Should I take Step 2 and Comlex 2?

[zad123]

DO student here, and I was hoping for some advice about if I should take step 2 on top of COMLEX level 2?

Some background on me: Step 1: 255+ . COMLEX 1: 650+. I did well my first 2 years, ranked in the top 10%. I am lucky to have 5+ publications. 5+ poster presentations.I am involved and have a decent amount of volunteering and leadership on my resume.

I am most interested to know if it will hurt my application if I don't take step 2? I really do not want to hurt my chances of going to my dream program. I am not opposed to taking it, but taking 1 test sounds so much better than stressing over 2 tests. And I heard PMR is pretty DO friendly, so I was curious what you guys thought!

Programs I'm really interested in:
Baylor (Houston)
UTHealth (Houston)
Emory
Vanderbilt
Spaulding
Mayo

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[Chelsea FC]

DO student here, and I was hoping for some advice about if I should take step 2 on top of COMLEX level 2?

Some background on me: Step 1: 255+ . COMLEX 1: 650+. I did well my first 2 years, ranked in the top 10%. I am lucky to have 5+ publications. 5+ poster presentations.I am involved and have a decent amount of volunteering and leadership on my resume.

I am most interested to know if it will hurt my application if I don't take step 2? I really do not want to hurt my chances of going to my dream program. I am not opposed to taking it, but taking 1 test sounds so much better than stressing over 2 tests. And I heard PMR is pretty DO friendly, so I was curious what you guys thought!

Programs I'm really interested in:
Baylor (Houston)
UTHealth (Houston)
Emory
Vanderbilt
Spaulding
Mayo

Hate to let you know this but Spaulding does not accept DO students. Not sure if they even interview them which is weird because their chair is a DO. Overall I wouldn’t take step 2 or at least take it after you bag all your interviews. You will have an amazing application season with those scores and research. But Spaulding is weird like that you will have a shot at every other program as well as long as you can show dedication to PM&R because even though your scores are amazing this is a field that care more about commitment than scores! But with your numbers it’s def gonna help

 

[DOctorJay]

Hate to let you know this but Spaulding does not accept DO students. Not sure if they even interview them which is weird because their chair is a DO. Overall I wouldn’t take step 2 or at least take it after you bag all your interviews. You will have an amazing application season with those scores and research. But Spaulding is weird like that you will have a shot at every other program as well as long as you can show dedication to PM&R because even though your scores are amazing this is a field that care more about commitment than scores! But with your numbers it’s def gonna help

Spaulding used to interview DOs. I interviewed there.

 

[Chelsea FC]

Spaulding used to interview DOs. I interviewed there.

Yeah not sure if they do any more and certainly haven't accepted any recently.

 

[DOctorJay]

Yeah not sure if they do any more and certainly haven't accepted any recently.

that's a shame but good to know nonetheless

 

[Taus]

Things may have changed since I applied over 10 years ago…. But I was in a pretty similar situation and decided not to take step 2 usmle. A 255 step 1 is stellar and can substantially boost your application. That was the sole goal of taking it as my license would be via comlex. I felt like taking step 2 usmle would lead to at best a neutral benefit if I scored similarly to step 1 and had a fair chance of hurting me and negating my step 1 result if I scored lower.

 

[j4pac]

n=1. I was granted interviews at Mayo, UTH, and Baylor without a COMLEX. Pretty sure you need a USMLE to go categorical at Mayo because the IM program asks for it. The advanced program shouldn’t be a problem though.

Honestly, USMLE probably only matters at a few PM&R programs throughout the country. And if the aren’t taking COMLEX it pretty much says that you’re going to have an uphill battle as a DO, so I’m not sure doing a USMLE to appease those few programs is worth it. I knew a girl that got into CU, which is historical very anti-DO, but she was exceptional, was from Colorado, and literally played every card perfectly.

The bugger challenge of not having USMLE is that it may restrict you options to some degree in getting transitional year internships.

 

[zad123]

Hate to let you know this but Spaulding does not accept DO students. Not sure if they even interview them which is weird because their chair is a DO. Overall I wouldn’t take step 2 or at least take it after you bag all your interviews. You will have an amazing application season with those scores and research. But Spaulding is weird like that you will have a shot at every other program as well as long as you can show dedication to PM&R because even though your scores are amazing this is a field that care more about commitment than scores! But with your numbers it’s def gonna help

Hate to let you know this but Spaulding does not accept DO students. Not sure if they even interview them which is weird because their chair is a DO. Overall I wouldn’t take step 2 or at least take it after you bag all your interviews. You will have an amazing application season with those scores and research. But Spaulding is weird like that you will have a shot at every other program as well as long as you can show dedication to PM&R because even though your scores are amazing this is a field that care more about commitment than scores! But with your numbers it’s def gonna help

Sad to hear that about Spaulding. I kinda had a feeling when I noticed they haven’t had a DO resident. Thanks for the advice !

 

[zad123]

Things may have changed since I applied over 10 years ago…. But I was in a pretty similar situation and decided not to take step 2 usmle. A 255 step 1 is stellar and can substantially boost your application. That was the sole goal of taking it as my license would be via comlex. I felt like taking step 2 usmle would lead to at best a neutral benefit if I scored similarly to step 1 and had a fair chance of hurting me and negating my step 1 result if I scored lower.

Thanks for the advice !

 

[zad123]

n=1. I was granted interviews at Mayo, UTH, and Baylor without a COMLEX. Pretty sure you need a USMLE to go categorical at Mayo because the IM program asks for it. The advanced program shouldn’t be a problem though.

Honestly, USMLE probably only matters at a few PM&R programs throughout the country. And if the aren’t taking COMLEX it pretty much says that you’re going to have an uphill battle as a DO, so I’m not sure doing a USMLE to appease those few programs is worth it. I knew a girl that got into CU, which is historical very anti-DO, but she was exceptional, was from Colorado, and literally played every card perfectly.

The bugger challenge of not having USMLE is that it may restrict you options to some degree in getting transitional year internships.

Thank you for the advice!
And, That’s a good point. after all the advice I’ve heard, I feel like the consensus is that it may affect a transitional year more than anything. Which is a huge bummer!