USMLE Step 1 scores

[mellowyellow]

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Can anyone tell me what range of Step 1 scores is considered decent and what range of scores is considered competitive? I know you need about a 180 to pass, but what's the break down after that?

 

[WatchingWaiting]

Can anyone tell me what range of Step 1 scores is considered decent and what range of scores is considered competitive? I know you need about a 180 to pass, but what's the break down after that?

Check out the USMLE forum if you want more info on Step I, though take people's posting about their stats as less than meaningful, as 90% or so of posters boast an above-average score.

Average for first time time test-takers is a 217, with a 20ish standard deviation. Around 230 or up is considered good enough to make you competitive for surgical subspecialty, radiology, dermatology programs somewhere (not at power institutions though), assuming clinical grades/research/letters of rec and the like are solid.

 

[scootad.]

agree except for derm really nothing less than 245 is "safe" unless ya got major connections.

 

[WatchingWaiting]

agree except for derm really nothing less than 245 is "safe" unless ya got major connections.

Derm-- the best and brightest. Derm-- the marine corps of medicine. Anyway, from what I've seen posted, the Step I averages for ENT, neurosurgery, rads, ortho, and derm matches are all in the low to mid 230s. I don't think you're "safe" in any of these fields with USMLE alone. The closest I've seen to an actual statement about selection by a residency program is UCSF's radiology blurb:

http://www.radiology.ucsf.edu/residents/application.shtml

They basically use a 240 Step I as a screen, with clinical performance and research becoming very important factors once you have a good enough Step I. I think all the competitive fields are fairly simliar in their evaluation of candidates.


Selection Criteria

In response to numerous questions from applicants, we have modified the content of this section. We hope that this information helps to demystify our selection process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Because we receive so many applications, we can interview only a small percentage (less than 10%) of candidates. We wish we could meet more of our highly-qualified applicants, but unfortunately, we do not have the time or the resources.

The residency selection committee reviews all of the applications after the dean's letters are released and chooses 50 candidates to interview. All letters of invitation or denial are sent by e-mail on a single day in early November.

Sometimes we receive requests to reexamine specific applications, but our short timeline precludes us from reconsidering our decisions.

Selection criteria are subjective. Most important are evaluations and grades in clinical rotations, with special regard to performance in the core clerkships; class standing and membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) honor society; record of research and publications, especially if relevant to radiology or a related discipline; potential for an academic career; performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), particularly Step 1; and personal characteristics and life experiences, as ascertained from the dean's letter, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and interview. Please "meet" the residents for further insight into the strength of qualifications and diversity of backgrounds and interests that we seek.

We are often asked about the significance of various criteria, including USMLE scores, membership in AOA, and research. We discuss these factors below solely to give you an inside look at our selection process and a general idea of the qualifications that we seek. Please assess the information in this context only, and remember that these are merely broad guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.

Performance on the USMLE is only one of several factors that we consider when choosing candidates whom we would like to interview. We review each application as a whole, and we do not have a threshold value for USMLE scores. However, in recent years, most of our interviewees have had three-digit scores of 240 or higher on Step 1. The small number of our interviewees with Step 1 scores between 200 and 239 have had offsetting factors such as a combination of top clinical grades at a competitive medical school and extraordinary research experience and promise. Once an applicant is selected for an interview, USMLE scores have little bearing on the final rank.

Most of our interviewees are members of AOA. We realize that some medical schools (Harvard, Stanford, UC San Diego, for example) do not have AOA chapters, and that a handful of others do not hold their AOA elections until the spring of the senior year; this will not adversely affect applicants from these schools.

Please keep in mind that our selection process is subjective. We have a limited number of interview places, and even those with very high USMLE scores and/or membership in AOA might not receive an invitation. Denial of an interview is not intended to imply lack of qualification; it simply reflects the abundance of applicants and our inability to interview them all!

Most of our interviewees have had research experience, ranging from writing a case report to undertaking laboratory work in pursuit of a Ph.D. We seek a balance of research interests among our residents. We should emphasize that because ours is a clinically rigorous program, we prefer applicants who have shined on the wards as well as in the laboratory.

We evaluate research based on several factors, including letters of recommendation from scientific mentors, publications in peer-reviewed journals (with greater weight for first-authored papers), presentations at scientific meetings, and if applicable, grants, awards, or patents. Our primary goal is to assess the potential for an academic career.

We appraise clinical research on the basis of its relevance to an academic career in radiology. We give greatest esteem to the minority of applicants who have spent a year or more carrying out hypothesis-driven research or other prospective research, although we also give due credit to those who have devoted time to retrospective projects.

We expect that applicants with backgrounds in basic or translational science will be able to articulate the relevance of their research to radiology and the expected role of laboratory research in their future careers. In our selection process, basic or translational research does not carry much weight if it was performed before medical school or for less than one year, or if it did not produce peer-reviewed publications.

 

[docmemi]

wow. great site, thanks. they really break it down and are honest. but that sux...virtually impossible to get into that program. they look at so many things in detail and are so selective. example: retrospective research is not as good as hypothesis driven prospective research...i can see what they are saying, but come on.

 

[Bevo]

high score in usmle doesn't garuntee any spot.

A friend had a score just below 258?/99. He went for derm. I think he applied to like 15 programs? He got 2 interviews and no acceptances.

he ended up doing Med.

 

[bigfrank]

high score in usmle doesn't garuntee any spot.

A friend had a score just below 258?/99. He went for derm. I think he applied to like 15 programs? He got 2 interviews and no acceptances.

he ended up doing Med.

Was s/he in the "Dominica" as well? Was this person applying for Derm spots in the US as a FMG?

 

[Bevo]

Was s/he in the "Dominica" as well? Was this person applying for Derm spots in the US as a FMG?

No,

out of a NY state med school.

 

[postbacc]

No,

out of a NY state med school.

There had to be something major missing, bad grades, annoying personality?

 

[azcomdiddy]

There had to be something major missing, bad grades, annoying personality?

A 258 on Step I doesn't mean jack if you aren't AOA or your class rank is low when applying to derm or other competitive fields. Preclinical grades and AOA are important

 

[lattimer13]

A 258 on Step I doesn't mean jack if you aren't AOA or your class rank is low when applying to derm or other competitive fields. Preclinical grades and AOA are important

why do you make it a habit of talking out of your ass?


🙄

 

[DrDre']

More likely, it was applying to only 15 programs. Most people who apply to competitive fields apply to way more than that. Those who apply to integrated plastics will often apply to all of them.

 

[Bevo]

I think it was that he didn't do any research was the big issue. He got 2 interview invites for derm and didn't match into either. I think only 1 person from his school matched.

Not sure how his LORs or clinical grades were though.

 

[carrigallen]

My only suggestion:

Take some of the 'advice' and tall-tales posted on SDN with a grain of salt.

Some of the information posted in this thread is exaggerated.

 

[Tristero]

 

[fuegorama]

A 258 on Step I doesn't mean jack if you aren't AOA or your class rank is low when applying to derm or other competitive fields. Preclinical grades and AOA are important

AZD-
So whaddya wanna do anyway? I mean...the position of god is taken. Crashing through basic sciences, insulting all comers, spending those lonely nights mumbling to yourself with RBS path nestled in your cold lap just can't last forever.
What is the goal of a schizotypal wack like yourself?
F

 

[daelroy]

Why are you guys suprised by only two interviews? First, he only applied to 15 programs while most derm candidates will apply to every program. This is derm that he is applying for not radiology. Derm is the most competitive field out there. We don't know what the person's clinical grades, class rank and AOA status was. Almost everyone who applies to derm are at the very least AOA(unless they went to Harvard or Stanford) and 240+ on Step I and II. If he had a 258 on Step I and was only granted 2 interviews, chances are he was not AOA. For derm, they will weed out people based on that because every candidate is ridiculously competitive.

 

[azcomdiddy]

high score in usmle doesn't garuntee any spot.

A friend had a score just below 258?/99. He went for derm. I think he applied to like 15 programs? He got 2 interviews and no acceptances.

he ended up doing Med.

What were his grades and class rank like?

 

[Bevo]

What were his grades and class rank like?

I know he was AOA and near the top of his class in basic science grades. I can't say much more in terms of clinical grades.


The point I was trying to get across is that nothing is a lock. Just because you have the grades or the score doesn't mean you assured anything.

And its not the suprising, because there was probably a good people out there who went through a similar situation. Its competitive for a reason.

 

[daelroy]

I know he was AOA and near the top of his class in basic science grades. I can't say much more in terms of clinical grades.


The point I was trying to get across is that nothing is a lock. Just because you have the grades or the score doesn't mean you assured anything.

And its not the suprising, because there was probably a good people out there who went through a similar situation. Its competitive for a reason.

This is definitely true. I was just saying that it is unlikely that someone can have a really high board score and not grades and match derm. AOA and 240+ Step I are the minimum requirements in most cases but even that doesn't guarantee anything. Derm receives more than enough applicants with both of these criteria that don't match.

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

Moving to usmle forum.