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Some people are starting to take it now or early May. Wouldn't you want to spend as much time as possible preparing? Are your schools forcing you to do this?
And make Step 1 scored again.Step 2 should be pass fail.
This is how we end up like lawyers where school prestige is all that matters.Step 2 should be pass fail.
Because the other most frequently used parameter is research, which is barely relevant in a community setting (in which the vast majority of physicians end up practicing). Lower tier schools with lack of research connections or home programs would be put at a disadvantage. I'd rather not have the MCAT define my career.I'm not particularly attached to this idea, but why is it not possible for residencies to use other parameters besides Step II grades to find talent?
There are. However, stratification for overapplication usually uses the simplest metrics. I'm interested in fields like Neuro and Psych where soft skills are a lot more important for application, but most other fields view these as unimportant. I'd love if we lived in a world where every application was given fair review, but this will not happen when there are hundreds of applicants for a handful of spots due to virtual interviewing.There's plenty of other parameters to optimize for besides research.
The signaling system is functioning that way for more competitive fields already, we'll see if it trickles down to moderate to low competitive over the next few cycles when the number of applicants increases a good amount.I would think the cleanest solution to that is to cap applications at 25 or so.
Some people are starting to take it now or early May. Wouldn't you want to spend as much time as possible preparing? Are your schools forcing you to do this?
OK, but then how does one decide which 25 programs to target? Why wouldn't everyone just apply to the same 25 top-tier programs? Or, how would some students decide they are top-tier worthy and who should be targeting other programs? Even more fundamentally, how does someone know they are competitive for a competitive specialty in the first place?I would think the cleanest solution to that is to cap applications at 25 or so.
More consistency from schools in reporting clinical grades (and pre-clinical grades) would help. I'm of the opinion that pre-clinical grades, clerkship grades, research QUALITY, extracurricular interests, LOR's, interview performance, and rigor / quality of medical school could all be used in addition to or in lieu of a scored step 2. Even w/o step 2, it seems there would be enough criteria to go on if schools were truly grading their students along the way. I feel there is more merit to 4 years of grades than how you did on one given Saturday (step 2).OK, but then how does one decide which 25 programs to target? Why wouldn't everyone just apply to the same 25 top-tier programs? Or, how would some students decide they are top-tier worthy and who should be targeting other programs? Even more fundamentally, how does someone know they are competitive for a competitive specialty in the first place?
I am not saying the answer should be step 1 or step 2 score... but many schools have systematically been removing grading. If there are no objective measures of an applicant's ability, then you're just left with school prestige and research.
I agree in principal. But that’s my point—so many schools are going P/F. Maybe it is what the majority of students want, but it is damaging to students who want to go into anything competitive unless you are already going to a prestigious schoolMore consistency from schools in reporting clinical grades (and pre-clinical grades) would help. I'm of the opinion that pre-clinical grades, clerkship grades, research QUALITY, extracurricular interests, LOR's, interview performance, and rigor / quality of medical school could all be used in addition to or in lieu of a scored step 2. Even w/o step 2, it seems there would be enough criteria to go on if schools were truly grading their students along the way. I feel there is more merit to 4 years of grades than how you did on one given Saturday (step 2).
Don't think critically; the system doesn't like that.The most ironic thing about board exams is that they are, by nature, wide in their content breadth. Yet the specialties that require a wide content breadth (FM, EM, etc) have the lowest average board scores.
I just find it hilarious that a field like Derm wants a 250 despite the entire exam having online like 5-10 derm questions…