STEP 2 SCORES Timeline and ERAS

[heatfan777]

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Hey everyone,
I'd like to take Step 2 CK after my applications are sent out and would only like to release my score if I'm happy with it. I want to take Step 2 sometime between September and November. I heard if you take Step 2 CK prior to applications and choose not release your score, programs will still know that you took it. Does anyone know the time frame in which you can take Step 2 CK without programs knowing you took it (unless you release your score to them)??

For example, lets say I submit ERAS before I take it in September and get the score back in October but don't want to release my score, will programs know that I took it and am hiding my score from them??

Thanks.

 

[Law2Doc]

Hey everyone,
I'd like to take Step 2 CK after my applications are sent out and would only like to release my score if I'm happy with it. I want to take Step 2 sometime between September and November. I heard if you take Step 2 CK prior to applications and choose not release your score, programs will still know that you took it. Does anyone know the time frame in which you can take Step 2 CK without programs knowing you took it (unless you release your score to them)??

For example, lets say I submit ERAS before I take it in September and get the score back in October but don't want to release my score, will programs know that I took it and am hiding my score from them??

Thanks.

If you don't autorelease, programs aren't going to know you took it if you take it after you submit ERAS. It probably will take more than 4 weeks to get your scores back. Bear in mind that a number of residencies may want to see your score, and for people on the bubble, a decent CK may be necessary to get some interviews. Then there are many residencies that won't care so long as you get a score report before June.

 

[Cards21aceking]

I had a question about the "auto-release" for the results of CK. Is that a feature that you're supposed to select when signing up for the actual exam, or is it something within ERAS? Thx!

 

[RussianJoo]

where do you choose if you want your score released or not? do you do that before the exam starts like as you log on to take the test? or after the exam when you take their little survey?

 

[cgk]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that if you don't auto-release your scores, and submit ERAS application before the scores comeback, then it is up to you to share your score with residency programs or not. The key is to submit ERAS "BEFORE" the scores are reported.

 

[Law2Doc]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that if you don't auto-release your scores, and submit ERAS application before the scores comeback, then it is up to you to share your score with residency programs or not. The key is to submit ERAS "BEFORE" the scores are reported.

That's my understanding as well. But not sure why as a "premed" you are worrying about this at all.

 

[Nuriko]

Agreed with above. Several of my interviews asked me if I had taken CK, after I got my score report, so I can only assume they were unaware that I took the test.

On a side note, even if they did know, I would still say take it as soon as possible after September. While board scores are important for getting interviews, they arent important for ranking so long as you pass. I shared my score with my interviewers, and it didnt seem to affect me in a negative way. In fact, if anything, Im glad I didnt wait till dec/jan or later, as studying would probably have been infinitely more of a pain in the ass.

 

[nockamura]

Residency programs do not know your scores if you take it after the first week of Sept. If you take it before that it's automatically included in your ERAS. ERAS will ask you when you plan to take Step 2 - you could put 2016 for all it cares. My advice is to list a date that is near the end of the interview cycle so if you do poorly, no one will ask about your score. I was an idiot and put a date that was in the middle of the cycle (the real date) so on interviews after that date, people would always ask.

 

[nockamura]

Residency programs do not know your scores if you take it after the first week of Sept. If you take it before that it's automatically included in your ERAS. ERAS will ask you when you plan to take Step 2 - you could put 2016 for all it cares. My advice is to list a date that is near the end of the interview cycle so if you do poorly, no one will ask about your score. I was an idiot and put a date that was in the middle of the cycle (the real date) so on interviews after that date, people would always ask.

 

[cgk]

Residency programs do not know your scores if you take it after the first week of Sept. If you take it before that it's automatically included in your ERAS. ERAS will ask you when you plan to take Step 2 - you could put 2016 for all it cares. My advice is to list a date that is near the end of the interview cycle so if you do poorly, no one will ask about your score. I was an idiot and put a date that was in the middle of the cycle (the real date) so on interviews after that date, people would always ask.

I am taking my exam on 8/29/09, and I think that as long as I get my ERAS application out before the score is reported for my exam, and I "click' " Do not automatically release my step 2 ck score" nothing will get reported unless I manually choose to release my scores.

 

[Nuriko]

Residency programs do not know your scores if you take it after the first week of Sept. If you take it before that it's automatically included in your ERAS. ERAS will ask you when you plan to take Step 2 - you could put 2016 for all it cares. My advice is to list a date that is near the end of the interview cycle so if you do poorly, no one will ask about your score. I was an idiot and put a date that was in the middle of the cycle (the real date) so on interviews after that date, people would always ask.

Just out of curiosity, did anyone actually care? I did a few pts worse on Step 2 and was asked on interviews, and I was pretty open about my Step 2 score. I didnt really see anything negative come out of it, but then again, there really wasnt a very big drop in scores.