Step 2 recommended for applying?

[rocketbooster]

---

Members do not see this ad.

What's the general stance on taking Step 2 in time for it to be included on your app? My school wants us to take next July/August, so I would think it'd easily be included on the ophtho application if I followed their advice on when to take it.

My Step 1 is a 239. The average ophtho is ~240 I believe. Do you recommend for me to take Step 2 for my app or delay it? Also, if you recommend taking it, what score should I shoot for? Thanks.

 

[RestoreSight]

What's the general stance on taking Step 2 in time for it to be included on your app? My school wants us to take next July/August, so I would think it'd easily be included on the ophtho application if I followed their advice on when to take it.

My Step 1 is a 239. The average ophtho is ~240 I believe. Do you recommend for me to take Step 2 for my app or delay it? Also, if you recommend taking it, what score should I shoot for? Thanks.

General consensus is if you did well on STEP 1 delay STEP 2 until after your SF match is in. I took STEP 2 early (may) because I hate STEP exams and didn't want to have to think about it. I did well on STEP 1 and even better on STEP 2.

I would say, if you have the energy to prepare well for STEP 2 go for it, but if you think you may not do well push it off. Doing well won't help you unless you do REALLY well, but a poor score can hurt you.

 

[rocketbooster]

General consensus is if you did well on STEP 1 delay STEP 2 until after your SF match is in. I took STEP 2 early (may) because I hate STEP exams and didn't want to have to think about it. I did well on STEP 1 and even better on STEP 2.

I would say, if you have the energy to prepare well for STEP 2 go for it, but if you think you may not do well push it off. Doing well won't help you unless you do REALLY well, but a poor score can hurt you.

Right. So, what's considered a high Step 1 for ophtho? The ophtho average is ~240 and I got a 239. I know that's right where I want to be at for getting into ophtho, but I don't know if that's considered "high" enough to delay Step 2 since it's still the Step 1 average for successfully matching students. What do you think?

 

[Visionary]

I don't know the current stats, but 240 as an average for matched applicants is too high. Your score of 239 should get you interviews at a good number of programs, though perhaps not the top ones. I'd wait on Step 2, honestly.

 

[RestoreSight]

I don't know the current stats, but 240 as an average for matched applicants is too high. Your score of 239 should get you interviews at a good number of programs, though perhaps not the top ones. I'd wait on Step 2, honestly.

^Agreed.

The relationship between interviews in ophtho and your step scores is asymptotic. That is, up to a point increasing scores lead to a wider pool of potential interviews, but beyond 240 or so the relationship flattens out and other factors must be considered such as the prestige of your medical school, whether you have a PhD, the quality and strength of your letters of recommendation and the quality of your research. Its up to you in the end whether you want to take step 2, but whether you nail it or not, it won't open many more interviews for you. 👍

 

[rocketbooster]

I don't know the current stats, but 240 as an average for matched applicants is too high. Your score of 239 should get you interviews at a good number of programs, though perhaps not the top ones. I'd wait on Step 2, honestly.

^Agreed.

The relationship between interviews in ophtho and your step scores is asymptotic. That is, up to a point increasing scores lead to a wider pool of potential interviews, but beyond 240 or so the relationship flattens out and other factors must be considered such as the prestige of your medical school, whether you have a PhD, the quality and strength of your letters of recommendation and the quality of your research. Its up to you in the end whether you want to take step 2, but whether you nail it or not, it won't open many more interviews for you. 👍

Just to to make sure I understood you guys correctly...are you saying to apply first and wait on taking my Step 2 until after I apply or to wait until my Step 2 score comes back before I apply? lol

I feel Visionary may be saying to get my Step 2 score first so I have a better chance at top programs, while RestoreSight is saying to delay taking it. ha

As for 240 being too high for the average, yea I guess Match 2012 was 238. It seems to be going up 1 point each year, so by the time I'd match in 2014 it'd probably be at 240 I'd assume.

 

[Visionary]

Just to to make sure I understood you guys correctly...are you saying to apply first and wait on taking my Step 2 until after I apply or to wait until my Step 2 score comes back before I apply? lol

I feel Visionary may be saying to get my Step 2 score first so I have a better chance at top programs, while RestoreSight is saying to delay taking it. ha

As for 240 being too high for the average, yea I guess Match 2012 was 238. It seems to be going up 1 point each year, so by the time I'd match in 2014 it'd probably be at 240 I'd assume.

Don't bother with Step 2 now. I can't believe that's the number for matched applicants. Seems it was around 220 not long ago. What's your source?

Sent from my Droid Incredible on SDN Mobile

 

[rocketbooster]

Don't bother with Step 2 now. I can't believe that's the number for matched applicants. Seems it was around 220 not long ago. What's your source?

Sent from my Droid Incredible on SDN Mobile

Here are the 2 I found:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22218141

That (a study done by Howard University Dept of Ophtho) says the 2011 national average was 239.


http://www.sfmatch.org/residency/ophthalmology/about_match/match_report.pdf

That (Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology) says 2011 was 237 and 2012 was 238.

 

[Visionary]

Here are the 2 I found:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22218141

That (a study done by Howard University Dept of Ophtho) says the 2011 national average was 239.


http://www.sfmatch.org/residency/ophthalmology/about_match/match_report.pdf

That (Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology) says 2011 was 237 and 2012 was 238.

Fair enough. Still wouldn't bother with Step 2. You're at the average for matched applicants and above the unmatched by a comfortable margin.

Sent from my Droid Incredible on SDN Mobile

 

[cubsrule4e]

Yeeesh! Glad i was up in '09 when 233 was still decent 😎

 

[RestoreSight]

Just to to make sure I understood you guys correctly...are you saying to apply first and wait on taking my Step 2 until after I apply or to wait until my Step 2 score comes back before I apply? lol

I feel Visionary may be saying to get my Step 2 score first so I have a better chance at top programs, while RestoreSight is saying to delay taking it. ha

As for 240 being too high for the average, yea I guess Match 2012 was 238. It seems to be going up 1 point each year, so by the time I'd match in 2014 it'd probably be at 240 I'd assume.

Put off step 2 unless your willing to put the time in to do well.

 

[razkui]

Sorry to jump in, but my Step 1 was 230. I was wondering if you guys think I should write Step 2 early.....

 

[Tiburon]

Sorry to jump in, but my Step 1 was 230. I was wondering if you guys think I should write Step 2 early.....

Depends. Can you put in a lot of time and do better than 230? Then yes.

Is your schedule busy and do you think you'll get less than 230? Then no.

It also depends on the rest of your app. If you have solid research/LOR/clinical grades then a 230 is respectable and you should get some interviews without Step 2. I don't think it'll make a huge difference. Unless you can get like a >250, then it would make a difference, but most people can't pull off a jump that high.