Step 1 during LOA

[lylmangome]

I am taking a LOA between years 1 and 2 and planning to conduct research during the year, however it is not considered an official research year by my school. During my LOA, I will not have an official enrolled student status, until I return back in August 2022 to start 2nd yr.

My question is - during my LOA, could I study for the step 1 and am I eligible to sit for it? Do I have to have completed the first two year of preclinicals to be eligible to sit for the step 1? Reminder I'm an a DO school, so step 1 is not even required for graduation (although I am fully plannihng on taking it as most DO student do). Obviously I would not have learned the 2nd year material, but if hypothetically I could study the material on my own (as if I were in 2nd year), could I take it at the end of my LOA? If I need an "official" student status, could I take it the first week I am officially re-enrolled to start my 2nd year?

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[Doc_Ock]

Unless you really buckle down and put in 50 hours a week of studying for a solid year I wouldn't advise it. There's just so much you havent been exposed to.

 

[KirksvilleKrunk]

How solid is your foundation from M1? You can probably take it for a pass just fine during your gap year, but are you looking for a scored exam? In that case you'd have less than 5 months to learn all of 2nd year med school material and synthesize it for step 1 questions, which is a huge task.... I think that won't work out well. If you can score the MD average of like 230 it's definitely better than a Pass on step 1 though.

 

[hallowmann]

The material is heavily geared towards 2nd year knowledge of pathology. I think it would be a mistake.

The bigger issue I see with this is that you need to be issued a USMLE permit to even schedule/sit for the exam, which requires documentation and approval by your medical school. I know if none that would approve a student take it prior to the second half of 2nd year. I don't even know if they will approve you to get the permit without being actively enrolled in school. Overall, I think this will be impossible for you.

 

[Doc_Ock]

The material is heavily geared towards 2nd year knowledge of pathology. I think it would be a mistake.

The bigger issue I see with this is that you need to be issued a USMLE permit to even schedule/sit for the exam, which requires documentation and approval by your medical school. I know if none that would approve a student take it prior to the second half of 2nd year. I don't even know if they will approve you to get the permit without being actively enrolled in school. Overall, I think this will be impossible for you.

I wasn't aware that was required for DO students?

 

[lylmangome]

Yes I would be taking the boards pass/fail. I would continue learning and exposing myself to 2nd yr material (as though I was in school/following the curriculum) through third party resources (did this to study for M1) anyways….i do have access to my school M2 lectures but honestly they aren’t that great.

Since I am a DO student, I’m not sure if I need to have school permission for step 1? Thank you for bringing up though, I did not know this was a thing. Technically my school tells students that we don’t need to take it (even though the reality is we do lol) so figured the school would have no issue with me taking it.

For the comlex, I looked up the eligibility requirements and it was 1) competing the first first year at a DO school 2) good standing

Just was a thought - that I could knock out the board exams and study solely for them throughout the year without the stress of school exams…

 

[indiRanger]

I needed to get the permit from my school to take Step, so I am assuming everyone prolly needs their school's permission

 

[hallowmann]

I wasn't aware that was required for DO students?

Everyone needs a permit to take it. US MD and DO students need school approval to take it.

Yes I would be taking the boards pass/fail. I would continue learning and exposing myself to 2nd yr material (as though I was in school/following the curriculum) through third party resources (did this to study for M1) anyways….i do have access to my school M2 lectures but honestly they aren’t that great.

Since I am a DO student, I’m not sure if I need to have school permission for step 1? Thank you for bringing up though, I did not know this was a thing. Technically my school tells students that we don’t need to take it (even though the reality is we do lol) so figured the school would have no issue with me taking it.

For the comlex, I looked up the eligibility requirements and it was 1) competing the first first year at a DO school 2) good standing

Just was a thought - that I could knock out the board exams and study solely for them throughout the year without the stress of school exams…

See above. Everyone needs permission from their school to take it. Half of DOs take it as is, so your school shouldn't havea problem with you taking it during the second half of M2, but I'm not sure they'd be OK with you taking it after M1.

I needed to get the permit from my school to take Step, so I am assuming everyone prolly needs their school's permission

Everyone does. The USMLE website spells out the procedure for US MDs/DOs and another one for Canadians and another for other IMGs.

 

[lylmangome]

Everyone needs a permit to take it. US MD and DO students need school approval to take it.

See above. Everyone needs permission from their school to take it. Half of DOs take it as is, so your school shouldn't havea problem with you taking it during the second half of M2, but I'm not sure they'd be OK with you taking it after M1.

Everyone does. The USMLE website spells out the procedure for US MDs/DOs and another one for Canadians and another for other IMGs.

Ah got it, that makes sense. This was something I was not aware of, thank you for mentioning it and letting me know. I guess I can just self study and wait until the end of M2

I wanted to ask my administration, but didn’t want to offend them…