Step 1 score screening

[hayastan]

Hey all,

I was wondering if some residency programs only look at applications with a certain usmle step 1 score as the cut off. For example, for the ROADS residencies what would be a good step one score??

thanks

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[psipsina]

Even non ROAD programs can have a step 1 screen, albeit a lower score is used. I know that general surgery screens with step 1 per our chairman and they are competitive but not super competitive.

 

[werd]

>240 gets you past almost all step1 screens. >230 gets you past most. some programs, especially the more competitive programs or programs in more competitive fields, use screens but in general most programs don't or they have "screens" that are really low.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Just got my Step I score. Does the raw score or the percentile mean more to residency directors?

 

[vicinihil]

percentile changes from from test to test depending on who took it "around" your test date. The 99 in your score report is NOT your percentile. Everyone with above a 230 will more likely than not have a "99". Percentile is done on your own. There is an accurate way to do it with z-scores but the quick and dirty percentile calculation is roughly this...

Avg 220 = 50%
SD = 20
so 1 SD....240 puts you around 85%tile
2 SD...260 puts you around 97.5%tile

Because this is an iffy number that's not reported, residency directors care more about the raw 3 dig score

 

[tremulousNeedle]

The two digit number

in your score report is NOT your percentile.

It happens often that many progams in all of the specialties will have multiple screening levels. For example, first they will look at people with scores above 260, then 250, 240, and so on.

I agree with earlier posts that a 240+ will get you through most, if not all, screens.

 

[Law2Doc]

Just got my Step I score. Does the raw score or the percentile mean more to residency directors?

Only look at the 3 digit number. The two digit number is NOT a percentile and is essentially meaningless to everyone involved in the process. All residencies who deem themselves mildly competitive are going to have a target 3 digit number above which they will be shooting for. Reportedly, they can set ERAS to screen for things like this and only see applicants in certain ranges. In every specialty there will be programs that deem themselves more competitive than the pack, and set screens accordingly, not just ROAD.

 

[Go Ducks]

Question from clueless pre-med...

When you say ROAD, I'm assuming O=ortho, A=anesthesiology, and D=derm. Is that right? What is R?

 

[womp]

Question from clueless pre-med...

When you say ROAD, I'm assuming O=ortho, A=anesthesiology, and D=derm. Is that right? What is R?

Radiology

the O is actually Ophthalmology

Ortho and general surgery are not exactly lifestyle specialties, especially before the 80 hr work week rule.