APPLYING WITH SINGLE OR TWO USMLE SCORES

Each year, many IMGs are faced with the scenario of taking a shot at Residency Applications without having all USMLE scores in hand - like, maybe just Step 1 , or just Step 2 CS, or any two scores ...

If we considered having Step 1 + Step 2 CK + Step 2 CS scores as 'complete', then the most 'incomplete scores' combination happens to be Step 1 + Step 2 CK - but this combination is still much better than other possible combinations. Been hearing of Step 1 + Step 2 CS very very often these days, thanks to lack of CS dates which makes people take the CS as soon as possible.

Supposing you decided to go ahead and apply with incomplete scores, lets address some poignant issues in this context :

a. Yes, Interviews are still possible applying with Step 1 scores alone, though over the years the probability has been getting lesser. Yet, to maximize chances, you gotta send in your applications early AND the Step 1 Score should be impressive enough to garner enough confidence in the program director about your subsequent performance. It's should be tacitly understood that the number of residency interview calls you will get will be much less than if you had applied with both USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores.

b. Remember that on your ERAS application, you are allowed to specify the expected month of remaining USMLE Steps, in case you have not taken them all by application time. Don't let that be too late - remember the 'ECGMG certified' status must be completed before early February. So if the program believes that you will not be certified until then, it will put your application on the backburner.

c. The next natural question : "Should I apply early in September with my Step 1 score or should I wait till I get my step 2 CK result later ? "

Now, this was a question someone shot at me over email and I am copy-pasting the reply below :

"
While there is no sure-shot answer to this question, lets consider some alternatives =

a. Write to/call all programs u wanna to apply to and see if they will consider ur application with a Step 1 score alone and that you will be taking other exams soon. Definitely go ahead and apply to the ones who reply positively - the ones that say 'No' or Don't reply, apply after u take ur step 2 CK - and keep providing updates to those programs about ur exams, scores, observerships, etc.

OR

2. Another strategy is to apply to low-traffic, moderately-ranked or low-ranked programs with whatever scores you have - and the others after all scores come in

OR

3. Go ahead and apply to all programs and then keep on sending updates as when u take ur exams, get ur scores, etc - the only problem i see in this approach is over-spending.
In any case, you will benefit most by personally calling / emailing programs :-) I know it ain't a perfect solution but I do hope this gives you some direction"



Choosing your alternative is a personal choice incumbent on factors like how much $$ you willing to risk, or if you simply have to match this year instead of adding more years to your "Old IMG" status, or considering whether you are rather better off for the next year's match and use the extra time to complete even Step 3, get some US Clinical experience & better LORs or whether you got contacts that can pull you an Interview at a program, etc. So ...choose your 'trade-off's guys and decide.




And I shall now go back to a hot cup of tea waiting for me .... LOL