will programs see that I've taken step 2?

[classof09]

Hi- quick question for aprogdirector (or anyone else):

I was planning to take step 2 next week and I think I'll do ok on it but I may well not be able to top my step 1 score. I thought that wouldn't matter because I'm not releasing my scores, but recently I've gotten the advice (from friends of mine with high step 1 scores) to postpone until after all the ranking stuff is in (so end of Jan or Feb). So my question is if I don't release my scores, will programs be able to tell that I've taken it but not released my scores (implying that I have something to hide) OR will it look the same to them as if I just hadn't taken it yet? thx!

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[DonStracci]

They will NOT be able to see you've taken it. I didn't release my scores, inadvertently- and one week whilst traveling I kept getting asked, "when are you going to take step 2" during interviews. I kept explaining that I passed Step 2, but had forgot to release the score... and I sometimes felt the programs thought I was trying to hide something by not having that score released. I regret that oversight on my part.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Unless you tell us in your application (in the section where you describe your USMLE experience) when you're planning on taking step 2, we can't tell.

However....

If I ask you when you are taking step 2, and you tell me "well, I haven't gotten around to it yet" or "I took it and my score isn't back yet", then you match with me, then I see your Step 2 score and I'm unhappy with it, and I see that you in fact took Step 2 early, had your score back, and didn't tell me the truth.... well, you know what we call that? It's called lying. Or better yet, it's called fraud.

And if you commit fraud on your application, you can be terminated, immediately, without any other reason.

So, if someone asks, I suggest you tell the truth. If they don't, then you are under no pressure to do so.