Two IMG profiles: Selection for interviews, which is better?

[longlost.s]

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Specialty: e.g. Neurology
IMG 1: YOG - 2016, step 1 269, CK 271, CS Pass, first attempt, no USCE, no research in US, a few months of research in home country in neuro, 4 LORS home country, 1 publication

IMG 2: YOG 2013, step 1 212, CK 217, CS Pass, first attempt, 3 months hands on USCE, 4 months observership Neuro at big university programs in the country in Neuro, 1 year research at two big university programs in Neuro, 4 LORS from US, 6 publications

Who would be invited for interview and why?

(These are real profiles of 2 people in this year's cycle, IMG 1 has 17 interviews, while IMG 2 has 4 interviews. What more could IMG 2 do?)

 

[deleted480308]

Specialty: e.g. Neurology
IMG 1: YOG - 2016, step 1 269, CK 271, CS Pass, first attempt, no USCE, no research in US, a few months of research in home country in neuro, 4 LORS home country, 1 publication

IMG 2: YOG 2013, step 1 212, CK 217, CS Pass, first attempt, 3 months hands on USCE, 4 months observership Neuro at big university programs in the country in Neuro, 1 year research at two big university programs in Neuro, 4 LORS from US, 6 publications

Who would be invited for interview and why?

(These are real profiles of 2 people in this year's cycle, IMG 1 has 17 interviews, while IMG 2 has 4 interviews. What more could IMG 2 do?)

Graduating last year as opposed to FOUR years ago and 60pts difference on step exams?

Are you legitimately unsure about why they have different results?

 

[Redpancreas]

Specialty: e.g. Neurology
IMG 1: YOG - 2016, step 1 269, CK 271, CS Pass, first attempt, no USCE, no research in US, a few months of research in home country in neuro, 4 LORS home country, 1 publication

IMG 2: YOG 2013, step 1 212, CK 217, CS Pass, first attempt, 3 months hands on USCE, 4 months observership Neuro at big university programs in the country in Neuro, 1 year research at two big university programs in Neuro, 4 LORS from US, 6 publications

Who would be invited for interview and why?

(These are real profiles of 2 people in this year's cycle, IMG 1 has 17 interviews, while IMG 2 has 4 interviews. What more could IMG 2 do?)

yeah seriously, what @sb247 said. this is like asking why nepotism doesn't mean more. not gonna have a good time making that argument on SDN of all places.

 

[longlost.s]

So that would mean for IMGs recent graduation and scores are enough? USCE and publications are bogus? there could be multiple reasons why IMG2 applied late. How come we know that a good scorer and recent grad would be an excellent clinician? Maybe IMG2 has a residency training back home?

 

[GoSpursGo]

So that would mean for IMGs recent graduation and scores are enough? USCE and publications are bogus? there could be multiple reasons why IMG2 applied late. How come we know that a good scorer and recent grad would be an excellent clinician? Maybe IMG2 has a residency training back home?

USCE and pubs are clearly not bogus. That is without a doubt the sole reason that IMG2 even has any interviews in the first place, and it sounds like he or she has done the best possible job of overcoming those poor board scores to give him/herself a shot with interviews. But nothing that IMG2 does is going to totally erase those board scores, and the fact of the matter is that certain doors have been closed with those scores.

Crying about how you don't know if the good scorer would be a good clinician is irrelevant; this is how the system works, it's not fair, and it's unlikely to change.

 

[AdmiralChz]

So that would mean for IMGs recent graduation and scores are enough? USCE and publications are bogus? there could be multiple reasons why IMG2 applied late. How come we know that a good scorer and recent grad would be an excellent clinician? Maybe IMG2 has a residency training back home?

If IMG2 had the same stats as IMG1 then all that wouldn’t be necessary for match in the US. But they aren’t the same, so major additional work is required. It is what it is. Those step scores for IMG1 are quite impressive.

 

[deleted480308]

So that would mean for IMGs recent graduation and scores are enough? USCE and publications are bogus? there could be multiple reasons why IMG2 applied late. How come we know that a good scorer and recent grad would be an excellent clinician? Maybe IMG2 has a residency training back home?

I get that it hurts (I’m assuming you are img2). But it’s steps over everything when it comes to residency. And a top 5% score is going to crush a barely passed score all day when it comes to landing interviews

You seem shocked that a free agent quarterback with 9000 yards passing and 42 touchdowns has more teams wanting them than a guy with 382 yrds and 2 touchdowns but a TON of community service and an MBA.

I had disappointing scores too, it changes your options.

 

[longlost.s]

I get that it hurts (I’m assuming you are img2). But it’s steps over everything when it comes to residency. And a top 5% score is going to crush a barely passed score all day when it comes to landing interviews

You seem shocked that a free agent quarterback with 9000 yards passing and 42 touchdowns has more teams wanting them than a guy with 382 yrds and 2 touchdowns but a TON of community service and an MBA.

I had disappointing scores too, it changes your options.

Community service and MBA is pretty irrelevant to consider a player, so you are saying USCE and research irrelevant for a low scorer.

Anyway, it is okay, I got the point. Nothing can be done to cover bad scores unfortunately.

 

[mousedoc1]

Community service and MBA is pretty irrelevant to consider a player, so you are saying USCE and research irrelevant for a low scorer.
Anyway, it is okay, I got the point. Nothing can be done to cover bad scores unfortunately.

Sorry I couldn't help myself - just want to make sure the take home message is emphasized - USCE and the research is most relevant for the IMG with low scores. i would go as far to say that "USCE and research" are likely the main reasons this particular IMG (with scores in 210s) is getting interviews. also it's hard to compare apples to oranges, which is essentially what you're asking folks to do here -

 

[NeurologyHopeful2018]

Sorry I couldn't help myself - just want to make sure the take home message is emphasized - USCE and the research is most relevant for the IMG with low scores. i would go as far to say that "USCE and research" are likely the main reasons this particular IMG (with scores in 210s) is getting interviews. also it's hard to compare apples to oranges, which is essentially what you're asking folks to do here -

For Neurology - common cut offs are 220 step 1 230 step 2. So IMG2 is being filtered out to begin with.