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Failed CK, ERAS 170 programs+3 interviews, advice? - wwind
#1
Hey everybody, I failed my Step 2CK from the results from last week. I've been in a rugged mess trying to figure out what to do and wasted these past 4 days trying to figure out a new study plan but I'm going back and forth on making a decision.

I applied to over 100 psychiatry programs + 70 family med programs.
So far I got 3 interviews total. 2 for Psych + 1 for Family (Illinois/Michigan), about 38 rejections so far. Applied on opening ERAS day.

The interviews arrived before I received my ck failure but now it's been silence and I got a few more rejections (38 total so far).

Carib student, not the greatest med school, graduated June 2015.

Step 1 : 204, passed 1st attempt - March 2013
Step 2 cs : passed 1st attempt - June 2015
step 2 ck : 192 failed - September 2015

I studied with 2 months with MTB CK + Uworld. My previous NBME 6 = 214, UWSA = 216, UW Total Avg : 53%. Free USMLE Questions = 63% when I took it in the middle.

I have my interviews scheduled all in December and want to take CK in the next 3-4 weeks if possible to get results in for the interviews.

Could you imagine going to the interview after a failure? I hope I can get the CK results in 4 weeks. Forget how much my family and loan money I had to take out to pay for all those programs on ERAS.

I'm hoping I can at least try because I can't imagine waiting another year after being this close and I don't think I will get any more interviews this year.


I'm not sure how much I will retain in the next 4 weeks but I just purchased Uworld again a few days ago.

What would you all suggest I do to try and take this exam in the next 4 weeks? Should I do reread MTB CK, do DIT CK or focus on Uworld random? I didn't use MTB 3 or Step up to Medicine or First Aid. Should I do another question bank + Uworld?

Thanks for any advice here. Can really use the encouragement to make a serious study plan. Good luck to your ERAS outcomes too!
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#2
WOW you are really lucky to get 3 IV's but then again the CK fail is a big red flag they will see now. Sorry You have nothing to lose going to the IVs
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#3
I hear your pain.
Be strong. You will be fine. Just try your best.
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#4
You cannot rush things. Can't risk not passing a second time. Just go to the interviews and don't talk about it, only if they bring it up. The big problem is securing that score in time for you to get that ECFMG certificate. Without it you cannot be matched. CK is just doing UWorld over and over again. There's no source like it.
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#5
Thats unfortunate Sad
Maybe you can try to reschedule the interviews to as late as is available and then try to ace step 2 ck.

on the positive note : Scores are only as good as to get you to an interview, provided you already have an interviews ( and will have step 2 ck results by then ) you can play on your charm and confidence and get the position.

3 interviews and 38 rejections?? wow, you had a busy inbox. i applied to the same number and got 2 rejections and 0 invites.
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#6
There is always a blessing in everything that happens in life.

I hope you have not retransmitted your failed attempt at CK to programs. It will be wise not to do that.

If I were you I will thank the Good Lord for granting 3 interviews before the failed attempt at CK as this might just be the only interviews you will have,

Schedule your CK exam to 1 week before your first interview in Dec. Forget about the rest of the world. Lock yourself up and study for the next 8 weeks to maximize your chances of passing. you cant afford to fail it again. Take it as if you have no other chance again. Strengthen your weak areas, digest, understand your mistakes, revise , revise revise

Once you are doe with the exam, go for your interview, If you are asked about your ck result. Be truthful about it( they will find out about the failed attempt, once you retransmit your passed 2nd attempt, I am praying you pass this exam!!). Tell them you are waiting for the result as you had to retake it again. That you expect to pass it this time that you just don't know what happen( if you must say anything about why you failed come up with something tangible)

All the best!!, Tough times don't last long but tough people don't, believe that you can do it. work your butts off for the next few weeks


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#7

All the best!!, Tough times don't last long but tough people do, believe that you can do it. work your butts off for the next few weeks
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#8
Thanks for the motivation guys and gals. I needed some support and very kind of you all to share some thoughts and tips.

I already had the transcripts transmitted so no taking back unfortunately... there's nothing for me to lie about to them and rather they have the truth one way or another. With the scheduled dates, I was given a few options and had chosen the latest slots available in early December and you know how difficult it would be to reschedule with some of those coordinators, I couldn't risk losing a date. We have to take whatever we can get sometimes!

Majority of the rejections came before CK score came before the MSPE and CK results of last week and about 10 came in from over the last days after CK as it was expected. I can't keep track of all the programs right now but I know a few had requirements of no failures on CK. More important to some family medicine programs.

I called the 3 programs just to let them know I didn't pass CK but am rescheduling it beforehand and they appreciated my bold honesty and seemed to be all receptive in saying to just keep at it and that they'll see me in December, hopefully with better news and so there is the added stress and fear factor to seriously pass. I got 2 of them sending me welcome kit emails with itinerary plans for travel, hotel and dinner the night before and so yeah, my mood would be much better with a pass on that night. It will be rough thinking that I'll be with a lot of candidates those days and I have this test to still worry in my mind so just want to get it over with.

So the idea is to spend 4 weeks to study and take ck, 3 weeks for results and then by then I hope I can give a success story on the interview trail. Also this was to get my ECFMG SOAP eligibility status ready at least by ranking time in February 2016.

Like many said, this might be the only 3 interviews I'll get... maybe if I pass I will try contacting the programs I didn't hear back from and keep SOAP as a backup.

At this point, anything higher than a pass will obviously beat my step 1 score (lol, since 209 is higher than 204 from my step 1) and I'll take whatever that score is to just get this test out of the way. My score report was pretty much in the middle to low-middle and quite consistent throughout the divisions. So I bought uworld again and that's the only thing I have going. Kind of discouraging to passively read through MTB again and looking at Dr. F's face on cover makes me want to chuck that throw that book into the corner, not sure if I got any testing points from that book after I took the exam.

Is there anything in particular I should not focus on or focus more on with review books or should I just really spend the time redoing uworld day and night? If I do uworld all day, I'm thinking 3 or 4 blocks a day would be the max one can humanly do.




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#9
Good luck but like it was said do USMLE World and if you are not feeling like a pass then scrub the test and take it when ready, you are worrying about soap and our chances in soap is very low anyway
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#10
Here are my final thoughts, use your discretion after reading it

You are in a precarious situation here, you could easily go from bad to worse. What is most important for you at this stage is passing step 2 ck and comfortably.

I don't know what your score was at your 1st attempt. personally 4 weeks of preparing for the exam to correct your deficiency in other to comfortable pass I short. I quite understand that you are trying to have the result in hand by the time you interview. I feel if you take the ck in first week of December your result will be out by end of December.(Enough time to get certified if all the medical credentials have already been verified).

There is a great difference between 4wks of intense preparation and 8weeks. Use the first 4 weeks for intense preps after tat evaluate yourself then to have another 4 weeks to perfect it.

you will have no margin for error if you do it in 4 weeks. you have a great chance to match if you maximize your ability to pass your ck and play your cards well.

Programs are not ranking in Dec when you go for interview. ( they don't need your ck result then, was the point of rushing.

Secondly you have invites from programs, a lot of guys don't have. you can't guarantee what will happen next match.

That's why I said lock your self up, away from all distractions 8 solid weeks to do the exam. then you have 1 week to rest your mind for interviews.

you have in your hands don't lose it and I pray God will give you the wisdom to make the right decisions but the bulk falls on you right now.

Hoping you success at the match!!!!!
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