What are my chances for LA/ San Diego IM programs

[Trident14]

Attended a top to 10 US med school, but low step scores, Step1: 225, Step 2: 226 (never been good at taking board exams), and only a high pass in IM. Good research background 4 abstract publications, 1 first author, and 2-second author publications.

Planning to apply to....

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[sharkbyte]

You're definitely well within range for the community programs and hybrid ones like Harbor, Olive View, etc. Would be surprised if you didn't land invites there.

USC/UCLA/UCSD are the tricky ones to predict. They're very competitive and highly sought after as they are already quite prestigious (notably UCLA) and then the location on top of that. Being Top 10 and having a good # of publications work in your favor, but your step scores will make it difficult. UCSD's program coordinator told me that their average Step scores have crept above 250. No one really knows though. I'm assuming you have some ties to the area?

 

[Trident14]

You're definitely well within range for the community programs and hybrid ones like Harbor, Olive View, etc. Would be surprised if you didn't land invites there.

USC/UCLA/UCSD are the tricky ones to predict. They're very competitive and highly sought after as they are already quite prestigious (notably UCLA) and then the location on top of that. Being Top 10 and having a good # of publications work in your favor, but your step scores will make it difficult. UCSD's program coordinator told me that their average Step scores have crept above 250. No one really knows though. I'm assuming you have some ties to the area?

Thank you for your insight, Sir! No ties to SoCal at all, but I love the LA/SD area, would love to do residency there, I'm from a ****ty part of the country

 

[Nespresso]

You're definitely well within range for the community programs and hybrid ones like Harbor, Olive View, etc. Would be surprised if you didn't land invites there.

USC/UCLA/UCSD are the tricky ones to predict. They're very competitive and highly sought after as they are already quite prestigious (notably UCLA) and then the location on top of that. Being Top 10 and having a good # of publications work in your favor, but your step scores will make it difficult. UCSD's program coordinator told me that their average Step scores have crept above 250. No one really knows though. I'm assuming you have some ties to the area?

I wouldn't lump USC in with UCLA and UCSD. It is like 2 tiers lower. If you went to a top 10 MD school OP, you will get an interview at USC even if you had a 210 on Step 1. It has been done every year.

UCLA and UCSD may give you issues about the Step scores, however.

You are a shoe in for the community programs and I would be very very surprised if you didn't at least get an interview at USC and Cedars.

 

[sharkbyte]

I wouldn't lump USC in with UCLA and UCSD. It is like 2 tiers lower. If you went to a top 10 MD school OP, you will get an interview at USC even if you had a 210 on Step 1. It has been done every year.

UCLA and UCSD may give you issues about the Step scores, however.

You are a shoe in for the community programs and I would be very very surprised if you didn't at least get an interview at USC and Cedars.

Agree that USC isn't in the same tier but USC's issue is that they take a TON of their own students (some years 20+ out of 55) so it becomes kind of difficult in that sense. But yeah I agree that Top 10 school puts OP's odds higher

 

[Nespresso]

Agree that USC isn't in the same tier but USC's issue is that they take a TON of their own students (some years 20+ out of 55) so it becomes kind of difficult in that sense. But yeah I agree that Top 10 school puts OP's odds higher

I know for a fact they take their own students when their students need a place to fall back on. Some of these USC students are great, but a lot of them usually use USC as a safety program. There used to be a time when the entire USC IM class would be purely USC med students + FMGs and IMGs. It then transitioned to taking more outside MD grads as the faculty shifted over to a less malignant culture. Since then, they are now setting new standards for their USC med students so that not all of them are guaranteed a safety spot (regardless of step scores etc) like it used to be.

 

[DameJulie]

I know for a fact they take their own students when their students need a place to fall back on. Some of these USC students are great, but a lot of them usually use USC as a safety program. There used to be a time when the entire USC IM class would be purely USC med students + FMGs and IMGs. It then transitioned to taking more outside MD grads as the faculty shifted over to a less malignant culture. Since then, they are now setting new standards for their USC med students so that not all of them are guaranteed a safety spot (regardless of step scores etc) like it used to be.

And yet they still don’t have DOs on their rosters

 

[Nespresso]

And yet they still don’t have DOs on their rosters

unfortunately not. Cali became more DO-unfriendly in their university programs. some community places like scripps mercy are DO friendly.

 

[Entadus]

Would add Huntington Hospital in Pasadena as a safety, you rotate at LAC-USC (15 min away) and very solid attendings/education

 

[TrueRenegade]

I wouldn't lump USC in with UCLA and UCSD. It is like 2 tiers lower. If you went to a top 10 MD school OP, you will get an interview at USC even if you had a 210 on Step 1. It has been done every year.

UCLA and UCSD may give you issues about the Step scores, however.

You are a shoe in for the community programs and I would be very very surprised if you didn't at least get an interview at USC and Cedars.

How competitive is Cedars? I am interested in that program but I can't find any information on it. I was under the impression it was quite competitive?

 

[Nespresso]

How competitive is Cedars? I am interested in that program but I can't find any information on it. I was under the impression it was quite competitive?

probably like USC in terms of competitiveness. not as hard as UCLA, UCSD. It’s a community program that functions in some ways like university. Known for being cushy which is a blessing and a curse as it allows you time for bolstering your fellowship app but given its “Cush” reputation you’re expected to have a lot on your resume coming out of there.