USMLE Step 2

[DrHambik]

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I'm currently a 3rd year and planning on applying to IM residencies in California. I took both COMLEX and USMLE Step 1. Did fairly well on the USMLE Step 1. I'm aiming for fairly competitive allopathic IM residencies and want to know if programs such as Cedars Sinai, UCLA, UCSF require a USMLE Step 2 score. Whether they have it as a written rule or an unwritten one, I would appreciate any help from anyone who has applied to an allopathic residency.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ceftazidime]

I'm currently a 3rd year and planning on applying to IM residencies in California. I took both COMLEX and USMLE Step 1. Did fairly well on the USMLE Step 1. I'm aiming for fairly competitive allopathic IM residencies and want to know if programs such as Cedars Sinai, UCLA, UCSF require a USMLE Step 2 score. Whether they have it as a written rule or an unwritten one, I would appreciate any help from anyone who has applied to an allopathic residency.

Thanks in advance.

I was in a similar situation and decided to take USMLE step 2. Contrary to what everybody says about step 2, I ended up scoring 1 point LESS than my USMLE step 1! However, since I took it after I submitted my ERAS application (for which the earliest date is 9/1 of your 4th year), the programs only received my step 1 score and I didn't have to update it with my step 2. Still got into a fairly competitive IM program.

So this is always an option if you don't mind taking your Step 2 sometime in September or later. That way if you rock it, you can update your transcript, and if not, just keep it hidden.

Don't know about those specific schools you listed, but I think your best bet would be to search those school's websites, see if there are any DOs in the IM programs, and find some way to contact them.

 

[DrHambik]

thanks for the response. i've reached out to a few residents and taking the exam sometime in september sounds like a good idea.

 

[Powdermonkey]

Just out of curiosity, how are you going to study for step 2 during that time period your 4th year? Are you taking a vacation month? Easy elective?

I'm trying to plan out my schedule for 3rd and 4th year at this point and my best option looks to be vacation in June and elective rotation months August through October. Another option is to just have elective months June through September and 4th year community hospital months at the end of September through November.

I like the first option simply because I'll have a month off to study and get up to Philly and take the PE. Is that wrong logic? Will that put me too late into the application season to get all of my LORs and grades in? I'm worried about when and how I'm going to be able to go interview b/c we can't miss clinic days to do that. How have you guys done it?

Thanks!

 

[scpod]

How have you guys done it?

Thanks!

I expect everyone will tell you a different story but I would absolutely hate to spend a vacation month studying or doing PE. I did an FP rotation where I knew I would be out of the office at 5PM every day the month I wanted to take part two. I studied at night after I got home and took the test on the last day of the rotation. You really don't need a month for studying at all.

I scheduled PE on a Monday so I could fly to Philly on Sunday and be back home Monday night. One day missed.

Oct, Nov, and Dec I rotated with attendings that I knew would let me off as many days as I needed to interview. I talked with them in advance about that.

 

[DrHambik]

I agree about taking the PE during a weekend, that's how i scheduled mine. That way you miss only one day of a rotation.
As for the written exam, it seems to depend on how your schedule will set up. I'm in the process of trying to set up 4th year electives and my school gives us 4 individual weeks of vacation we can use in between rotations, so I was thinking about just using two consecutive weeks to study and take the exam in between rotations.

Just thinking about the whole USMLE vs COMLEX discussion. If I know I'm applying to an allopathic residency for sure, would a COMLEX step 2 score that is average hurt me? Or would programs focus more on my USMLE score? I ask because I have a 3rd year vacation block coming up and I was figureing I could just knock out the COMLEX Step 2 some time in late March of 2010.
What do you guys think about taking the COMLEX step 2 early like that?

 

[Powdermonkey]

I expect everyone will tell you a different story but I would absolutely hate to spend a vacation month studying or doing PE. I did an FP rotation where I knew I would be out of the office at 5PM every day the month I wanted to take part two. I studied at night after I got home and took the test on the last day of the rotation. You really don't need a month for studying at all.

I scheduled PE on a Monday so I could fly to Philly on Sunday and be back home Monday night. One day missed.

Oct, Nov, and Dec I rotated with attendings that I knew would let me off as many days as I needed to interview. I talked with them in advance about that.

So, studying for step 2 isnt as bad as step 1. Thats a small comfort at least. And thanks for the tips on scheduling the exams.

DrHambik - if you're applying to an allo residency, and they want USMLE scores, I doubt they even know how to read or care about COMLEX scores. Taking it in March probably wouldn't be bad as long as you've had all of your core rotations. Which brings me to my next question, core first six months or second? If you did core rotations the second half of third year, its kind of like studying for step 2, right? Or is it better to get them out of the way first and just study the month you take the exam like scpod said?