Step 2 in July vs. Away rotation? Some advice please

[juiceman311]

Hello,

I am trying to set up my senior schedule and am kind of stuck. I am unsure if I should attempt to crush Step 2 (to overcome my Step1) in July or to take it later in the year and do an extra away rotation in the summer. I am receiving mixed opinions from my advisors and would just like to see what you all think.

My stats: middle-tier medical school
Step1- 235/98,
GPA 3.70 (not AOA),
3rd year clinicals- A's in all to date (Peds, OBGYN, Family, Radiology) with very good scores on the shelf exams
Research- a couple of publications, a couple of presentations, currently in the middle of a urology project that should be published before apps

If I take Step2 early, my schedule would be:
July '10 -- Step 2 study
August '10 -- Urology @ home institution
September '10 -- Urology away @ my top choice
Nov & Dec off for interviews


If I choose to take Step 2 later (probably October during my Emergency med or ICU month)
July '10 -- Urology @ home
August '10 -- Uro away #1
September '10 -- Uro away #2
October -- Step 2 during a rotation

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[geekOCD]

Uhh, I don't think you need to "overcome" your Step 1 at all. If you're planning on getting letters, doing the away in sept. is kinda late (considering that you'll finish oct. 1 and then it takes some time, sometimes a long time, to get a LOR). Take Step 2 later.

 

[Saybay12]

I think taking your Step 2 early would be a good thing. Several this year have done quit well. Some will even ask you about your Step 2. I took July off and improved by 30 pts. I then did a rotation at my home institution adn then did an away rotation. You can do 2 away rotations, but it's kind of overkill. Remember, you can turn in your application before all your letters are in. I took December and January off. November is a really good month to have off, I just had something really easy. This year interviews started on Oct. 10th.

My step 1 was not pretty, but with that said my Step 2 was really good. Work hard on your away and home instituion. Get really good letters. Remember this is just as much about scores as it is about who you know. I can't say that enough. Chairmen talk. Also, the interview process is so random. Schools you thought you were destined to get interviews wont' give you one. Schools you never thought were possible give you an interview. Like I said RANDOM process.

I would suggest discovering www.urologymatch.com instead of this website. You'll have tons of questions answered there.

 

[Tori's dad]

I think taking your Step 2 early would be a good thing. Several this year have done quit well. Some will even ask you about your Step 2. I took July off and improved by 30 pts. I then did a rotation at my home institution adn then did an away rotation. You can do 2 away rotations, but it's kind of overkill. Remember, you can turn in your application before all your letters are in. I took December and January off. November is a really good month to have off, I just had something really easy. This year interviews started on Oct. 10th.

My step 1 was not pretty, but with that said my Step 2 was really good. Work hard on your away and home instituion. Get really good letters. Remember this is just as much about scores as it is about who you know. I can't say that enough. Chairmen talk. Also, the interview process is so random. Schools you thought you were destined to get interviews wont' give you one. Schools you never thought were possible give you an interview. Like I said RANDOM process.

I would suggest discovering www.urologymatch.com instead of this website. You'll have tons of questions answered there.

I disagree completely. No one asked me about my step 2 in 20 interviews. And I know just as many students that went down on Step 2 score compared to their step 1. 235 is a good score. Make sure it is not the only good point on your application and you WILL get interviews. The question is where do you want to go? If the answer to that is CCF, UCSF, Hopkins, maybe you should think about crushing step 2, but while your at it you might think about doing a 1 year fellowship at the NIH, if that is your goal.

That being said, advice is worth what you pay for it. Good luck, I think you'll do well.

 

[juiceman311]

Thanks for the feedback. I sent in my schedule request today. I am going to do:
July - Uro @ home
Aug - Uro @ away
Sept - Step2ck studying during a slack elective
Oct- EmergencyMed (Step2cs at the end of the month)
Nov- Off
Dec- Off

Went with only 1 away rotation. I think that will suffice. The benefit of the 2nd away would have been an additional letter during interviews, and honestly, I think I will be okay with letters. I think I can get 2 good ones from home and a good one from my away. I work hard and think I am fun to be around and personable. I see myself being pretty successful most places that I am fortunate enough to be extended an interview for. I don't think I have any one strong point that stands out in my application, I think looked at as a whole body of work, it is a pretty well-balanced and strong application. But I know I am up against people whose entire application is well-balanced with 260 4.0 AOA 10 pubs and that's fine. I don't want to go to the programs they want to go to I am guessing.

 

[TonyDaTigrUprct]

I disagree completely. No one asked me about my step 2 in 20 interviews. And I know just as many students that went down on Step 2 score compared to their step 1. 235 is a good score. Make sure it is not the only good point on your application and you WILL get interviews. The question is where do you want to go? If the answer to that is CCF, UCSF, Hopkins, maybe you should think about crushing step 2, but while your at it you might think about doing a 1 year fellowship at the NIH, if that is your goal.

That being said, advice is worth what you pay for it. Good luck, I think you'll do well.

I COMPLETELY agree with Tori's dad. I received 21 interview invites with a 239 Step 1 coming from a mid-tier state school. I went on 15 interviews and only ONE program even asked if I had taken Step 2. I didn't have my Step 2 CK scores available in time for the uro match. I'm probably just barely above average (non-AOA, honored two 3rd yr rotations), had one uro project i was working on during applications with ZERO publications. I went on two rotations after my home program. I got a great letter from the program director on my 1st away - and this is the place i matched. So in hindsight what worked for me was the actual away rotations and working my butt off. I think this process is so competitive you have to do at least one away rotation. I picked two places in cities I would like to live in and no other reason. I avoided the bigger names b/c I knew ALOT of other applicants would be rotating there and they are usually in cities that aren't that fun to begin with. I think grades/step is to show you are a somewhat decent student who can learn, after that it's all about if you are hard working and will fit in with the other residents and that is where the away rotation is crucial. So in other words, I like your schedule where you knock out the uro rotations and then take CK. Also, don't take the personal statement lightly, I got great feedback on my PS and i think i may have even gotten an interview or two just on that alone. Good luck!!