Where can I aim w/ Step 1 of 223?

[chicamedica]

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Hi, I just got my Step 1 score back yesterday (223/90) and I don't really know where in the "competitiveness spectrum" it places me.

I'm thinking about Peds (most likely fellowship-bound to neonatal-perinatal med), EM, or Anesthesiology, although my third year just started and my mind is pretty open at this point.

To give an idea of my other stats: my 1st 2 years of med school have been quite average (all passes; no honors so far🙁). I really have no idea what my rank is. and I am planning on taking a year off to do a research fellowship after 3rd year (we'll see if I actually get accepted to any of those prestigious research progs. . . if not I can get a fellowship from my med school). I don't know if doing that will make much of a difference in my portfolio, though.

Can anyone give me an idea of what would be the strongest programs that I would have a chance of getting into for any of those specialties?

Thanks

 

[Twiki]

The dean of student affairs at our school put it this way:
A bad board score might close a door for you, but a good one is unlikely to open one that otherwise wouldn't be.

Some residency programs have minimum boards cut offs. Some don't. And it all depends vastly on the specialty as well as the individual program. So the general idea is to get a board score that is above the minimum cut off of the programs you are interested in. Once you have done that and scored an interview, you generally don't need to worry about board scores at all.

For peds, you probably know that it is not particularly competitive. From what I have heard (mostly heresay, mind you), not very many programs if any have a cutoff above 220. In fact, I would be surprised if too many had cutoffs above 200, but if anybody knows otherwise, please correct me. So with a 223, you are very unlikely to have closed any doors for yourself.

For EM and anesthesia, the scores they look for tend to be more competitive, although from what I have heard (again, heresay) most programs do not have cutoffs above 220. But, a few of the top tier programs might have cutoffs more in the 230 range. I know plenty of people with scores even below 200 that matched into relatively competitive programs in both of these fields. What they did right, I don't know, but it was obviously enough to counteract a weak board score, so kudos to them.

Also, keep in mind that board scores are only a fragment of what PDs look at in an application.

Anyway, this was a really long winded way of saying..you're fine. It is unlikely that you have closed very many (if any) doors for yourself.

 

[Fermi]

Hi, I'm in much the same situation as you, except I'm looking at IM instead of peds. I got through the first 2 years but no honors, got a 235/95 on boards, and really wanted to do one of those prestigious research fellowships. I didn't get either one I applied to, and that in itself is a long story, but in short, I am now doing a fellowship at my medical school and I hope to really get a lot (of publications) out of it. I won't have that magic "Howard Hughes" or "NIH" on my CV, but I think it will be valuable nonetheless. If you are looking into academic-type programs, then the research year will probably help you out too. If you're just looking for primary care peds or EM, I can't say for sure whether the research would help. BTW, your boards score should be competitive for almost all peds programs, and will probably get you interviews in EM and anesthesia as well. Good luck to you!

 

[chicamedica]

Thanks guys, thanks a lot, that sure sounds encouraging.

Good luck to you Fermi in pumping out those publications! I'm sure having a good research project and having published papers carries much more weight than just having the prestigious fellowship on the resume.

 

[Hop Toad]

If you do not feel that board scores are that important to securing the residency of your choice, what do you think is the most important?

Do you think the medical school you are in has a high rank in this?

How about a stellar board score from a "medium" school vs. a medium board score from a stellar school?

Assume all grades are consistant with the stellar board score. (greater than 260).

What other factors do you think are very important to ending up where you want to be?

 

[Foxxy Cleopatra]

Where you went to medical school: Somewhat of a factor, but not a complete limitation (or guarantee.)

Grades/board scores: Probably more important in getting interviews than how you are ranked.

Perception of personality/ how well you fit in: I think pretty important

How much interest you have shown (i.e. thank you notes, contacts, etc): Somewhat important

Research/ outside accomplishments: Somewhat important

Knowing someone there/ impressing them with your abilities: Probably pretty important. If you do an externship (or are a student there) and they really like you (or know someone who does) this can make quite a difference.

I've known one too many people with an awesome profile who didn't match into what they wanted or where they wanted. I also know several so-so candidates who secured awesome spots. I think making your interest known and showing them you are the sort of person they want in their program (on the ball, hard-working) are the real tie-breakers.

 

[Renovar]

Originally posted by Foxxy Cleopatra
Where you went to medical school: Somewhat of a factor, but not a complete limitation (or guarantee.)

Grades/board scores: Probably more important in getting interviews than how you are ranked.

Perception of personality/ how well you fit in: I think pretty important

How much interest you have shown (i.e. thank you notes, contacts, etc): Somewhat important

Research/ outside accomplishments: Somewhat important

Knowing someone there/ impressing them with your abilities: Probably pretty important. If you do an externship (or are a student there) and they really like you (or know someone who does) this can make quite a difference.

I've known one too many people with an awesome profile who didn't match into what they wanted or where they wanted. I also know several so-so candidates who secured awesome spots. I think making your interest known and showing them you are the sort of person they want in their program (on the ball, hard-working) are the real tie-breakers.

I generally agree with the above post, but here is my take.

I think where you go to school is quite important, much more so if you go to a highly ranked school. But that reputation factor falls off quickly after top 20-25. It may start to hurt you in truly competitive specialties or elite programs if you go to a really poorly-ranked school.

Grade/board score is quite important in getting an interview for most of the top programs in any specialty, and all programs in competitive specialties, and in my view it is a big advantage if you can secure an interview right off the bat with good numbers, instead of having to rely on PD to read through your letters and PS and decide if you are worthy of interview.

Other personality/intangible factors will only play in AFTER you get an interview. And really, you really have the 2 or 3 hours worth of interview to show all of that, and you will depend on your interviewer to write a good eval. THat eval, will appear on the selection committee meeting, along with your grades/scores.

 

[Hop Toad]

So Renovar, what you are saying is that the selection committee is only going to be looking at your grades/scores and evaluation from interview? The letters of Rec. and PS are only to get an interview? I would love for this to be true.

 

[Renovar]

No and no. My point is med school origin, board scores and grades are going to be what gets you interviews. Sometimes your deans letter or letters or recs may not be on file when the interview invitations is issued, but everything will be on the table at the time of final ranking session.

My original point is that because of the fact that your dean's letter and letter of recs may not be on file at the time when decision for interviews are made, sometimes decisions are made just base solely on the objective data. So say if you are really good candidate in person, but dont quite have the numbers to back it up, you may sometimes be at an disadvantage with lower grades by not even getting an interview at a program that will otherwise be happy to have you. But say on the other hand, if a candidate is actually mediocre in person but have good face data he will get a lot of interviews, and really, you have only about 2 hours worth of interviews. Anyone with half a brain can hide their obvious defects in that short period of time. Plus, dean's letter and letters of recommendations are so general usually that it doesn't make or break anybody, unless it's something truly noteworthy or when someone say something bad on the letter. I mean, the program directors have to read hundreds if not thousands of these arbitrary, generally positive letters of recs if he was to use that to screen for interviews that it will be impossible. But they can easily read the whole file of 50 or 100 candidates that they are going to rank.

 

[DigableCat]

Originally posted by chicamedica
Hi, I just got my Step 1 score back yesterday (223/90) and I don't really know where in the "competitiveness spectrum" it places me.

I'm thinking about Peds (most likely fellowship-bound to neonatal-perinatal med), EM, or Anesthesiology, although my third year just started and my mind is pretty open at this point.

To give an idea of my other stats: my 1st 2 years of med school have been quite average (all passes; no honors so far🙁). I really have no idea what my rank is. and I am planning on taking a year off to do a research fellowship after 3rd year (we'll see if I actually get accepted to any of those prestigious research progs. . . if not I can get a fellowship from my med school). I don't know if doing that will make much of a difference in my portfolio, though.

Can anyone give me an idea of what would be the strongest programs that I would have a chance of getting into for any of those specialties?

Thanks

how about aiming for the program that will make you the happiest ...just because you can get into an "stellar" peds program...but only an "average" ANES program should not push you to aim for peds. In the end, think about what you would want to do long term...grades won't make a hill of beans then. And most people could care less where you did your residency...as long as you were a good doctor.