Show Your Skills

Not everyone is a great test taker.... Show Your Skills!

• US IMG
• Caribbean Medical School
• Failure on Step 2
• Low Step 1 Score 192
• Low Step 2 Score 225

What do you do if you don't have the best scores and have a failure on your record? 

Find a way!!!!!! Check out this success story:

Dear Dr. Barone,

I have an inspiring story for you. I didn’t do well on my Step 1 exam despite putting lots of effort and studying hard. My step 1 score was 192. The problem was the time! I felt like I needed more time to prepare myself for the exam. Anyways I barely passed the exam and was already in the “Black List” for future residency program.

However it got even worse! I didn’t pass my step 2 CK for the first time... I got 208 where the passing score was 209! I was so scared and disappointed and didn’t know what to do. I talked to my advisors and they were not that much of help. I was scared to take the exam again and I knew that I was already too deep on that “ Black List”.  I had to pull out of the match that year because I didn't have my step 2 score and got no interviews.

The first thing I did was to delay my graduation so I could have do more rotations as student. I have to tell you this.... I did all my rotations at one hospital in Southern California. I always remembered your advice about making connections with people and remembered all your stories. I made huge amount of connections in these two years with Family Medicine department. I was getting invited to their BBQs and Holiday parties and was the only student that was hanging out with the residents outside of the hospital. I knew most of the residents and was approved by most of the attendings. I started doing research with the same hospital after I didn’t match with two residents and one attending. I studied very hard and passed my CK with 225.

In this years match, I applied to almost 300+ programs and paid nearly 10K!    I had only 2 interviews, but it paid off !!!

When I went for my first interview, I found out so many people have vouched for me and told the program director about my clinical skills . I did total of 3 Family Medicine Inpatient and one Family Medicine Outpatient rotation at that hospital and proved to them that my scores did not represent my qualities, clinical skills, and my work habits. And I finally MATCHED!!!!!    In Southern California!!!!!!!.

It almost feels impossible for someone with my scores and step failure to match in Southern California. But in the back of my mind I could hear you say “Don’t Give Up” and thanks to you and your tips about making connection and getting that interview I matched! I always remember you saying “ you only need one interview to match”!

Thank you for always inspiring students !!!!

Medical Mafia For Life!!!!!

S. F.   March 18, 2016

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