Realistic to keep pursuing ortho with a low 240?

[omrfc768]

Got Step1 today, kinda ended up in my own limbo area. Told myself if I hit 250 I'd green light myself for ortho, sub 240, I'd just pivot to something else.
And welp, I'm right in the middle, which I had a feeling would happen.

Have been doing ortho research since M1, have a few abstracts and 1 pub so far (3rd/mid author) with potentially a few more in the works, go to my state MD and have a home program. Obviously gonna have to grind for rotations regardless what I'm going into but I guess its more do I proceed with all my ortho research, or cut ortho and start the transition to something else. I guess my rationale for this is I dont really want to apply to another specialty with a boatload of ortho work and it be obvious I self-selected myself out of ortho and am dropping down. Coupled to this my tolerance for the risk of going unmatched/reapplying is on the low side.

Thoughts? Charting outcomes 2018 I feel might be getting kinda outdated for ortho and others like this as I have heard from older students/recently matched that the bar has begun to creep into the 250s for those who match.

 

[Frogger27]

Yeah you’re good to go. Work hard third year, keep up with the research and be smart about your aways. If you don’t match it will not be because of your step score. Think of Step 1 as a hurdle, not a measuring stick. Basically if you get >240, you can play the game. You can play the game below that, but you have to be much more strategic and a little more of a risk taker

 

[DrOrthoSpineMD]

Got Step1 today, kinda ended up in my own limbo area. Told myself if I hit 250 I'd green light myself for ortho, sub 240, I'd just pivot to something else.
And welp, I'm right in the middle, which I had a feeling would happen.

Have been doing ortho research since M1, have a few abstracts and 1 pub so far (3rd/mid author) with potentially a few more in the works, go to my state MD and have a home program. Obviously gonna have to grind for rotations regardless what I'm going into but I guess its more do I proceed with all my ortho research, or cut ortho and start the transition to something else. I guess my rationale for this is I dont really want to apply to another specialty with a boatload of ortho work and it be obvious I self-selected myself out of ortho and am dropping down. Coupled to this my tolerance for the risk of going unmatched/reapplying is on the low side.

Thoughts? Charting outcomes 2018 I feel might be getting kinda outdated for ortho and others like this as I have heard from older students/recently matched that the bar has begun to creep into the 250s for those who match.

our program cutoff was 240. everything else was icing on the cake for step 1 score. thats when other stuff kicks in.

 

[aaronrodgers]

I've talked to an NSG program director and a >240+ is a "you'll match" type of score for if that helps, I know it's not ortho.

 

[Tenk]

Gotta up your bench and squat game for sure but doable.

 

[efle]

Odds don't change that much assuming you are a US Graduate.

In the last 3 years:

230s - 77% match
240s - 80% match
250s - 90% match

I definitely wouldn't let your entire career decision hinge on which end of your confidence interval you landed closer to on test day.

Tableau Public

public.tableau.com

 

[theonlytycrane]

Agree with all of above (gf is going into ortho). Pretend you got a 260 today- that doesn't guarantee ortho for you either. Also, since you just took step1, you should know that step scores are sensitive, but not specific. You won't be screened out, but no PD is gonna pick you for your step 1 score. Sub-i's and aways are huge in this field, so crush 3rd year and figure out how to run the floors, give a fire presentation, and do well in the OR.

Also give yourself the chance to explore other surgical and non-surgical fields cause ortho is super cool, but so are a lot of other fields.

Congrats on your step

 

[omrfc768]

Gotta up your bench and squat game for sure but doable.

My bench + squat + step1 is just a smidge under, 1000. Time for some gainzzzzzzz
Damn quarantine

 

[Tenk]

My bench + squat + step1 is just a smidge under, 1000. Time for some gainzzzzzzz
Damn quarantine

I believe in you.

 

[Pluto98]

My bench + squat + step1 is just a smidge under, 1000. Time for some gainzzzzzzz
Damn quarantine

yea but what’s your wilks score!?