I'm going to have to take step 2 in late August because of the rotations i'm on now...the problem is with the Sept 1st submission date and my low step 1 score, how big of a disadvantage will I be in? Will programs look at my application sept 1st without the step 2 score and then just automatically reject me because of this? I'm applying to internal medicine and know I can do much better on step 2. I had personal circumstances (which is not an excuse at all) and step 2 will be much better. I'm just nervous and am thinking if this will put me in such a big disadvantage that maybe I should push everything back one year and apply next year so that my step 2 scores are in by the time I apply? Is this too extreme? Please help!!
Taking Step 2 in August - how much of a disadvantage will I be in? please help!
- Thread starter nope80
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I think scores only take 3 weeks to come out? Why don't you just wait and then submit in like the 2nd or 3rd week of September when you have the score? It won't make that big of a difference to submit a few weeks later to make sure you have that score in to be considered, IMHO.
Thats definitely an idea but I didn't know how much it would hold me back? Everyone always says make sure you submit by Sept 1st and they are so strict about this. Submitting a few weeks later, how much of a disadvantage is this? What is the difference between sept 1st and a few weeks, is it that interview spots will be taken up already?
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If you're a US grad, applying in early Oct will be perfectly fine. Even for most IMG's, that's still early.
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Really? Most IMGs I know say Sept 1, or you're a dead man/woman.
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To be fair, it probably depends on the types of programs to which you are applying. IMG only programs will tend to start interviewing early. More competitive programs will wait until late Oct or early Nov before deciding whom to invite. Regardless, I doubt that submitting on Sept 15th or Oct 1st is going to make too much of a difference. I agree that, if you have your whole application ready to go, might as well have it in on Sept 1. But, if you're missing a vital piece (like step 2) and worry that PD's will review your app with only Step 1 and reject you, might as well wait until you get your Step 2 score. Any program that has given away all of their interview slots by then, you wouldn't have gotten an interview from anyway.
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Agreed. When I applied, many of the programs I applied to didn't even download anything from ERAS until mid October, and the interview season ran through the first week of Feb. By contrast, some of the FP and peds interviews seemed to start the first week of October. So it depends on the specialty as to what's "late".
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Although I have heard that programs often download the apps on a rolling basis, so if you submitted on sept. 1 yours would be the first to pop up, "possibly" increasing your chances of having your app more closely looked at for an interview.
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Where does it say that? I can't find it. Does that mean schools don't get step 1 scores until October 6th too, that would be kind of odd.
google usmle step 2, click on first link, look at bottom of page- it's very clear
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Thanks. Since this affects all examinees it probably won't make a difference for anyone.
yep- just remember they're just referring to the step 2 ck scores, not the official usmle transcript that goes to eras
So the question is do schools upload the apps as they come in and start reviewing them mid oct, in the order they arrived?? So if thats the case, it would be to ones advantage to apply sept 1st even w an incomplete application and then make sure it is totally complete w step 2 by october such that when they see it you had the benefit of being earlier in the list? Does that make sense? Rather than waiting until the end of september to submit and then having to be at a later point in the list where PD see your application?
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I had the same question last week when I rescheduled my exam. I had the option of taking it on 8/14, but decided to take it several days earlier even though it's alot more inconvenient for me (falls on weekday vs weekend so have to ask for time off and a long drive home from an important away rotation) so that I would not fall into the late reporting group (> 8/12). I based my decision on my talk with some of the interns who all advised me to submit my application as early as possible. I also did a search on this forum on interview invites for internal medicine program and many programs including the prestigious ones sent out invites very early starting in September. The candidates who got invited probably have very competitive scores but nevertheless, I think waiting until late Sept or Oct to submit your application is risky. I think you should ask the interns who are fresh off the application trail in your specific specialty to get a feel of the importance of applying early and also gauge how your performance will be affected given more/less study time.
My girlfriend is going through the same thing. We have gathered from im directors and seniors on sdn that if you are an AMG it really does not matter as long as you get your application in by third week of october. The east coast schools don't get it going until nov so do most of the west coast programs. The deans letter comes in nov 1 and that is when amg's really start getting invites. Most schools interview until late jan and even into mid feb--also, it does not put one at advantage or disadvantage of interviewing early or late..
Also, we were also told that if you submit your app with a low step 1 and are banking on your step 2ck score it is best to wait and apply when they are both available--some directors inactivate apps based on low step 1 scores and even if your stepck score comes out---chances are they will not look at your app again.
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3-4 weeks for the CK. The CS is VERY variable, as they only release scores periodically.
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My CS score took >2 months because of when I took it (fell directly after a score release set)...such a pain in the butt! I think anyone who takes Step 2 CK after Aug 1st gets the Oct 6th score release date (because of some BS that they are changing something yet again).
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True through mid-Sept. After that, it's supposed to be on the 3-4 week schedule again.
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Does anyone know how it works with general surgery programs? Do they like to process early and send out invites earlier?
Also, the same questions about OB/GYN programs?
Thanks
Also, the same questions about OB/GYN programs?
Thanks
Yep- they do it every year. There are plenty of posts from years past that discuss this, and it seems they're pretty reliable with their deadlines and dates.
huh okay, yeah I thought it was always rolling a few weeks afterwards. I didn't think that in August it would be october 6th no matter what. If that is the case, why take it earlier? I wonder what the cut off date in sept is for the october 6th release.
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I'm wondering the same thing, I have mine scheduled for Sept 14 but I'll move it up a day or two if it means I'll get it Oct 6 instead of a couple weeks later.
My friends that took CK before august got their scores back in 3 weeks, but I've read others on SDN got theirs in 4 weeks, so it's a bit variable. If you take it Sept 14, either way you'll probably get it back october 6 because you fall into the mid-aug to mid-sept block or because 3 wednesdays from sept 14 is october 6.
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