IMG low step 1 interviews

[neuronalnick]

Seems like every IMG on this site has scored a 250 who is getting IVs. Would like to hear the experience of those with lower scores.

I had a disappointing 219 on step 1. I'm an undergraduate in my home country. I only want to do neurology but I don't know how much of a red flag that score is. I don't care much for location of residencies, more about the quality of education.

I don't really know much about the ranking and competitiveness of places other than the big obvious ones like hopkins/mayo/ harvard etc. so what sort of places should I realistically be looking at maybe doing a hands on clinical elective with next summer in the hope I'd match the following year (all things going well for step 2 <250)?

Any IMG's out there with lower scores who have matched in the past or have scored IVs in the current match care to share their experience?

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[riluzole]

Being an IMG, i understand your situation, a lot of factors contribute for one to get an IV call specially for an IMG, for example, Visa status, YOG, Scores, Neurology Interest, Publications and US clinical Work experience.

I know couple of applicants this year with low scores but were able to get decent interviews based on their CV.
one of my seniors from my College applied this year with scores in 210s, got 6 iv, from middle and lower middle tier programs, but she mainly got on basis of her publications in Neurology. There was another guy I met during interview trail, who had similar scores like you and had 8 calls, but he was already working as a resident in prelim IM program.

so it's really hard to answer this question based on only scores, but good scores can get you some good number of calls