What is a good USMLE STep I score?

[MGoBlueDO]

On average...I know that there really aren't cut offs...but in reality there has to be...I know you have to be a complete candidate...but is there a minimum Step I score that will make you competitive for most specialties...such as Radiology, Ophthalmology, Derm? Just curious...

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[Janders]

On average...I know that there really aren't cut offs...but in reality there has to be...I know you have to be a complete candidate...but is there a minimum Step I score that will make you competitive for most specialties...such as Radiology, Ophthalmology, Derm? Just curious...

220 gets thrown around for the "normal" residencies.
235 gets thrown around for the competitive ones.

Remember, 220 is already above average. You can match somewhere with a 190, just not in Derm.

 

[NIQ]

Seems for things like derm, radio you want to be sitting at 240+

 

[Smurfette]

On average...I know that there really aren't cut offs...but in reality there has to be...I know you have to be a complete candidate...but is there a minimum Step I score that will make you competitive for most specialties...such as Radiology, Ophthalmology, Derm? Just curious...

The "cut-off" also varies by what programs you are looking at. Some programs set high cut-offs and others have lower cut-offs, regardless of field....although derm, rad-onc, ortho, plastics likely have higher cut-offs overall.

Like someone before said, 235 will get you past all but the most exclusive screening cut-offs...I can't imagine a program setting a much higher cut-off than 245ish though.
Derm would have higher cut-offs (my guess is 240 being average overall) than ophtho (225-230 range) or rads (probably 230 range) if how my classmates fared is accurate to the country overall. Just my opinion though.

 

[RetroMan]

I agree with the posts above. A 230+ is already a good score. At my school the chair of Derm said you can get into a derm program with a 230 as long as you have other stuff to show off (research, publications, LOR, etc). I know of radiology programs that have a 240 cut off. I cant imagine any program going beyond the 240-250 range for an initial cutoff.

 

[DHMO]

Yeah, the highest cut-off I have heard of is 240 for UCSF's radiology program. Seems like most programs either don't have a specific number as a cut-off, or just don't want let people know what that cut-off is.

 

[RetroMan]

Yeah, the highest cut-off I have heard of is 240 for UCSF's radiology program. Seems like most programs either don't have a specific number as a cut-off, or just don't want let people know what that cut-off is.

That's the one I was referring to.

 

[ziffy 850]

Just to ask a stupid question, in order to get a 235 on step 1, how many questions ( or percentage of questions) do I have to get right?? What's a perfect score.