whats worse: low pass OR fail, then +95%

[aye]

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i tried searching for this topic but couldn't find anything so....

here's two applicants:

applicant A: took step 1 but passed below average (<210)
applicant B: failed it the first time, but the second time got a 230+

i know that failing step 1 is like the cardinal sin in medical school but what if you bounce back and kill it the second time? but then again, if you score below average, you're kinda screwed since you can't improve on it and that score will stick w/ you for the rest of your medical career. so what do you think is worse, and which would look worse when applying to a more competitive residency? i know some residencies screen scores so applicant A will definitely be screened out but what about applicant B?

 

[Law2Doc]

i tried searching for this topic but couldn't find anything so....

here's two applicants:

applicant A: took step 1 but passed below average (<210)
applicant B: failed it the first time, but the second time got a 230+

i know that failing step 1 is like the cardinal sin in medical school but what if you bounce back and kill it the second time? but then again, if you score below average, you're kinda screwed since you can't improve on it and that score will stick w/ you for the rest of your medical career. so what do you think is worse, and which would look worse when applying to a more competitive residency? i know some residencies screen scores so applicant A will definitely be screened out but what about applicant B?

It's always better to pass. This isn't even a close call. A person who failed and then aced it is always going to be looked at as someone who failed it once. It's not like MCAT where they look at the best grade.

 

[J1515]

i tried searching for this topic but couldn't find anything so....

here's two applicants:

applicant A: took step 1 but passed below average (<210)
applicant B: failed it the first time, but the second time got a 230+

i know that failing step 1 is like the cardinal sin in medical school but what if you bounce back and kill it the second time? but then again, if you score below average, you're kinda screwed since you can't improve on it and that score will stick w/ you for the rest of your medical career. so what do you think is worse, and which would look worse when applying to a more competitive residency? i know some residencies screen scores so applicant A will definitely be screened out but what about applicant B?

I'm about to give you the best advice anyone will ever give you: Who cares.

It doesn't matter what anyone tells you. If you failed the test, there's nothing you can do at this point except take it again. If you are yet to take the test, either of the situations you mentioned above will hurt your residency chances drastically.

Now this thread may be closed.

 

[nowai]

Better to pass unless you have a very good reason for why you failed the first time like "my mom died and my dad fell into a volcano so I was left to bring up my 6 brothers and sisters".