02-17-2006, 09:44 AM
I was wondering how does all this matter when it comes to residency matching? I am going to mention a few least noticed things when it comes to matching and I was wondering if any of you have noticed the significance of these things in matching.
(01) Attempts: First attempt or fewer attempts with low scores VS More attempts with high scores.
Who do programs prefer “> First attempt 85 or Second or more attempts with 95 (remember they even failed to score 75 in their earlier attempts, where as the person who scored 85 could™ve scored even better (not always true) if he could™ve tried more attempts (more attempts in other way means more study). I think that™s why the USMLE report shows the number of attempts in their reports where as in some countries including Canada (stupidest country in terms of medical opportunities), they just look at the score ignoring all other conditions.
Since very high marks (mostly nineties) are a trend these days, how do attempts count towards matching?
(02) Intervals between exams: I am sure many of you will agree that if a Doctor (who is not an ordinary intelligence) will get 90™s or very high scores if they get time in tunes of 1 year or more to prepare per exam or more time between two USMLE exams.
Who do programs prefer “> Person who completed all three exams in six months or a year with competitive marks Vs Person who got an year or more gap between exams and score high nineties.
Or just score matters irrespective of the time in between. I am sure many of you will agree that getting all the exams done in less time and still score competitive marks definitely show a person™s caliber than a candidate who scored high marks but took two years to write each USMLE exams. Even worse is the case if a person who took two years to write each USMLE exams but scored just average.
I feel all these should matter since USMLE is a competitive screening entrance exam where it screens a person™s potential, not just textbook medical knowledge. I believe that exams are not only the genuine criteria to measure one™s potential, there are many other aspects too in it. One has to look at other factors behind the exams like number of chances, the period they took to write the exams etc. And I am sure the programs are looking for applicants who got more overall capabilities than book worms.
This has more significance now a day since many programs insists on applicants with in 5 years of graduation. This in one way means you have 5 years to complete three or four USMLE exams to get a competitive residency spot and you could afford to spend a year between your USMLE exams to prepare and to get very high marks. But do PD™s give any priority to people who scored competitive marks in less time to candidates who high mark by taking more intervals to pass the required USMLE exams.
(03) Score in a particular subject or area in Step 1 or Step 2 Ck:
Who do programs prefer “> Two applicants with similar scores, applied to one particular specialty, one scored more in that specialty in USMLE vs other who scored less. Do you know if PD™s look into this.
I am not sure about this since I don™t know about the contents of USMLE transcript or the reports the programs get from ECFMG. In our score reports we can see different areas tested in the exam and our performances in each of these. Do you folks know if these count anyways?
Please share what you guys feel about these?
(01) Attempts: First attempt or fewer attempts with low scores VS More attempts with high scores.
Who do programs prefer “> First attempt 85 or Second or more attempts with 95 (remember they even failed to score 75 in their earlier attempts, where as the person who scored 85 could™ve scored even better (not always true) if he could™ve tried more attempts (more attempts in other way means more study). I think that™s why the USMLE report shows the number of attempts in their reports where as in some countries including Canada (stupidest country in terms of medical opportunities), they just look at the score ignoring all other conditions.
Since very high marks (mostly nineties) are a trend these days, how do attempts count towards matching?
(02) Intervals between exams: I am sure many of you will agree that if a Doctor (who is not an ordinary intelligence) will get 90™s or very high scores if they get time in tunes of 1 year or more to prepare per exam or more time between two USMLE exams.
Who do programs prefer “> Person who completed all three exams in six months or a year with competitive marks Vs Person who got an year or more gap between exams and score high nineties.
Or just score matters irrespective of the time in between. I am sure many of you will agree that getting all the exams done in less time and still score competitive marks definitely show a person™s caliber than a candidate who scored high marks but took two years to write each USMLE exams. Even worse is the case if a person who took two years to write each USMLE exams but scored just average.
I feel all these should matter since USMLE is a competitive screening entrance exam where it screens a person™s potential, not just textbook medical knowledge. I believe that exams are not only the genuine criteria to measure one™s potential, there are many other aspects too in it. One has to look at other factors behind the exams like number of chances, the period they took to write the exams etc. And I am sure the programs are looking for applicants who got more overall capabilities than book worms.
This has more significance now a day since many programs insists on applicants with in 5 years of graduation. This in one way means you have 5 years to complete three or four USMLE exams to get a competitive residency spot and you could afford to spend a year between your USMLE exams to prepare and to get very high marks. But do PD™s give any priority to people who scored competitive marks in less time to candidates who high mark by taking more intervals to pass the required USMLE exams.
(03) Score in a particular subject or area in Step 1 or Step 2 Ck:
Who do programs prefer “> Two applicants with similar scores, applied to one particular specialty, one scored more in that specialty in USMLE vs other who scored less. Do you know if PD™s look into this.
I am not sure about this since I don™t know about the contents of USMLE transcript or the reports the programs get from ECFMG. In our score reports we can see different areas tested in the exam and our performances in each of these. Do you folks know if these count anyways?
Please share what you guys feel about these?