Step 2…to take or not to take before ERAS

[MiamiBoyy]

Applying into neurology this year. MD/MS student with good amount of research.
Step 1 255
1 Honors, HP everything else.

With the step 1 P/F transition, wondering if strong Step 2 will bolster my app or should I use my time in the summer to developing projects/trying to rock on electives and hope PDs look at Step 1 score as enough.

Ps. Looking to match into strong academic programs with research tracks.

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[GoSpursGo]

If your endgame is a research track I would focus on bolstering your research. Step 2 before eras will have very marginal effect on your app

 

[Datypicalpremed]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but would it be optimal to take step 2 in September (shortly before residency programs can start looking at applications)? This way, if scores are good you can upload, if bad, you can just hold off on reporting until after you interview? I’m sure this also gives plenty of time to get more research/electives.

In a similar boat to OP with nearly identical step 1 and grades, also lots of research and pubs, although phd instead of ms and applying rad onc instead of nuero (but also aiming for top/more research oriented programs). At least this was what I was planning to do…

 

[GoSpursGo]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but would it be optimal to take step 2 in September (shortly before residency programs can start looking at applications)? This way, if scores are good you can upload, if bad, you can just hold off on reporting until after you interview? I’m sure this also gives plenty of time to get more research/electives.

In a similar boat to OP with nearly identical step 1 and grades, also lots of research and pubs, although phd instead of ms and applying rad onc instead of nuero (but also aiming for top/more research oriented programs). At least this was what I was planning to do…

That is reasonable. Ultimately if you did well on step 1 it just doesn’t matter when, as long as you take it

 

[MiamiBoyy]

Thank you for the replies. Was not aware you can take in September and choose to report on eras or not. Regardless though, after taking do scores get reported to programs prior to interviewing?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Thank you for the replies. Was not aware you can take in September and choose to report on eras or not. Regardless though, after taking do scores get reported to programs prior to interviewing?

You have to manually request ERAS to update your USMLE transcript. So if you don't do that, programs won't know your step 2 score. You probably don't need to do that until close to rank list time, unless your score is high enough that it helps you.

 

[Datypicalpremed]

Yeah I was told they need your score to rank you, but by that time, they have already met you and other factors (eg interview performance, your personality, etc.) will “dilute” the importance of your step 2 even further. I imagine so long as you don’t fail/tank step 2 it probably won’t affect you that much.

Only downside to this approach is if the specialty you are applying to really values step 2 scores (I know this is case for medicine, dunno about nuero…), where in the context of step 1 going P/F, they may not even extend an interview until they get your scores. Hopefully this doesn’t happen until next cycle though…

 

[GoSpursGo]

Yeah I was told they need your score to rank you, but by that time, they have already met you and other factors (eg interview performance, your personality, etc.) will “dilute” the importance of your step 2 even further. I imagine so long as you don’t fail/tank step 2 it probably won’t affect you that much.

Only downside to this approach is if the specialty you are applying to really values step 2 scores (I know this is case for medicine, dunno about nuero…), where in the context of step 1 going P/F, they may not even extend an interview until they get your scores. Hopefully this doesn’t happen until next cycle though…

Yeah in the OP's case I think they're set given that they crushed step 1.

For future cases I'm honestly not sure what they will do now that step 1 is P/F. It's not realistic that everyone will squeeze in step 2 by July or August, and many of the competitive specialties that are driven by step scores tend to also expect away and audition rotations early in MS4. I suspect that students from lower-tier/newer schools will need to hustle to take step 2 to "prove" themselves, while students from more highly recognized schools may get interviews based just on school reputation. But who knows.

 

[MiamiBoyy]

Yeah in the OP's case I think they're set given that they crushed step 1.

For future cases I'm honestly not sure what they will do now that step 1 is P/F. It's not realistic that everyone will squeeze in step 2 by July or August, and many of the competitive specialties that are driven by step scores tend to also expect away and audition rotations early in MS4. I suspect that students from lower-tier/newer schools will need to hustle to take step 2 to "prove" themselves, while students from more highly recognized schools may get interviews based just on school reputation. But who knows.

Would you recommend reaching out to PDs to ask if they need step 2 scores to consider interview invites? Only ask because I have heard of the relatively higher importance of step 2 for neuro that @Datypicalpremed mentioned. Thanks again.

 

[Redpancreas]

I would think you need a Step 2 score with the changing dynamic (p/f Step 1). Correct me if I'm wrong.