Step 1 Scores for each specialty

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DoctaJay

DoctaJay

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I know that most of us have already seen this chart, I just thought it would be nice to have it on here for a quick reference.

match.png


More comprehensive chart made by Pinkertinkle:

2415481402_b7926f4a2b_o.jpg
 
I am quite suprised that diagnostic radiology has surpassed ortho this year. I guess I knew it was coming since it is a lifestyle residency and all.
 
I read charting outcomes and didn't really understand what is being reported in this figure. Is that the mean or median score. Also, what are the lines above and below the number? I'm tempted to think they would be standard deviation, however if you look at the independents it appears more like a range or perhaps 75 %ile (since no specialty appears to dip below 195).
 
Blesbok said:
I am quite suprised that diagnostic radiology has surpassed ortho this year. I guess I knew it was coming since it is a lifestyle residency and all.
Click to expand...

Only by one point. Keep it in perspective.

I am surprised how low Gas is on that list. I was under the impression that it was more competitive in terms of Step 1 scores.
 
Gas has 1000+ spots available so it's not as competitive as many people believe. As with any specialty, a 220 may not cut it at the top programs.
 
I am also suprised PM&R isn't more competitive. It isn't very high paying, but it is a cush lifestyle.
 
soeagerun2or said:
I read charting outcomes and didn't really understand what is being reported in this figure. Is that the mean or median score. Also, what are the lines above and below the number? I'm tempted to think they would be standard deviation, however if you look at the independents it appears more like a range or perhaps 75 %ile (since no specialty appears to dip below 195).
Click to expand...
Yeah, that is the way I saw it. The number is the mean Step 1 score, and the lines above and below are the actual range (upper limit and lower limit).
 
I am very happy that General Surgery smack dab in the middle. I mean, I want to do well on Step 1, but I usually end up doing average on these standardized exams, so hopefully I can either hit that score or a little higher.
 
DoctaJay said:
Yeah, that is the way I saw it. The number is the mean Step 1 score, and the lines above and below are the actual range (upper limit and lower limit).
Click to expand...

The number is the mean and the lines above and below are 25th to 75th percentile- if you go through the rest of Charting Outcomes, every specialty has much higher upper limits (just about every specialty includes at least a few applicants in the 260 range).
 
So is ophthalmology included under transitional year? As well as urology?
 
Team Zissou said:
So is ophthalmology included under transitional year? As well as urology?
Click to expand...

No, transitional year is a separate entity. Ophthalmology and urology go through their own match so they are not included here.

Also, keep in mind this data from the 2007 match. This year's match data has not yet been published.
 
mules05 said:
The number is the mean and the lines above and below are 25th to 75th percentile- if you go through the rest of Charting Outcomes, every specialty has much higher upper limits (just about every specialty includes at least a few applicants in the 260 range).
Click to expand...

Interquartile range uses the median.

If it were mean, they'd use standard deviation.

As you said, interquartile range is a better statistic than range for figuring out if you're competitive, because those pesky outliers, e.g. the 260 Step 1er who wants to pursue PM&R, can throw things off.
 
Can someone give me a brief description of what Transitional Year even really is? I haven't a clue.
 
Transitional and Preliminary are two different one year PGY1s that are required for certain specialties.

Prelim is general ed for a more specialized field. i.e. dermatology may require a preliminary year in internal medicine. Urology may require a preliminary year in general surgery.

Transitional is like M3, except you get paid. Some do transitional if they still aren't sure, some do it because they can get away with doing this instead of prelim. Considered easier than preliminary, I think.

(But I'm a long way away, so if anyone wants to correct, feel free!)

Also, why is the 25th percentile for plastics from IMGs so friggin low?
 
bodonid said:
Transitional and Preliminary are two different one year PGY1s that are required for certain specialties.

Prelim is general ed for a more specialized field. i.e. dermatology may require a preliminary year in internal medicine. Urology may require a preliminary year in general surgery.

Transitional is like M3, except you get paid. Some do transitional if they still aren't sure, some do it because they can get away with doing this instead of prelim. Considered easier than preliminary, I think.

(But I'm a long way away, so if anyone wants to correct, feel free!)

Also, why is the 25th percentile for plastics from IMGs so friggin low?
Click to expand...
Probably because there were like 4 of them that got in and they were all renowned plastic surgeons in their home country and not fresh foreign graduates. :laugh:
 
AlberttheGator said:
Radiology is not a lifestyle residency.
Click to expand...
Its not? I must have missed that. Last report I saw for radiology had an average hours per week of 51 compared to 72 for something like ortho.
 
Colbert said:
Can someone give me a brief description of what Transitional Year even really is? I haven't a clue.
Click to expand...

I'm currently doing my transitional year and I'll tell you what my intern year intalls:

2 months of Internal Medicine Q4 overnight call (14 overnight call total)
1 month ICU no call
2 months surgery no call (2 weeks night float)
2 months peds no call (2 weeks night float)
1 month emergency medicine (16 12 hour shifts)
4 months of electives, I'm doing path, ID, plactics, and maybe rhuem.
 
Just out of curiosity, is the max 270? I've never heard of anything higher than the 260's. (which is stupidly high anyway...given what the mean is for any of the programs).
 
kpod said:
Just out of curiosity, is the max 270? I've never heard of anything higher than the 260's. (which is stupidly high anyway...given what the mean is for any of the programs).
Click to expand...
I actually thought it was 280, but according to wikipedia, which sites the tulane website, the theoretical maximum is a 300. The highest I know of someone personally getting was a 268 from our school last year.
 
Blesbok said:
I am also suprised PM&R isn't more competitive. It isn't very high paying, but it is a cush lifestyle.
Click to expand...

And it can stay right where it is until I match :hardy:

The earnings can be quite good if you play your cards right.
 
I looked at the SF match stats and I think ophtho falls at around a 229 average...so I'd say highly competitive.
 
Pontifex Maximus said:
He's right to some extent - Rads can be a very cush lifestyle AFTER residency if you work it that way, but the rads residents work their asses off.
Click to expand...

Meh. Its kind of apples vs. oranges. The work done in rads in really a different kind of work than surgery or IM or EM. Less physical work, more chained to a desk in a dark room kind of mentally exhausting work.

Another thing you must consider is that rads residents have to read A LOT when they go home. This adds to the hours of work that you see listed.

From what I have heard, I also think that rads is becoming less of a "lifestyle" specialty after residency. Theres just soo many films to be read. I'm sure one of the rads forum regulars will talk about this (Hans, etc).
 
well done. this chart should be stickied.
 
thanks pinker..but what about urology. Is it typically a tougher field to get into? Do you know the average step 1? Thanks, TZ.
 
DoctaJay said:
I didn't expect pathology to be higher than OB-GYN, neurology, and anesthesiology.
Click to expand...

Pathologists are often smart and/or good test takers (lots of high scores, raises the average). They didn't choose path because they couldn't get something else they wanted more. That's all it means. It's kind of a weird field, not a lot of overlap with anything else. Obviously there are people in every field who are in it because it's their first choice field, but there are very few people who "slide down" into path from other fields (i.e. picking it as a fallback), whereas there are in almost everything else.

And by the way, if anyone tries to take what I said as a slam on some specialty or another, go back and read it again.
 
Team Zissou said:
thanks pinker..but what about urology. Is it typically a tougher field to get into? Do you know the average step 1? Thanks, TZ.
Click to expand...

Urology match information is very hard to find. I have not found it, I would guess its near ortho/rads level. If anyone has it, plz post.
 
Pinkertinkle said:
Urology match information is very hard to find. I have not found it, I would guess its near ortho/rads level. If anyone has it, plz post.
Click to expand...
Urology = the new hotness, apparently
 
bodonid said:
Transitional and Preliminary are two different one year PGY1s that are required for certain specialties.

Prelim is general ed for a more specialized field. i.e. dermatology may require a preliminary year in internal medicine. Urology may require a preliminary year in general surgery.

Transitional is like M3, except you get paid. Some do transitional if they still aren't sure, some do it because they can get away with doing this instead of prelim. Considered easier than preliminary, I think.

(But I'm a long way away, so if anyone wants to correct, feel free!)

Also, why is the 25th percentile for plastics from IMGs so friggin low?
Click to expand...

Transitional years are like the old "rotating" internship. Many derm, optho, rads, rad onc, path, psych and anesthesia residents will opt to do a transitional PGY-1 because they can get more electives and because they can get more experience in ped and adult medicine. The transitional year is an great option for these specialties as opposed to doing a straight prelim year in surgery or internal medicine especially if they want more variety. Transitional years are generally more competitive than either prelim medicine or prelim surgery.
 
Nice chart. 👍

I didn't expect Ophtho to be 231, just by hearing about its competitiveness and browsing through that sub-forum, I expected averages to be in the upper 230s.
 
yaah said:
Pathologists are often smart and/or good test takers (lots of high scores, raises the average). They didn't choose path because they couldn't get something else they wanted more. That's all it means. It's kind of a weird field, not a lot of overlap with anything else. Obviously there are people in every field who are in it because it's their first choice field, but there are very few people who "slide down" into path from other fields (i.e. picking it as a fallback), whereas there are in almost everything else.

And by the way, if anyone tries to take what I said as a slam on some specialty or another, go back and read it again.
Click to expand...
It is also sick, the amount of knowledge that a seasoned pathologist has.
 
yaah said:
Pathologists are often smart and/or good test takers (lots of high scores, raises the average). They didn't choose path because they couldn't get something else they wanted more. That's all it means. It's kind of a weird field, not a lot of overlap with anything else. Obviously there are people in every field who are in it because it's their first choice field, but there are very few people who "slide down" into path from other fields (i.e. picking it as a fallback), whereas there are in almost everything else.

And by the way, if anyone tries to take what I said as a slam on some specialty or another, go back and read it again.
Click to expand...
What you said makes a ton of sense. To me it seems like pathology and psychiatry are the 2 fields that one has to absolutely love to go into. I guess path just has some better test takers.

To be honest, I'm getting kind of scared. I've been reading Rubin's textbook of Pathology and I'm loving it. Hopefully it rubs off soon 😀.
 
DoctaJay said:
What you said makes a ton of sense. To me it seems like pathology and psychiatry are the 2 fields that one has to absolutely love to go into. I guess path just has some better test takers.

To be honest, I'm getting kind of scared. I've been reading Rubin's textbook of Pathology and I'm loving it. Hopefully it rubs off soon 😀.
Click to expand...
You don't want to be a pathologist. The amount of time they spend in the basement will turn even the blackest black man a nice shade of pasty white. :laugh:
 
yaah said:
I have a window! It's the radiologists who are in the basement.
Click to expand...
Ya, but all the xrays and gamma rays and manta rays leave them a nice shade of burnt orange.
 
yaah said:
I have a window! It's the radiologists who are in the basement.
Click to expand...

Naw, they aren't in the basement......they are in the spare closets scattered sparingly throughout the hospital.

The basement is too spacious and well lit.
 
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