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Genuine advice needed! Extend test and loose one year???

747 views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  azetronam 
#1 ·
:eek:
My exam is sched in 2 weeks.
I have early 240's on NBME 15, and I recently took UWSA1, got 240 on that too (worried it might have overshot my score!!!). [my target score was to push to 250]

If I extend my test further, I doubt I'll be able to finish CS and CK to make it for the September match application.

I loose one year. (my YOG is 2015, IMG, visa needed)

So will I loose the competitive edge, if I take the year off, space my steps, and probably get some USCE/publish some papers in that time period?

Please help guys, really worried :toosad:
 
#2 ·
I think first you need to ask yourself why you want a 250. now dont misunderstand me. on these online forums everybody wants a 250, but achieving a 250 takes a ridiculous amount of work and I would think you need a very compelling reason for putting in all that time and effort. if you want to match in a very competitive program in IM for example, then 250 is a stellar score but your overall application is very important too. 15 is a tricky form imo and I would say you are definitely in 240 range, I havent taken exam myself yet so everything I say do take it with a grain of salt.

its not a big deal to apply for match having graduating over 1 year ago (ALOT of people do this and its nothing unusual). its just more difficult for people who graduated years ago to match, im sayin MORE difficult, not impossible. however in this time period, if you finish your steps, achieve scores you are happy with, and you do some research and get publications, i mean thats probably the best thing you could possibly do to enhance yourself as an overall candidate. remember, step 1 is definitely important, but your future and career will certainly not be determined by one exam, unless you are aiming for very competitive programs, your NBMEs are solid IMO, and its not easy to jump from 240 to 250+ but it is doable, again more time and energy spent. you will have to decide if you are happy or not atm and how much more you can realistically learn. hope this helps, goodluck!
 
#3 ·
Thanks pseudomyxoma, and yes, hoping to match in a decent IM program. 250 was the target I set, when I started prepping.

Well, its just that, I feel so un-satisfied. I frankly don't know how much the average IMG score really is, but I strolled trough the IMG match forums, and there were some really discouraging posts about the match being quite competitive, even with good scores, even for IM programs(I don't know if it was for real). So that got me thinking.
Well, looking at my NBME report I suck in anatomy and Biochem. And cardiac physiology. So trying to work on that, but its not easy.

My main question is, if I take an year off, will I loose the competitive edge?
 
#4 ·
Hi, I think the advice given above is very good. Loosing a year over 10 points beyond the mean is not worth the exchange, especially since getting a residency position has to do with so much more than just the step 1 grades. A 240 is a very solid number and above the mean, well above actually in many specialties. You can google the Step 1 score means for each residency, by both IMG's and US students. You want to be at or above the mean, yes, but in all ways, not just with the Step 1. There have been many candidates with great, and I mean 250's scores and they don't get placed because your final score is not the only thing they look at.

Bottom line. Keep moving, I have yet to find one person to say: " yep, I have studied enough, or done enough for this test" you will always feel you are running behind up until that 1st day of residency. And that's when the running really begins. Make your choice based on facts, it will help with the unavoidable fear and second guessing.

Success,
T.
 
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