Step 1 Score: 199- Is there hope to match?

[medskoolnoob]

Well it was quite the wait with all the score reporting issues this week. I have been freaking out for the last 3 weeks thinking that I just got booted from school. Yesterday, I was able to see that I passed via FSMB but only to be crushed when my scores came out as 199 this morning. Much lower than my practice scores, but I also felt like I received a ridiculous exam that was no where near UW or NBME questions. It was the luck of the draw sadly. I am an IMG, am I even going to match at this point? I know I still have my rotations and step 2/3 to pick up the slack. I never wanted to do anything competitive, IM/FM and then do a fellowship was always my go to... but at this point that even seems impossible. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO THINK. SOMEONE HELP. Did I just screw myself? This feeling really sucks.

UW1: 230 UW2: 230
NBME 20: 198 NBME 21: 203 NBME 22: 208 NBME 23: 215 NBME 24: 219
Step 1: 199

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[CidHighwind]

That NBME 20 seemed like it predicted pretty well. If you were scoring that low on the NBMEs, why didn’t you push the test dates back? None were above a 220, so even if you got that it wouldn’t have been a good score, especially for an IMG that usually needs to score above average to have a chance at matching. But that’s all in the past. Don’t know what to tell you.

 

[Schwifty]

Well it was quite the wait with all the score reporting issues this week. I have been freaking out for the last 3 weeks thinking that I just got booted from school. Yesterday, I was able to see that I passed via FSMB but only to be crushed when my scores came out as 199 this morning. Much lower than my practice scores, but I also felt like I received a ridiculous exam that was no where near UW or NBME questions. It was the luck of the draw sadly. I am an IMG, am I even going to match at this point? I know I still have my rotations and step 2/3 to pick up the slack. I never wanted to do anything competitive, IM/FM and then do a fellowship was always my go to... but at this point that even seems impossible. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO THINK. SOMEONE HELP. Did I just screw myself? This feeling really sucks.

UW1: 230 UW2: 230
NBME 20: 198 NBME 21: 203 NBME 22: 208 NBME 23: 215 NBME 24: 219
Step 1: 199

Make connections, apply broadly (like every low tier FM program in the US), and hope for the best. I'm really sorry this happened, but chances aren't looking good.

 

[medskoolnoob]

That NBME 20 seemed like it predicted pretty well. If you were scoring that low on the NBMEs, why didn’t you push the test dates back? None were above a 220, so even if you got that it wouldn’t have been a good score, especially for an IMG that usually needs to score above average to have a chance at matching. But that’s all in the past. Don’t know what to tell you.

Yeah my school didn't allow me to, I applied for an extension and I was denied unfortunately.

 

[medskoolnoob]

Make connections, apply broadly (like every low tier FM program in the US), and hope for the best. I'm really sorry this happened, but chances aren't looking good.

Thanks for the reply, will do.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You could enter your information into the residency explorer tool and see what it says. Won't tell you anything about fellowship, but might give you a sense about residency. The competitive fellowships in IM (Cards, GI, Hem/Onc) will be very difficult with that score.

 

[medskoolnoob]

You could enter your information into the residency explorer tool and see what it says. Won't tell you anything about fellowship, but might give you a sense about residency. The competitive fellowships in IM (Cards, GI, Hem/Onc) will be very difficult with that score.

Thanks I appreciate the feedback. I wasn't looking at anything too competitive to begin with. Since you are an attending, is there any way to rectify this awful situation from what you've seen? Any feedback would be great.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Take S2 early enough that you have a score right when applications open, and try to do better.

 

[solitarius]

^ As above.

Peds / FM / IM are still on the table.

 

[medskoolnoob]

^ As above.

Peds / FM / IM are still on the table.

I'd pretty much kill for IM right now. So thats the plan, work my butt of during rotations. Figure out how to overlap shelf and step 2 study. Trying to come up with strategy before rotations start.

 

[solitarius]

Community center IM with little hope for fellowship. At that point, you might as well do FM since the training there is more outpatient-focused.

 

[medskoolnoob]

Community center IM with little hope for fellowship. At that point, you might as well do FM since the training there is more outpatient-focused.

Yeah I figured as much from the responses I got, which is ok since I'm not looking to do anything competitive anyways. I have yet to do rotations, who knows, I might end up liking FM over IM. Right now, I'm just trying to focus on doing the best I can and significantly improving my Step 2 scores.

 

[Splenda88]

Things are not looking great but you still have time to redeem yourself for community IM and FM. Aim for 240+ in step2.

 

[medskoolnoob]

Things are not looking great but you still have time to redeem yourself for community IM and FM. Aim for 240+ in step2.

Thanks, thats the goal. Are there any private tutoring companies anyone has successfully used? Someone mentioned getting a private tutor, but I don't really know where to start on that.

 

[Jesus1]

If you work hard and get a solid 240s or higher on 2CK and have these scores in before 2CK, you should be in good stead for IM, FM, Peds, Path, and some other specialties.

 

[jurassicpark]

It'll definitely be hard, the hardest thing you've done in life but still doable. I've personally known someone with worse stats from a Caribbean school match, and I've heard tales of one or two with similar, but these are far the outliers than the norm. What you have to do is going to be nothing short of the best academic fight that would rival the spectacle when Achilles slew Hector. Your step scores have to be excellent. When you do your rotations, you want nothing short of phenomenal written across every evaluation.

That means, every rotation you show up early, stay late. Have EVERYTHING ready to go before it is even asked. If your Intern doesn't know the answer, you better. Have the biggest greased smile on your face no matter what. Volunteer to work weekends, night calls, etc. Your audition rotations have to be like whatsherface from the Phantom of the Opera.

The one person who I knew from the Caribbean who matched despite scores, did so because of the above. He had the most genuinely helpful and sincere personality, and strove to go above and beyond, the PD all but carried his application. We grew up together, and he's doing extremely well now post-residency.

 

[NickNaylor]

Depends on your goals and what you were hoping to go into. If you had your eyes on something less competitive, then you will likely be fine. If you were hoping to go into dermatology, a surgical subspeciality, etc., then that may not be possible - at least not without a lot of additional legwork on your end.

My co-chief scores in the 190s on step 1. He was (and is) a great psychiatrist and a great clinician. The program we attended was a great, generally well-reputed program. Obviously performing lower-than-expected is disappointing, but it is what it is, and there's nothing that you can do about it. All you can do at this point is recognize that a <200 step 1 score is going to be a weakness in your application and adjust accordingly. What that means to you and how you approach that "problem" will depend on your goals and what you're willing to tolerate.

I would strongly recommend finding a mentor as soon as you can so that you have someone that you can speak with candidly about your goals and what steps might be needed to achieve them.

 

[medskoolnoob]

It'll definitely be hard, the hardest thing you've done in life but still doable. I've personally known someone with worse stats from a Caribbean school match, and I've heard tales of one or two with similar, but these are far the outliers than the norm. What you have to do is going to be nothing short of the best academic fight that would rival the spectacle when Achilles slew Hector. Your step scores have to be excellent. When you do your rotations, you want nothing short of phenomenal written across every evaluation.

That means, every rotation you show up early, stay late. Have EVERYTHING ready to go before it is even asked. If your Intern doesn't know the answer, you better. Have the biggest greased smile on your face no matter what. Volunteer to work weekends, night calls, etc. Your audition rotations have to be like whatsherface from the Phantom of the Opera.

The one person who I knew from the Caribbean who matched despite scores, did so because of the above. He had the most genuinely helpful and sincere personality, and strove to go above and beyond, the PD all but carried his application. We grew up together, and he's doing extremely well now post-residency.

Thanks for the advice, will do.

 

[doc_tfk]

IMG here
Step 1: 199
Step 2: 22x
All steps passed on first attempt

Matched to a top peds program without connections, but with strong LoR, on my first attempt.

No publications, but a Masters degree

When I first got my S1 score, I came looking in these blogs for some sign of hope - but very grim and sordid tales. MATCHING is possible. Don’t create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[Redpancreas]

Well it was quite the wait with all the score reporting issues this week. I have been freaking out for the last 3 weeks thinking that I just got booted from school. Yesterday, I was able to see that I passed via FSMB but only to be crushed when my scores came out as 199 this morning. Much lower than my practice scores, but I also felt like I received a ridiculous exam that was no where near UW or NBME questions. It was the luck of the draw sadly. I am an IMG, am I even going to match at this point? I know I still have my rotations and step 2/3 to pick up the slack. I never wanted to do anything competitive, IM/FM and then do a fellowship was always my go to... but at this point that even seems impossible. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO THINK. SOMEONE HELP. Did I just screw myself? This feeling really sucks.

UW1: 230 UW2: 230
NBME 20: 198 NBME 21: 203 NBME 22: 208 NBME 23: 215 NBME 24: 219
Step 1: 199

Shrug it off and keep going. If you do better on further board exams (especially with the Step 1 soon being P/F) you have a chance at less competitive IM and FM programs. When I say better don't drive yourself insane to go 250. Even an average CK score would be a great step forward. Some of this will probably depend on your citizenship status. etc. too. Be aware of the statistics and your chances, but don't let them define you. It only takes one program or one mentor to bring you up. Just do your best and stay happy. Any other thoughts are really not worth your time right now. I have faith you'll get where you state you want to be.

 

[medskoolnoob]

Just to let everyone know, I matched (didn't have to soap) at a uni FM program. Don't give up.