third party Step 2 CS schedulers

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Long story short, I registered for Step 2 CS months ago for a date in October that I cannot complete due to an away rotation, the details of which were just set a few days ago. Someone told me there exist third party services (e.g, not Prometric) which help you to reschedule your Step 2 CS date to one month from the time you contact them with your USMLE ID and payment. My school has a requirement that you complete Step 2 CS by November, and the earliest available spot online shows as December.

Does anyone have any experience with these third party schedulers? Do they actually exist, or is this here-say? If they do, are they savory people to contact and give my information to? What rates do they charge? Do they do what they purport to do? Is there any risk to using them?

Basically, can someone who has perhaps used an external USMLE STEP 2 CS scheduler speak more about their experience with them, and reputable people to contact?

So many questions about this thing that I never heard anything about prior to today.
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I don't have experience with an external service, but have you heard of the firefox extension called check4change? It's a free browser extension that periodically refreshes a website and alerts you if the site has changed at all. I learned about it from old threads. I am trying to use it to schedule something in Philly or Chicago in October. Haven't had any luck with it yet, though. I have seen posts on other usmle forums about external services that charge $100.
 
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They run a software to check dates for you like 24/7. If you have the time to do it yourself, you can save the $100, which actually doesn't seem like a lot compared to what you are already putting in lol. I know a bunch of people that used [email protected] from what is posted on my school's fb page but you can find others too. Just search older posts or even google it.
 
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RadDocGoneBadDoc said:
They run a software to check dates for you like 24/7. If you have the time to do it yourself, you can save the $100, which actually doesn't seem like a lot compared to what you are already putting in lol. I know a bunch of people that used schedulestep2cs from what is posted on my school's fb page but you can find others too. Just search older posts or even google it.
Click to expand...

It is worth it, especially when you have to study/have rotations like I did. I used them and just got a date. They were actually $85, not $100. Thanks!!
 
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Siqoraaa said:
It is worth it, especially when you have to study/have rotations like I did. I used them and just got a date. They were actually $85, not $100. Thanks!!
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hi Siquoraaa,

how was your experience with them looking for a date? Did you book for your date on really short notice?? Thanks in advance for your input. Just trying to get some reviews on them wherever i can.
 
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DanielQuest said:
hi Siquoraaa,

how was your experience with them looking for a date? Did you book for your date on really short notice?? Thanks in advance for your input. Just trying to get some reviews on them wherever i can.
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Hi, it was pretty quick, the date I needed was about 2 months away and it took them around 1 week to get it
 
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Siqoraaa said:
It is worth it, especially when you have to study/have rotations like I did. I used them and just got a date. They were actually $85, not $100. Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Hi Siqoraaa,
Can you please tell me which scheduler you used? Because they getting you a date in $85 is pretty good. Please reply and thanks for helping. :)
PLEASE REPLY....
 
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did anyone actually use this^^^^ honestly a low-tech webpage where you put in your credit card info seems v shady. the other one mentioned here only works for IMGs, who use a different website to schedule. The NBME website was updated (perhaps the recaptcha prevents the bot from automatically taking spots).

the insane thing about this is that it seems with the advent of scheduling scripts, it will actually be very difficult to get a date you want *without* using one. one that i wanted appeared, it only took me a second to realize that i wanted it (after checking about 20 times today), and it was already gone.
 
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Don’t these sites also want your USMLE number, I would not give that out. I’m also suspicious their methods are not allowed or are considered irregular by USMLE
 
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Siqoraaa said:
It is worth it, especially when you have to study/have rotations like I did. I used them and just got a date. They were actually $85, not $100. Thanks!!
Click to expand...
Did u just email them or was there a site? I checked the spotget and reviews just seem too shady along with the whole credit card thing mentioned...
 
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dragqueen said:
did anyone actually use this^^^^ honestly a low-tech webpage where you put in your credit card info seems v shady. the other one mentioned here only works for IMGs, who use a different website to schedule. The NBME website was updated (perhaps the recaptcha prevents the bot from automatically taking spots).

the insane thing about this is that it seems with the advent of scheduling scripts, it will actually be very difficult to get a date you want *without* using one. one that i wanted appeared, it only took me a second to realize that i wanted it (after checking about 20 times today), and it was already gone.
Click to expand...

Since I posted this, I got a spot in August. It seems that people tend to cancel pretty close to their dates. I did not have to sit around for hours refreshing to get one, I just got a little lucky, logged on maybe 20-30 times per day for a few days, then had some luck on a Saturday morning when I could use my computer and a mouse rather than awkwardly trying to navigate with my phone. But it appears you don't need to be amazingly lucky, I spoke with three others in my class and they all managed to reschedule within their desired period. None of us used any crazy software or script services. If those services were indeed very effective, it would be much harder for people to simply log on and find a desirable date. The notification system didn't do a dang thing for me, I got so many notifications from the website itself and by the time I received that message and logged on they were ALWAYS already gone, and I probably got 5 or so notifications per day for several days.

I will say, though, many people will cancel their appointments for THE NEXT DAY, which makes the spot unusable, or at best makes for added anxiety to the person who may feel forced to take the spot. After all, for some people applying to some programs, getting a date or not may effect their ability to even graduate on time. I don't think the answer to this madness is us just self-regulating and changing our behavior, I think we actually need to pressure the NBME to make a less horrible test, or just leave the assessment of clinical skills to the schools (mine does a fine job, and even if it didn't this needlessly high stakes test wouldn't fix that). But in the meantime, please, if you're canceling, try to do it at least several days in advance so that people anxious to get a spot can do it with enough time to get a flight if they need to.
 
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quincyfuturemd said:
Don’t these sites also want your USMLE number, I would not give that out. I’m also suspicious their methods are not allowed or are considered irregular by USMLE
Click to expand...

I agree! I would not feel safe giving my information away like that, especially access to your account to reschedule dates.

dragqueen said:
Since I posted this, I got a spot in August. It seems that people tend to cancel pretty close to their dates. I did not have to sit around for hours refreshing to get one, I just got a little lucky, logged on maybe 20-30 times per day for a few days, then had some luck on a Saturday morning when I could use my computer and a mouse rather than awkwardly trying to navigate with my phone. But it appears you don't need to be amazingly lucky, I spoke with three others in my class and they all managed to reschedule within their desired period. None of us used any crazy software or script services. If those services were indeed very effective, it would be much harder for people to simply log on and find a desirable date. The notification system didn't do a dang thing for me, I got so many notifications from the website itself and by the time I received that message and logged on they were ALWAYS already gone, and I probably got 5 or so notifications per day for several days.

I will say, though, many people will cancel their appointments for THE NEXT DAY, which makes the spot unusable, or at best makes for added anxiety to the person who may feel forced to take the spot. After all, for some people applying to some programs, getting a date or not may effect their ability to even graduate on time. I don't think the answer to this madness is us just self-regulating and changing our behavior, I think we actually need to pressure the NBME to make a less horrible test, or just leave the assessment of clinical skills to the schools (mine does a fine job, and even if it didn't this needlessly high stakes test wouldn't fix that). But in the meantime, please, if you're canceling, try to do it at least several days in advance so that people anxious to get a spot can do it with enough time to get a flight if they need to.
Click to expand...

I agree with dragqueen. Dates tend to open a lot more as the test gets closer. I remember a few days before my test there were 3-4 spots open for the week I took it in. I also understand it can be nerve wrecking waiting that close to the exam. If worse comes to worse, you can try to reschedule it for a later date. I think December-January is a slow period. If you are applying for match this year, I think November 3 would be the last date you can book the exam.
 
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MitralRegurge said:
Did u just email them or was there a site? I checked the spotget and reviews just seem too shady along with the whole credit card thing mentioned...
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I emailed schedulestep2cs@gmail and it worked without any issues. Payment was through paypal so i didnt have to provide any cc info directly. If you have the time, you can try to get a date yourself but i honestly had no time...i was studying for CK.
 
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Nothing beats step2cs.carrd.co. My entire school used it and everybody got the dates they needed. We tried some other sites but they couldn't get spots for people who needed something in Houston or the other more competitive sites like chicago.
 
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Refuse to believe you got a spot in just 10 minutes. Thats pretty much impossible unless your taking spots from other people. Even step2cs.carrd.co doesn't promise that and they are easily the best site out there.
 
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DO NOT USE SPOTGETTER TO BOOK A CS DATE !!!!!

I just wanted to warn everyone not to use Spotgetter to book a CS date. Their computer booked me the wrong date and never got email as you are supposed too. So I missed my test date due to their error after realizing this, I contacted them and they looked into it and acknowledged it was their mistake and would reimburse me the $1285 fee I had to pay to be able to re book the exam. But they never did and wont respond to their emails. So I have ended up losing all that money!!!!
 
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To the person above me, my friend used one called Step 2 CS Carrd (Step 2 CS Auto Scheduler). He had a family emergency and could not take the spot he was registered for at the time. They got him his spot in about a week i think and had no regrets. I personally would be hesitant to use one and would try to wait it out if possible. I just dont really trust online sites but if your desperate I guess you have to do what ya gotta do.
 
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Stay away from them as much as you can. One of them charged my friend $300 for two weeks extension. Another one took my spot without giving me a new one. So irresponsible and greedy.
 
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maddy said:
Stay away from them as much as you can. One of them charged my friend $300 for two weeks extension. Another one took my spot without giving me a new one. So irresponsible and greedy.
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It would be helpful if you posted the name of the service that did that so other users can stay away rather than just giving a wide nonrecommendation.
 
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Anyone with a recent experience of these 3rd party scheduling services? What kind of date interval and how many centers did you specify? Were they successful? I'm having no luck with the browser extensions / apps (using Distill Web Monitor for chrome and Web Alert on android). I think the $460 Carrd is charging is well steep but at the same time I applaud those guys for realizing there's a market for this.

Came across a link to another site charging $125 who claim a 80 % success rate (vs. 90 % Carrd). Anyone used that one?
 
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I just downloaded firefox and used the Check4Change extension and it worked beautifully. Was able to reschedule like twice to better times within a few hours sitting by my computer on the weekend. I wouldn't waste your money.
 
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Wavy Doctor said:
using check4change right now, no hits so far.

I found the other website I was talkin about: USMLE Step 2 CS Exam Scheduling anyone used them?
Click to expand...

make sure you set it so that it checks like every 5 seconds, so long as you have a connection that can support that. and you can open multiple tabs to look for slots in multiple cities. it works best if you're willing to go to multiple sites. you could be waiting much longer if you insist on a single city (esp LA or Philly, since those probably have the biggest populations using them)
 
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dragqueen said:
make sure you set it so that it checks like every 5 seconds, so long as you have a connection that can support that. and you can open multiple tabs to look for slots in multiple cities. it works best if you're willing to go to multiple sites. you could be waiting much longer if you insist on a single city (esp LA or Philly, since those probably have the biggest populations using them)
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Yeah I put the refresh rate at 3 seconds but can only get it working on one tab at a time, do you have to use a paid version of the extension for more?
 
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Hmm nope! I was able to have it running in 5 or 6 windows if I remember correctly, each one checking for a different month and/or location. Was doing this on a PC. It might work better if you make it less frequent like every 6 or 7 seconds.

And I"m sure if you got it working in one tab you already know this but you have to like, highlight the calendar as the thing in which the app is monitoring changes.
 
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One issue I had running it myself was that after a couple tries I think my ip was flagged by google so I got the captcha every time I tried to confirm and the spot was always gone by the time I solved it. Ended up having to use a scheduler
 
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anyone recently have any luck grabbing up a last minute spot in the past few days/week/month using check4change or any of the spot getting services? I'm considering using one by money is pretty tight for me.

my laptop is really old and check4change kills my chances of doing anything except running it.
 
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shemer77 said:
One issue I had running it myself was that after a couple tries I think my ip was flagged by google so I got the captcha every time I tried to confirm and the spot was always gone by the time I solved it. Ended up having to use a scheduler
Click to expand...
what scheduler did you use?
 
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shemer77 said:
One issue I had running it myself was that after a couple tries I think my ip was flagged by google so I got the captcha every time I tried to confirm and the spot was always gone by the time I solved it. Ended up having to use a scheduler
Click to expand...
I don't think it is IP related as you are able to avoid the captcha simply by using a difference browser. That's how I was able to secure a spot with Check4Change: Firefox running it, and then Chrome logged in and ready to refresh as soon as Firefox sends the alert.
 
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type12 said:
I don't think it is IP related as you are able to avoid the captcha simply by using a difference browser. That's how I was able to secure a spot with Check4Change: Firefox running it, and then Chrome logged in and ready to refresh as soon as Firefox sends the alert.
Click to expand...
that'll probably work for a little bit but the browser will stop working sooner than the first one
 
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Laradd said:
that'll probably work for a little bit but the browser will stop working sooner than the first one
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I don't know what you mean. I literally scheduled my test by doing this and got my first choice without issue.
 
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errorscheduling said:
Hey all, just wanted to report about my experience using 2 different schedulers.
I initially used [email protected] as I read on this forum that they were effective. I waited 6 nerve-wracking weeks for them to find me a date (I requested their service in early june) with a wide time and location window (Philly, Chicago, and Houston) in September. When this still didn't work, I got nervous and signed up for a second scheduler. I changed my password and this time used Spotgetter. It had been recommended to me by a classmate of mine. Within days, it got me a spot. I admittedly did use a wider range of locations, but I really liked Spotgetter because it sent an email every time it attempted to get me a spot. It was about the 15th attempt that worked, but it felt nice knowing they were searching as the other service did not communicate any attempts to acquire a spot. Anyways that's just my $0.02! Hope it helps somebody out. I was freaking out pretty badly as there is a deadline at my school for taking CS by and missing it could mean delaying graduation. Goodluck for anybody out there in a similar position!
Click to expand...
Ive heard multiple times that spotgetter is a scam and when people like this post a giant paragraph with one post, its obvious they are fishing for reviews.
 
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hlancaster said:
I don't have experience with an external service, but have you heard of the firefox extension called check4change? It's a free browser extension that periodically refreshes a website and alerts you if the site has changed at all. I learned about it from old threads. I am trying to use it to schedule something in Philly or Chicago in October. Haven't had any luck with it yet, though. I have seen posts on other usmle forums about external services that charge $100.
Click to expand...
How, exactly, did you earmark phrases in the NBME or other websites for Check4Change to monitor? I have downloaded Firefox, set up Check4Change, and am keeping Chrome up, as others have done, but I'm not sure I have identified the correct search parameters/language. All help is appreciated. I have a date in December to retake Step 2 CS, but am worried it will be too late in the ERAS cycle to be considered for most interviews. I appreciate all replies.
 
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OlderWiserLearner said:
How, exactly, did you earmark phrases in the NBME or other websites for Check4Change to monitor? I have downloaded Firefox, set up Check4Change, and am keeping Chrome up, as others have done, but I'm not sure I have identified the correct search parameters/language. All help is appreciated. I have a date in December to retake Step 2 CS, but am worried it will be too late in the ERAS cycle to be considered for most interviews. I appreciate all replies.
Click to expand...
Sorry I don’t remember! Good luck though. Scheduling CS was stressful
 
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OlderWiserLearner said:
How, exactly, did you earmark phrases in the NBME or other websites for Check4Change to monitor? I have downloaded Firefox, set up Check4Change, and am keeping Chrome up, as others have done, but I'm not sure I have identified the correct search parameters/language. All help is appreciated. I have a date in December to retake Step 2 CS, but am worried it will be too late in the ERAS cycle to be considered for most interviews. I appreciate all replies.
Click to expand...

in checkforchange for firefox you just have to highlight the calendar for the most recent free days, as it checks if an earlier spot opens it'll bump to that and alert you. problem with this is, unless you have a really fast computer and a really good connection, the scheduler date grabbing people will get them before you. best of luck.
 
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hlancaster said:
I don't have experience with an external service, but have you heard of the firefox extension called check4change? It's a free browser extension that periodically refreshes a website and alerts you if the site has changed at all. I learned about it from old threads. I am trying to use it to schedule something in Philly or Chicago in October. Haven't had any luck with it yet, though. I have seen posts on other usmle forums about external services that charge $100.
Click to expand...
Hi! Can you please share how exactly you used the ckeck4change? What text or address should I highlight exactly to get it tracked? I have downloaded it. So far, I see that only the color of the cells changes or a new page in the calendar appears... Thank you!
 
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type12 said:
I don't think it is IP related as you are able to avoid the captcha simply by using a difference browser. That's how I was able to secure a spot with Check4Change: Firefox running it, and then Chrome logged in and ready to refresh as soon as Firefox sends the alert.
Click to expand...
Hi, Just wondering if the website logged you out as you logged in on another tab or browser?
I am trying to run multiple tabs at once for each location but once I log in on the next it gives me a "this session has ended" message on the original.
 
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Dr.PhilPhil said:
DO NOT USE SPOTGETTER TO BOOK A CS DATE !!!!!

I just wanted to warn everyone not to use Spotgetter to book a CS date. Their computer booked me the wrong date and never got email as you are supposed too. So I missed my test date due to their error after realizing this, I contacted them and they looked into it and acknowledged it was their mistake and would reimburse me the $1285 fee I had to pay to be able to re book the exam. But they never did and wont respond to their emails. So I have ended up losing all that money!!!!
Click to expand...
Hi! I have just applied for their service, did you finally get your refund? And did you re-schedule the exam??
 
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Nestsiarovich said:
Hi! I have just applied for their service, did you finally get your refund? And did you re-schedule the exam??
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I used spotgetter, was happy with it, and have recommended the service to several people who were also happy. maybe they had issues in the past but got their lives together because i've never heard anyone I know complain
 
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I used step2scheduler dot com, took a while but worked. They probably all are fine. Don’t pay step2.carrd $1300 lol what a ripoff.
 
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Shtumpa, Thank you for the shout out!

Like you mentioned we do book hard to get dates/locations. Students that are skeptical can try our service and if we're not successful they will get a full refund. We use PayPal and run a legit business so we're not trying to scam anyone! Also, www.ScheduleStep2.com is the only Step 2 CS scheduling website that can actually monitor up to 3 different date ranges as you mentioned. Our flexibility, fast communication, and software speeds is what makes us stand out.
 
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Hi

I was scheduled to give my step 2 cs on April 7 2020. However due to COVID 19, all examinations were suspended till april 10th. I reserved this date a year ago. I know ECFMG and CSEC will reschedule examinations.

The problem is my one year eligibility ends on April 9th 2020. Will this affect them rescheduling my exam? I was all set to give it on the 7th. I have tried to reach out to them through phone and email, but phone lines are jammed.

Any advice/help will be greatly appreciated.
 
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