Step 2 and peds

[aveces]

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Looking for some advice...

DO student, applying to Pediatrics. My Step 1 score was 228 (1 pt above average) and though I was hoping to improve my score on Step 2, that ship sailed. Despite a lot of studying and an NBME that predicted a lot better, I spent the entire test second-guessing myself and I ended up with a 235 (3 pts below average).

My question is, how bad does this look (a below avg Step 2 after an average Step 1)? Is a few points above/below the mean just noise, or am I really screwed? I know Peds values a lot more than boards scores, but I am a DO student, geographically limited in the places I can apply to residency, and I have been told that Peds values Step 2 far more than Step 1. I am not sure if I need to address this somewhere is my application.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Rutgers06]

You'll be fine, the scores are essentially a wash. I would not address it in your application because you risk coming off as neurotic. If you look at the program director survey from 2012, the general cutoffs are a decent amount lower than your scores (http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/programresultsbyspecialty2012.pdf, page 130) Granted the sample size is relatively small, but it seems fairly representative. While the averages probably drifted up since 2012, your step scores aren't going to be the sole reason why you won't get interviews.

My advice at this point in time is to move on, work hard on your current rotations and get strong letters of recommendations. Try to get your application in as soon as possible because the first round of interview invites come out fairly quickly and I feel that more programs are slowly moving their interviews up. I know that my program has shifted their interview season up by ~2 weeks compared to when I interviewed.

 

[aveces]

Thank you! I wasn't sure how closely programs scrutinize scores. If that's the case, I'm glad it's over and that I can move on with applying 🙂