a good idea how I can address this issue? I can't imagine being the first applicant with this concern.

Thank you to those who have already responded.

I think your best bet here is to try to talk to people a year or so ahead of you that may have done rotations at the places that you're interested in and then have subsequently gone through the match process. Some programs will tell you up front if they interview all rotators, consider them without an interview, etc. And if they don't, people who have been through the rotation will usually know the dish. Any places in particular you're interested in? I'm sure someone on this board will have either done a rotation there or knows the history of the program in regards to its rotators.

 

[frantic983]

Being from the Midwest, I am focusing in on this region.

I would say that those programs that I have listed at the top of this thread would be those that I would be interested in doing an away at.

If anyone has any experience with an away at Rochester, Pitt, or Case, I would greatly appreciate a PM. Anyone with solid second hand info on any of these would also be great.

Thanks!

I think your best bet here is to try to talk to people a year or so ahead of you that may have done rotations at the places that you're interested in and then have subsequently gone through the match process. Some programs will tell you up front if they interview all rotators, consider them without an interview, etc. And if they don't, people who have been through the rotation will usually know the dish. Any places in particular you're interested in? I'm sure someone on this board will have either done a rotation there or knows the history of the program in regards to its rotators.

 

[Dermpath2B]

If programs have "cut-offs," are they usually based on AOA status or boards scores? The PD at my program gave me the impression that AOA is more important.

 

[Dermocrat]

That doesn't quite seem fair, as AOA status varies widely from school to school, with some not even having it.

 

[discontinuebed]

That doesn't quite seem fair, as AOA status varies widely from school to school, with some not even having it.

It isn't fair but I've also found AOA status to be worth its weight in gold. I was under the impression that very few schools don't have it either. Harvard, Stanford, and one other I think

 

[03Doc]

Look, a lot of places have cut-offs and a lot don't.

Some say: "we have 500 apps and can't thoroughly review all of them, so we will set some artificial bar with the USMLE scores and raise it until we get down to a manageable number and then give all of those a full look"

Some say: "each faculty member gets 50 apps to read fully and either passes on the best for full faculty review or gets to pick who gets interviewed from there"

And it goes on and on with the rationales. Having been on the other side of things for a bit now, you can truly understand how difficult it is to take 500 apps, pick 5-10% of those to interview and then 10% of those to rank highly.

That said... don't let anything you hear about board score cutoffs etc., keep you from applying somewhere, or pretty much everywhere. There could always be something special about your application that resonates with one of the faculty. Paying for the apps sucks, but do it. Most are fortunate to get 5-7 interviews, so unless you are the absolute bomb, figuring out how to afford all the trips isn't the issue - getting the chance to go on a few interviews is.

 

[discontinuebed]

Look, a lot of places have cut-offs and a lot don't.

Some say: "we have 500 apps and can't thoroughly review all of them, so we will set some artificial bar with the USMLE scores and raise it until we get down to a manageable number and then give all of those a full look"

Some say: "each faculty member gets 50 apps to read fully and either passes on the best for full faculty review or gets to pick who gets interviewed from there"

And it goes on and on with the rationales. Having been on the other side of things for a bit now, you can truly understand how difficult it is to take 500 apps, pick 5-10% of those to interview and then 10% of those to rank highly.

That said... don't let anything you hear about board score cutoffs etc., keep you from applying somewhere, or pretty much everywhere. There could always be something special about your application that resonates with one of the faculty. Paying for the apps sucks, but do it. Most are fortunate to get 5-7 interviews, so unless you are the absolute bomb, figuring out how to afford all the trips isn't the issue - getting the chance to go on a few interviews is.

Solid advice. I think it's smart to plan ahead on which programs are more likely to extend you an interview based on Step 1 score in terms of an away rotation. I would hope that you apply to as many as you can afford, even if there are rumored cutoffs.

5-7 interviews seems kind of low for the superstars on this board. I've heard plenty of 10+ers here.

 

[Dermguy]

Most of my friends, even my AOA, >250 board score, top-20 med school friends were disappointed with the number of interviews they got. I really think it's smart to apply to every program even if it means taking out another loan.

 

[discontinuebed]

Most of my friends, even my AOA, >250 board score, top-20 med school friends were disappointed with the number of interviews they got. I really think it's smart to apply to every program even if it means taking out another loan.

I dunno, I'd certainly apply broadly but there are a few states where you're literally throwing money into the wind (NY, Cali, TX come to mind) if you haven't rotated there/no family ties/no undergrad experience/no med school experience/etc/etc/etc

 

[Dermguy]

I dunno, I'd certainly apply broadly but there are a few states where you're literally throwing money into the wind (NY, Cali, TX come to mind) if you haven't rotated there/no family ties/no undergrad experience/no med school experience/etc/etc/etc

It's funny those are the three states you mentioned. Anecdotally, I had interviews in all three of those states yet have absolutely no connection to two of the three. Alternatively there are a number of schools closer to home for me where I was somewhat confident I would get interviews but didn't because this whole process really is that unpredictable.

 

[DermMatch]

I got only two interviews from my home region, although I made a big push to that area. Lots of interviews outside my home region.

Apply everywhere.