Should I take a year off??

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nope80

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So i'm really starting to freak out because I think given the unique situation I am in with the timing of residency applications, I need to take a year off.

Basically because I pushed a third year rotation to the end of this year, I will be officially done with 3rd year in August. I did not do as well as I would have liked on Step 1 and need to really do well on Step 2. I know most people take a bit of time off to study but because third year won't be over until the second week of August, I won't have time. If I take step 2 in august then I either apply Sept 1st with my horrible step 1 score or I apply later and run the risk of putting myself in a bad situation because I had to wait for the step 2 score. Is taking step 2 at the end of August and then waiting to apply after my score comes back, too late???

Also, I am scrambling to write PS, get letters of recommendations, all while trying to manage clerkships, finishing 3rd year, and studying for step 2. I feel so overwhelmed and know that if I could have started my fourth year (like many of my classmates) in June I would be at an advantage and would be able to get my AIs, take vacation for step 2 and have time to do my applications.

What do you all think? Do you see the dilemna with the timing? Any suggestions?
 
So i'm really starting to freak out because I think given the unique situation I am in with the timing of residency applications, I need to take a year off.

Basically because I pushed a third year rotation to the end of this year, I will be officially done with 3rd year in August. I did not do as well as I would have liked on Step 1 and need to really do well on Step 2. I know most people take a bit of time off to study but because third year won't be over until the second week of August, I won't have time. If I take step 2 in august then I either apply Sept 1st with my horrible step 1 score or I apply later and run the risk of putting myself in a bad situation because I had to wait for the step 2 score. Is taking step 2 at the end of August and then waiting to apply after my score comes back, too late???

Also, I am scrambling to write PS, get letters of recommendations, all while trying to manage clerkships, finishing 3rd year, and studying for step 2. I feel so overwhelmed and know that if I could have started my fourth year (like many of my classmates) in June I would be at an advantage and would be able to get my AIs, take vacation for step 2 and have time to do my applications.

What do you all think? Do you see the dilemna with the timing? Any suggestions?

What are you applying for?

What was your Step 1 score and how have clerkship grades gone?
 
internal medicine is number one on my list and possibly another more competitive field (?). step 1 was < 200 but a pass. I was very distracted at the time. clerkships are all HP or H.
 
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