what's more important...class rank or USMLE scores?

[chintu]

I am curious what people's opinions are on this? I am mainly concerned about the performance in the first two years vs. step I.

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[medhacker]

I am curious what people's opinions are on this? I am mainly concerned about the performance in the first two years vs. step I.

Given that some schools do not rank, I would venture and say USMLE scores

 

[SurfingDoctor]

You're comparing apples and oranges. Neither one is more important than the other and both are only a part of the big picture.

 

[emmd06]

This is only for emergency medicine, but I found it interesting that studies have been done on this.

http://www.saem.org/download/54_60.pdf

 

[tigershark]

USMLE scores hands down.

 

[Law2Doc]

You're comparing apples and oranges. Neither one is more important than the other and both are only a part of the big picture.

More like comparing apples and watermelons. Boards matter far more than your basic science year ranks. Obviously for the most competitive slots, you'll want to have both. But if you could only be well above average in one or the other, clearly go with the boards.
(But I suspect there is some correlation between those who rank in the tops of their med school classes and solid board performance -- considering it is somewhat the same material).

 

[thackl]

Boards! Everyone has to take them and they don't discriminate by school.

 

[BigRedZippo]

USMLE. There's LOTS of AOA people out there with 220s getting passed over for people in the 250s, who may not even be in the top 1/4. Study hard for the classes, but you gotta pull out all the stops for Step 1

 

[werd]

i thought everyone knew this... usmle is much more important. since we're doing the "it's like comparing" theme, i'll go with.... it's like comparing a grape and a pumpkin... wait for it, wait for it.... one's a lot bigger!

 

[UCLAstudent]

USMLE, for sure. It's away to compare people between schools.

 

[MN81]

http://www.saem.org/download/54_60.pdf

That is really interesting. Thanks for putting that out there...

So according to this paper: Selection Criteria for Emergency Med...

Most Important:
EM rotation grade
interview
clinical grades
recommendations

Moderate emphasis:
elective done at program director’s institution
(USMLE) step II
interest expressed in program director’s institution
USMLE step I
awards/achievements

Less emphasis
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
medical school attended
extracurricular activities
basic science grades
publications
personal statement



I am surprised that 'publications' is so low. I was under the impression that your name on a good research paper goes a long way. Maybe not so much in ER, but more in a more 'academic' type of specialty.

Also, I am confused about the 'awards/achievements' part. This seems ambiguous to me and wasnt' explained well in this paper.

 

[bigfrank]

USMLE scores hands down.

 

[emmd06]

Also, I am confused about the 'awards/achievements' part. This seems ambiguous to me and wasnt' explained well in this paper.

My read on this whole application process, after going through it, is that clinical grades (specifically in your chosen specialty) are hugely important for getting an interview. After you have the interview invitation, your interview is the absolute primary factor. Awesome board scores may be able to get your foot in the door. Step 2 trumps step 1 if it is taken in the summer/early fall, because it is very simply a much better test and a better representation of your real medical knowledge. Preclinical grades are very unimportant. My school is strictly pass/fail and doesn't have a specific basic science ranking system or really a strict ranking system at all - I just hear there are "codes" in our Dean's letter, like "extremely highly recommend," "strongly recommend," "good candidate," etc.

About awards/achievements: I'm not so sure what that means either. It is a box on your ERAS application - somewhere you can put honor societies, Fulbrights, Rhodes, Howard Hughes, etc. It's a place to show off if you've done something honorable. At least, that's what I think it is.