USMLE Very low step 2 ck score

[Asperger]

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Hi everyone! I just got my usmle step 2 ck score and got shattered by knowing that I only got a 213.....now at this point, just want an honest advice to help me decide how I should proceed . I have not taken any steps so far except for step 2 ck. I am an old img. Now wondering is it worth going for other steps ? Is high scores on those going to be of any help to me? Or is it only sensible to get off the path and go for an alternative career ? Your time taken to answer my query is highly appreciated in advance ...

 

[Red Husky]

Hi there. When did you graduate? and what specialties are you looking for? How much time do you have for step1?

Here is what you can do:

1)Ace step1 (very hard exam btw) and pass step2cs on your first attempt and your bad step2ck will just go away. Well, it won't go away really but many PDs look at your step1 first. That is very true if you want to match into something like Pathology. To get a good step 1 as an IMG you need 7,8 months of studying. full time. If you work (writing papers, doing postdoc) it will not work. You need some time off for step1.

2)If you have a green card or you are a citizen you can still land an interview with 213 in family medicine

3)You can go back home and do your residency there and come back for fellowship. I don't know what your situation is but for those who can easily come and go this is very good option. Your step 2ck score will be valid for 7 years.

4)As an IMG when you pass all the exams and get ECFMG certified they are medical jobs that you can get without residency. (If you don't have visa issues) I have even heard that VA hospitals hire you as a doctor without residency if you are ecfmg certified and have Green card (Not sure though)

 

[Asperger]

Thank you so much for such a detailed response. I graduated in 2005, Canadian citizen and currently residing in Canada. I have no work experience for a looooong time and I don't know how much this is going to affect along with such bad score on step 2. I am willing to work as hard as it takes but don't want to do anything blindly. I am not much aware of the U.S. situation for their criteria for accepting in different programs. I have no preferences , just any thing works for me. Just want to get in

 

[Red Husky]

Thank you so much for such a detailed response. I graduated in 2005, Canadian citizen and currently residing in Canada. I have no work experience for a looooong time and I don't know how much this is going to affect along with such bad score on step 2. I am willing to work as hard as it takes but don't want to do anything blindly. I am not much aware of the U.S. situation for their criteria for accepting in different programs. I have no preferences , just any thing works for me. Just want to get in

Ok if you have no preference. I would dedicate 8 month to a year to Step 1 and get a >240 score. Then aim for Pathology. Get an unpaid research position after step1 in a top university in Pathology after step 1 (It will help a lot)

Or aim for family medicine: get a few hands-on clinical experience in the US after step 1.

But you are going to be asked about the gap in your CV. The long time that you were not doing anything. So be prepared to answer that. If you were just sitting on your couch doing nothing that can hurt your application big time.

 

[Asperger]

Ok if you have no preference. I would dedicate 8 month to a year to Step 1 and get a >240 score. Then aim for Pathology. Get an unpaid research position after step1 in a top university in Pathology after step 1 (It will help a lot)

Or aim for family medicine: get a few hands-on clinical experience in the US after step 1.

But you are going to be asked about the gap in your CV. The long time that you were not doing anything. So be prepared to answer that. If you were just sitting on your couch doing nothing that can hurt your application big time.

Since I am not in U.S., Is the Canadian experience going to help ??

 

[Red Husky]

Since I am not in U.S., Is the Canadian experience going to help ??

Yes, I think it does. Especially if it is in a teaching hospital it definitely does. Out of curiosity, why do you prefer doing family medicine in the US over practicing as a general practitioner in Canada? MCQs most be much easier than Step 1!

 

[Asperger]

Yes, I think it does. Especially if it is in a teaching hospital it definitely does. Out of curiosity, why do you prefer doing family medicine in the US over practicing as a general practitioner in Canada? MCQs most be much easier than Step 1!

Unfortunately they don't have much opportunities for IMGs here in Canada. Far less than states I believe. They have limited spaces and with each passing year,they change their criteria to call for an interview.

 

[Red Husky]

Unfortunately they don't have much opportunities for IMGs here in Canada. Far less than states I believe. They have limited spaces and with each passing year,they change their criteria to call for an interview.

I think your year of graduation hurts your application more than your low step 2 score. If you did a PhD in between sure, if you did residency and wanted to do a second one in US that was okay, even if you were just working as a general practitioner it was still okay-ish. But you have to understand that best case scenario you will go into match next year and by the time you get to the interview you have to justify a 12-year gap. That's a lot. Most programs consider you "old graduate" if you graduated more than 5 years ago.

If you were an IMG graduated in 2014 with a step 2 ck<220 I would say ace your step 1,pass your cs on the first attempt, get some hands on experience, maybe do some research and you have a good chance of getting matched.But IMG graduate of 2005 and a low ck makes things very difficult

I am not trying to disappoint you just these are facts that you need to consider before going forward. There is a lot you can do with your MD degree. You can apply for masters or even PhD in Public Health and get a health care job that way. Weigh all your options.

 

[Asperger]

I think your year of graduation hurts your application more than your low step 2 score. If you did a PhD in between sure, if you did residency and wanted to do a second one in US that was okay, even if you were just working as a general practitioner it was still okay-ish. But you have to understand that best case scenario you will go into match next year and by the time you get to the interview you have to justify a 12-year gap. That's a lot. Most programs consider you "old graduate" if you graduated more than 5 years ago.

If you were an IMG graduated in 2014 with a step 2 ck<220 I would say ace your step 1,pass your cs on the first attempt, get some hands on experience, maybe do some research and you have a good chance of getting matched.But IMG graduate of 2005 and a low ck makes things very difficult

I am not trying to disappoint you just these are facts that you need to consider before going forward. There is a lot you can do with your MD degree. You can apply for masters or even PhD in Public Health and get a health care job that way. Weigh all your options.

You are right. I know I have to give up on my dream and think realistically. It hurts but that's the fact. Thanks for taking time to give advice. Here in Canada, getting into masters program in public Health is also not easy. I want to know if in U.S. It is somewhat easier or there are online options.

 

[Red Husky]

You are right. I know I have to give up on my dream and think realistically. It hurts but that's the fact. Thanks for taking time to give advice. Here in Canada, getting into masters program in public Health is also not easy. I want to know if in U.S. It is somewhat easier or there are online options.

No problem. We are here to help each other out 🙂 There are so many online courses but they can be expensive and I don't know their value in job market.

Listen, if practicing medicine is really what you are passionate about, don't give up just yet. Take a few weeks off just to weigh your options. And treat it as studying. Dedicated time just to see what your options are. Do the research. Look at programs and their requirements, talk to as many people as you can. if you know an old graduate IMG that matched ask them what they did. On the other hand look into different masters degrees, their requirements, tuition and their value in the job market.

Good Luck!