Looking for opinions about when to take Step 2. I have taken Step 1 and did well. I was planning on taking Step 2 sometime in March of my fourth year (after I had matched) but I've noticed that some pediatric programs (I'm thinking of going into peds) ask for Step 2 scores in your application. Will not having my Step 2 scores when I apply prevent me from getting interviews?
USMLE Step 2 and Residency selection
- Thread starter Dennys
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I highly doubt it. In radiology I've learned that it doesn't benefit you much by taking it early. As you know, most allopathic students take Step II after the match. Even if you did take Step II early like me, most PD's will only compare your Step I scores. Something to think about.
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Although I agree with pags about the Step II score not meaning as much as Step I. I took my Step II in beginning of December and 2 of the programs I interviewed at in December did ask me if I took it or was going to take it and the PD's stated that it would be very benificial to me to have taken it if I wanted to match there. At one interview in January after my scores were released a PD said at an interview, "Glad to see you did so well on Step II, it means so much more to us than Step I." I know that Step I means more, but every program and Program Director is unique and you just never seem to know what score, grade, LOR means the most to them.
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A lot of programs have asked me if I have taken step 2 but they never mentioned how much of an impact it will make. I think if you did really well on step 1 than I wouldn't risk taking step 2 unless you knew you were going to do really well on it. Some of the more competitive residencies might look at it more closely to choose between applicants but I think overall it won't make that much of an impact. They know how you did on your rotations and they know your grades and your letters of recommendations and your step 1 score so I think they have a good idea on how you'll do on step 2. Some programs wanted to know whether you had to pass step 2 to graduate. If you did mediocre on step 1, I would take step 2 because it is more clinically relevant and it will give you an opportunity to show them that you can do well on the exam. Since I am going into OB-GYN and I am looking toward a fellowship afterwards, doing well on step 2 is a priority for me and not just to pass it.
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Manny programs don't officially require that you take Step 2. However, if you take the exam and pass with a score at or above your step one exam, you'll probably receive more interviews. After speaking with several program directors on the trail, taking step 2 plays a critical role in the ranking process. One PD said, "Taking Step 2 late in the fourth year is a definite disadvantage for the student. Programs take a gamble on ranking students that haven't passed Step 2, because if they fail, they may not graduate or be able to accept their matched position." So this is wahy I chose to take USMLE Step 2 early.
Hope this helps.
Orthodog
Hope this helps.
Orthodog
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Well, here's an e-mail I got today from one of the programs. Don't know what their problem is with ERAS and I'm not a doc yet but here's the exact e-mail. I crossed out the programs name as well. It's a radiology program.
Dear Dr. Picotte,
We are currently in the process of creating our rank list for MATCH at ******. After review of your file, we are in need of your USMLE step II
documents. I realize that this may have been submitted to ERAS, but we have having troubles receiving any updates ERAS documents and would appreciate it if you could fax your results.
Thank you for your cooperation, and please call if you have any concerns.
Dear Dr. Picotte,
We are currently in the process of creating our rank list for MATCH at ******. After review of your file, we are in need of your USMLE step II
documents. I realize that this may have been submitted to ERAS, but we have having troubles receiving any updates ERAS documents and would appreciate it if you could fax your results.
Thank you for your cooperation, and please call if you have any concerns.
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Although I know programs usually use step 1 scores for interview screening, I like the use of step 2 scores. They are clinically more appropriate. The problem is that not all 4th year students have taken the exam at interview time and most 4th year students don't place near the emphasis on this test as they did on step 1.
I have had several programs contact me after interviewing commenting on the quality of my step 2 scores. I took the test in Dec. and didn't receive my scores until after interviewing everywhere.
So I think it is extremely beneficial to take step 2 early. This of course imparts the risk of not doing as well as step 1 and hindering your chances.
Bottom line: Not taking it will not hinder your chances of interviews.
I have had several programs contact me after interviewing commenting on the quality of my step 2 scores. I took the test in Dec. and didn't receive my scores until after interviewing everywhere.
So I think it is extremely beneficial to take step 2 early. This of course imparts the risk of not doing as well as step 1 and hindering your chances.
Bottom line: Not taking it will not hinder your chances of interviews.
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It's a 97 pags. I took Step II early because it's required to graduate at my school and my Step I score was 230 (91) which is pretty good in a normal year but radiology is so damn competitive this year I figured I'd just go for it and I got lucky. Just about everyone at my school takes it before match but it is a graduation requirement for us.
