To take step 2 or to not take step 2?

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nickelbackfan

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Not sure if I should take step 2!

Current ms4 @ Top 3 medical school applying for rads (w/ plans to go into IR either straight from med school or DR residency). Taking a research year in rads starting next month.

-Step 1: 230
-Clinical (school known to give very low % of honors): med/surgery/obgyn= pass. Peds=HP. Rads sub I/anesthia/medicine sub I= honors Planing to do surgery, peds, and gyn onc sub Is when I come back next year b/c have extra time in schedule and to make up for passes. School gives out more honors to sub I's apparently ---Research- 5+ pubs (several 2nd author in pubmed, several first author poster and podium presentations, will increase during research year
-Letters- Will have solid personable letters from big wigs in rads
-ECs- several national professional society leadership positions

My question in terms of taking step 2 -Recently rethought if I should really take a risk to score 240+. I understand my strengths and weakness and standardized board exams are simply not one of them. Shelf exams have ranged from 70%-85% correct. I would have a solid 2 months time off to study however I studied to my max during step 1 and shelf exams, doing as many questions as humanly possible and utilizing as much time as possible. I am not one of those "do uworld 2x and get 240+". While it would be great to increase my score at least 10 points, there's a legit possibility I may not given my previous historical ratio of effort in:oops:utcome with these exams. My aim to improve my application would be honoring the gauntlet of 3 sub I's next year and doing the research year, but I am curious what sdn thinks about taking step 2. Thanks

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