Hi, I am a non-US IMG who initially planned to apply for 2019. Currently I just have my Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores at hand. The scores are respectively 272 and 271. Due to unforeseeable circumstances, I had to postpone my Step 2 CS examination and am currently planning to appear for it in the 2nd/3rd week of October. The reporting starts on December 12th for that window. I feel very uncomfortable applying that late and feel that I will receive no/very few calls due to the delay. Can anybody suggest me what the best course of action for an applicant in my position may be? I have no problem waiting for a year if that translates to better prospects. Should I apply for categorical anyway this year, apply for research opportunities this year, focus my applications on preliminary positions or should I opt for 1/2 externship opportunities in this "gap" year? I am interested in pursuing an Internal Medicine residency preferably in a University program. I currently have no PubMed indexed research, but will have completed 2 observerships by mid-October this year. Thanks in advance.
Should I apply this year? Best course of action?
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The obvious answer is that yes, you'll have better prospects if you can wait a year, but with such high scores it wouldn't be totally insane to apply if you have other parts of your application that demonstrate you have experience with the US medical system.
The bigger issue I'm seeing is that you say you will complete 2 observerships by mid-October--is that the entirety of your USCE? If so, I think you will have a better outcome by waiting a year and applying when you have a passing CS score and better USCE.
The bigger issue I'm seeing is that you say you will complete 2 observerships by mid-October--is that the entirety of your USCE? If so, I think you will have a better outcome by waiting a year and applying when you have a passing CS score and better USCE.
Oh I'm sorry I didn't mention that earlier. The observership that I am undertaking DOESN'T count as a hands-on experience. It is just shadowing per se. I just was hoping to get acclimatized to the US medical system and maybe secure 1/2 US LoRs in the process.
