when to ask for step2ck regrade

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slowlybutshelly

ms4
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Ok. I have yet to check my scores even though they are in the computer. I did not take the test by the deadline my school gave me last Sept because I had three family members hospitalized with severe life threatening situations in the 6 months before the exam. I did take the exam on the last day of my window period in November(another extension would have cost me $$). But given the tumultous events of the last year, and the fact it was my last chance to take the test in my home state (to get my license here), I am on pins and needles.

If I do not pass, I must find another state that does not have the same limits as the state I have and get my license there; and then try to move back home near my parents.

Here is my situation. I did not have a big buffer going into the exam. The NBME I took 7 days before the exam was 2 points from passing. I had taken a prometric practice exam 3 weeks before and gotten a 71%. I studied my weaknesses and crammed uworld for 7 days. Relatively speaking, I thought my exam was doable. One or two specialty questions for every subcategory. Stuff going all the way back to undergrad and psychology and development issues. I felt like I passed.

At the entrance to the 5th block, I could not register into; it was not taking my candidate identification number. SO I had to go ask staff and they said ' oh, it is because you were not putting in the last number". hmmmf. I had been putting in that Candidiate ID (with the last number) and it worked. So the staff registered an 'idiosyncracy' or whatever they call it. IF I wanted a score regrade, it would probably be plausible for me.

Of course if I passed I would not want a regrade, but if I failed by a point or two; that would be awful. What is the process of asking for a regrade?

I am trying to prepare myself just in case I need to do this.

eta: Now I am wondering if the staff at the center could have 'tried to document something/anything' in case I had to ask for a regrade. Now that would have been nice of them; they knew it was my last chance in this state. hmm???
 
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First muster the courage to check your grade, until then everything becomes hypothetical, also the grades stay in the system for some period of time and is removed (not sure how long). You can let a family member check it for you if that will be easier for you. Good luck andi hope you passed :luck::luck:
 
It stays on the computer for 120 days, then I would have to ask for a paper report. I was with my sister at a coffeeshop the other day and we were going to check it together. But my password had to be reset and I had to wait for ecfmg to give me a new temporary password. Now I have it and my password has been reset, but I am chicken.

I keep seeing posts on here about how NBME scores were 30-40 points lower than what someone got on real thing; and then another about how NBME was 15 points higher than real thing.

This was my last chance in this state. So IF I FAIL, I am faced with these decisons:
1. go to another state, get my license..come back..if i want to do something competitive (ER, anesthesiology)
2. let that be my last chance in this state and do what I am qualified for now...public health epi civil service, stats, arrghhhh
3. appeal to my state board for another chance to take the exam....how often does that ever happen? I spent 20 yrs trying to come back to my home state and I am finally here. But the reason it was my last attempt was I had gotten seriously burnt out and cultured shocked (RPCV). not to mention Katrina...
 
I'm sure in the Peace Corps you had to deal with a lot of things most people couldn't deal with. If you can handle that, I'm sure you can handle whatever happens after this Step 2 exam. 🙂
 
I agree with kryptik's post. The only "next step" (so to speak) you have right now is to see whether you actually have to go through the regrade process. You took the test in November, which means your test results have been sitting and waiting for you to read and react to them for a while now.

Not to be offensive or judgmental in any way, but I have a hard time understanding why some students do this to themselves. You've obviously gone through a lot and you've worked hard, so you deserve to know what the fruits of your labor produced. Chances are that you passed and all of this stuff you're stressing yourself out with is unnecessary. In the end, is seeing a failing grade and knowing what to do next really more stressful than wondering for longer than necessary "What if I failed?" Is seeing a passing grade and knowing that you are moving forward towards residency really what's scary to you?

My advice is this:
1. Read the results and get it over with. Cut the self-imposed, unnecessary drama in your life.
2. If you failed, ask for a regrade. It does sound like weird things happened on the exam, and it would suck not to at least ask them to check up on it.
3. If you pass, move onward. It's scary to think that you're that much closer to being an MD responsible for other patients, but that's what you got into this game to do. Just think back at all the other stuff you've gone through and overcome, and you'll realize how small a step this is by comparison.
 
Lol. I will go back to pounding my own peanut butter and having no email, gmail, or internet capability.

I think I will Cry if I pass and Cry if I do not.
I feel like I am a constant changeling; constantly having to adapt and change.
 
Yes, I think I am paralyzed to move forward. And I agree, I am wasting more energy just delaying this than I would just contemplating my next step.

Still hypothetically, where so you start to ask for a regrade?
 
It seems confusing to me why you haven't just checked the score...almost like you want attention. Though I would wonder that if you do pass if you should ask for a regrade as well...just to make sure 😉
 
Not attention issues. Huge trembling hands. I opened up the pdf and couldn't even read it. closed it up. that's how petrified I am of this.
 
Not attention issues. Huge trembling hands. I opened up the pdf and couldn't even read it. closed it up. that's how petrified I am of this.

This is ridiculous. At the very least ask someone else to check your score and tell whether your passed or failed.
 
I DID NOT PASS. What is the 'cutoff' for how close you should be in order to ask for a regrade?

It is entirely possible I will not be given another chance. But because my 7 yr deadline is up in May, it is entirely possible I will be given another chance.
 
I DID NOT PASS. What is the 'cutoff' for how close you should be in order to ask for a regrade?

It is entirely possible I will not be given another chance. But because my 7 yr deadline is up in May, it is entirely possible I will be given another chance.

I don't know if a cutoff exists. Id focus your time on studying for the exam again rather than what needs to be done for a regrade. I doubt there is any published data out there, but I'd be surprised if anyone has ever had their grade changed after asking for one.
 
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