What do you need for the best residencies?

[fever106]

I am just really curious to know what the consensus on this issue is. What would be considered a "write your own ticket" kind of step 1 score for internal medicine in a top program (ex UCLA, UCSF, etc.)? I know that the residency application has many components and that directors look at much more than just scores. But assuming that a person has good clinical grades and solid recs, what kind of score do you guys think would push a person through the front door?

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I'd say 240, maybe 250 to be safe.

 

[Terpskins99]

What do you need?

Ans: more than a great USMLE score (read great extracurriculars, grades, rec letters... etc).

 

[AmyO]

There are so many good applicants these days, especially to popular specialities like IM, that in order to land a spot at a top program, they are going to have it ALL.....read excellent board scores (I'd guess 240+), great rec's, great clinical grades and bring something interesting to the table whether that be research, dedicated to volunteering at a free health clinic every wk, etc. Getting a great board score is going to be the norm at a top program not what's going to distinguish you from the crowd.

 

[doc20]

the best strategy on how to s#%& up to P.D.