Step I score/interveiws

[med99]

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I understand that many programs have a cutoff for step I scores.

Can people who have been getting interviews please help me get a better feel for this process in neuro?

That is, what is your step I score and which programs did you get/not get interveiws with?

 

[Lesion Of Doom]

I understand that many programs have a cutoff for step I scores.

Can people who have been getting interviews please help me get a better feel for this process in neuro?

That is, what is your step I score and which programs did you get/not get interveiws with?

I didn't care what my step 1 score was which was not very competitive. I applied where I wanted to and scores did not stop me. I refused to sell myself short because of some digits. I wind up getting interviews at my top 3 programs which is what mattered to me.

This is the big chance to live your dreams. Don't let a score stop you from giving your dream a whack and applying to a few of your dream spots. You will never get a chance like this again.

 

[med99]

not saying I am not going to apply anyway. Would just like to hear what people have experienced. And yes, I realize that there is more to your application than you step I score. Just amuse me here.. 🙄

 

[average]

I would love to hear some feedback on this question also. I read that neurology is not very competative but that can mean many things. Sure it is easy to get into A program, but what are the cutoff scores for specific programs. I've seen similar threads in anesthesia and EM posts. Let's get some feedback.

 

[jessimai1]

I am applying this year and have interviewed everywhere from the Cleveland Clinic and University of Rochester, arguably top 10s, to a varity of other programs that do not have to worry about what number gets assigned to them as they are all great places to learn. I did that with below average Step I scores, (but a much improved Step II for whatever that is worth). The only cutoffs I saw were a two digit score of 80 (roughly 196?). I would guess this is represents most schools and very few schools put it in their website. I only saw that listed on 2 schools. I am so glad I ignored what schools I thought I did not have a chance at and applied everywhere I was interested in attending as I have recieved some unanticipated offers to interview.

 

[Lesion Of Doom]

not saying I am not going to apply anyway. Would just like to hear what people have experienced. And yes, I realize that there is more to your application than you step I score. Just amuse me here.. 🙄

Oh you just wanted amusement! Why didn't you say so in the first place? I would have brought my guitar!


When you said you wanted to get a "better feel" for for this process, you made it sound like the feedback would influence your application process but I simply didn't know you wanted amusement. My apologies.


I will just say this: I have low step I scores and got interviews at my top 3 choices (I got my 4th choice also but after my interview, it turned into my 8th choice) and my interviews went very well. I never even heard from my 5th and 6th choice.

I'm here til Thursday!

 

[psych psych]

Hey Initial poster, i'll try and answer your initial question as I know what u want:

Neurology in general is not considered a very competetive residency, not like internal medicine or peds which ANYONE can get in..... step 1 scores of 78-90 are avg according to the PDs I have talked to, with 90ish scores of course being the big university programs with big names (columbia).

Oh you just wanted amusement! Why didn't you say so in the first place? I would have brought my guitar!


When you said you wanted to get a "better feel" for for this process, you made it sound like the feedback would influence your application process but I simply didn't know you wanted amusement. My apologies.


I will just say this: I have low step I scores and got interviews at my top 3 choices (I got my 4th choice also but after my interview, it turned into my 8th choice) and my interviews went very well. I never even heard from my 5th and 6th choice.

I'm here til Thursday!

 

[Lesion Of Doom]

Hey Initial poster, i'll try and answer your initial question as I know what u want:

Neurology in general is not considered a very competetive residency, not like internal medicine or peds which ANYONE can get in..... step 1 scores of 78-90 are avg according to the PDs I have talked to, with 90ish scores of course being the big university programs with big names (columbia).

In effort to remain anonymous, I still won't get too specific but my whole point was that I received interviews at two big name programs and 3 other very popular and competitive programs even though my Step 1 scores are low as well as a couple of other scores. The rest of my application is rock solid (I have research experience up the wahzoo as well as active in several organizations, etc,.). This is why I say don't just concentrate on the score aspect. It most definitely help your cause but it won't destroy it if you don't have the "usual" numbers as long as you have other strong areas in your application.

As a few PDs have told me during interviews, in so many words, that many that apply will have outstanding scores and will say the same thing during interviews so it isn't all about the scores. High scores is something they see all of the time. I always hear people asking about scores on this site but not often do I read about inquiries on doing things for the community, externships, etc,. tp help strengthen the application.

In short, don't be intimidated by undesirable scores and apply where you want. The extra $50 0r $60 spent to do so may surprise you.

 

[TruTrooper]

In effort to remain anonymous, I still won't get too specific but my whole point was that I received interviews at two big name programs and 3 other very popular and competitive programs even though my Step 1 scores are low as well as a couple of other scores. The rest of my application is rock solid (I have research experience up the wahzoo as well as active in several organizations, etc,.). This is why I say don't just concentrate on the score aspect. It most definitely help your cause but it won't destroy it if you don't have the "usual" numbers as long as you have other strong areas in your application.

As a few PDs have told me during interviews, in so many words, that many that apply will have outstanding scores and will say the same thing during interviews so it isn't all about the scores. High scores is something they see all of the time. I always hear people asking about scores on this site but not often do I read about inquiries on doing things for the community, externships, etc,. tp help strengthen the application.

In short, don't be intimidated by undesirable scores and apply where you want. The extra $50 0r $60 spent to do so may surprise you.

Yes, it seems to generally work like psych psych laid it out but don't underestimate the power of a great letter of rec from a neuro professor either. If a program director knows a particular neuro professor pretty well and knows that he usually recommends outstanding students to his or her program despite having astronomical board scores or not, you can possibly get your interview there.

The application process is so dynamic that it can be unpredictable at times.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Had a 96 on Step 1, got an interview at columbia but not at partners or penn. so, a score in the 90s may get you an interview at a big-name program with a cut-off... but i think research, good letters, awesome grades count a lot more.

 

[GopherBrain]

Low 90s on Step 1, lots of other stuff... I got Hopkins, Partners, Penn, and UCSF last year. I didn't apply to Columbia.

 

[med99]

I know the average 3 digit score on USMLE is 216 with SD of 16. What is the significance of the 2 digit score. Mine was 90 and while I'm sure that higher is better, how is it scaled?

Med99

 

[Arctic Char]

speaking of "Big Name" programs, what is it worth to have done 4th year electives at such programs? i only ask because you all mention Columbia, which is where i will be doing mine. scores and grades completely aside, is it simply ALL about the evaluation i will get? and say i do well, but don't blow anyone's hair back, will the name of the institution open doors per se?

i'm just curious what role electives may play in my residency application

 

[ectopic_thought]

i got a 197 (80) on step I. average 1st & 2nd yr grades from a "reputable" "top 15" med school, and everything else about the application is great.

of course i take all these opinions with a grain of salt, but seriously - how do you (as in, YOU reading this right now) think i'll fare with applications to top 10 neuro programs?

and more realistically, programs in that 10-20 tier?

i agree with what someone mentioned earlier - i'm gonna shoot for every place i think i wanna go regardless. but i'm curious what people think about chances given the stats above.

 

[Methyldopa]

i got a 197 (80) on step I. average 1st & 2nd yr grades from a "reputable" "top 15" med school, and everything else about the application is great.

of course i take all these opinions with a grain of salt, but seriously - how do you (as in, YOU reading this right now) think i'll fare with applications to top 10 neuro programs?

and more realistically, programs in that 10-20 tier?

i agree with what someone mentioned earlier - i'm gonna shoot for every place i think i wanna go regardless. but i'm curious what people think about chances given the stats above.

I'm a proponent of this coming thought: "No one can tell your chances, because no one really knows what the heck goes on!"

One Chair from a "top" program alluded to me that they have cut-offs, so places may flat out reject you or they may not! It's tough to say.

But you probably can help yourself be more competitive by taking step2 and scoring well on it.

By the way, why exactly do you want to go to a "top" school. And if you say, it's because you'll be getting a great education, there are a ton of programs out there that will do that.

 

[ectopic_thought]

I'm a proponent of this coming thought: "No one can tell your chances, because no one really knows what the heck goes on!"

One Chair from a "top" program alluded to me that they have cut-offs, so places may flat out reject you or they may not! It's tough to say.

But you probably can help yourself be more competitive by taking step2 and scoring well on it.

By the way, why exactly do you want to go to a "top" school. And if you say, it's because you'll be getting a great education, there are a ton of programs out there that will do that.

i'm considering them because i'm interested in possibly being involved in academics, where the name of the institution may matter (up to a point). i'm interested in some clinical research but i really want to teach med students and residents (a task which many places don't give a **** about).

i feel like i'm the classic case of a student who excels on the wards, understands and reasons through problems well, and works well with people, but can't recall an entire encyclopedia on demand and thus won't have boards and 1st/2nd yr "numbers" on an application.

oh well. i guess if i get cutoff from a bunch of programs based on the score, it'll be both their loss and my ego's loss, but not my patients' loss in the long run. 🙁

 

[Methyldopa]

i'm interested in some clinical research but i really want to teach med students and residents (a task which many places don't give a **** about).

This is actually the same reason I'd like to go in academics. Remember that there are a ton of programs out there. For example, Emory is a fantastic place where you can go out into academics and it's not as competitive as the other "top" programs (although my understanding is that it is becoming more competitive). Either way, just apply next year and you'll be fine.

As for your patients suffering because of what program you went; the real truth is that they suffer because you are a crappy doctor, not because you went to NYU, or Emory, or Tufts, or Penn.

Take the "top" resident from all those above programs and no one could tell you where they graduated from, because they'll all be as good.