USMLE Stressed while waiting for Step 2 CS. If I fail, is there any time to retake it?

[ophthoapplicant17]

edit: I am a fourth-year US MD student.
Hey all, I've been freaking out about the ophtho match until 1 week ago when I found out that I matched. Now I'm freaking out about Step 2 CS that I took mid-late December 2017. I will be receiving my report between 1/31/18 and 2/21/18, hopefully earlier so I can rank the intern programs that require passage of Step 2 CS.

For preparation, I read the Step 2 CS book back to back and practiced 10 of the cases. However, I made mistakes on Step 2 CS as many do, including but not limited to running out of time in 2 encounters, missing a major ddx in a case, and forgetting to do a relevant physical exam in a case.

Although I want to believe that I passed given the statistics, what happens if I didn't? The earliest testing period I can schedule CS is 1/28-3/24, and I don't know if any dates will be available in that period if and when I find out I failed. The reporting schedule for that period is 4/25-5/23, very close to the start of intern year.

Has anyone had the experience or know somebody who failed a late Step 2 CS (results in Jan-Feb) as a fourth-year student and still managed to start intern/residency on time? I am so scared of not being able to start my ophtho residency because matching was an uphill battle for me.

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[Ismet]

Intern year won't start until June. If you get your passing score by 5/23 (though you'd most likely get it on 4/25) you will obviously have passed before intern year.

Pass that hurdle if you get there. You most likely passed CS and all this worrying would be for nothing. And really, you can't change anything now. Congrats on matching, I suggest finding something else to occupy your mind until your score comes out.

 

[Anti-PD1]

I took it in December, I am not too worried, but it is ridiculous how much this one exam can affect us. Hang in there bud.

One thing that worries me is I forgot to write a specific exam in my plan, it was my first encounter, I guess it felt weird to put a physical exam in the plan on my note. Idk.

 

[W19]

I am in the same situation... I did not feel like I did well on the exam. I had the right diagnoses in most of the cases, but my notes were short... Hopefully God will do his magic and get a a 'pass' on that exam.

It's amazing after spending over 4k to interview for residency, a bad result on that exam might put everything on hold.

 

[AThousandTrees]

Is anyone's permit gone yet who hasn't reached their expiration date?

 

[TDoc42]

Mine is still up as well...do permits indicate anything?

 

[AThousandTrees]

I was told it could be a sign of impending score return on Wed but things could have changed. Mine is still up as well.

 

[ophthoapplicant17]

My permit is still there. I hope we get our reports this Wednesday. Waiting is not fun.

 

[MudPhudHopeful]

Mine is still there too


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[ophthoapplicant17]

Mine is gone (Monday 830 AM EST)

 

[MudPhudHopeful]

Mine, too.

 

[W19]

What's the recourse if one fails? Almost the IM programs I interviewed at require CS passing result for ranking... Oh gosh!

 

[ophthoapplicant17]

What's the recourse if one fails? Almost the IM programs I interviewed at require CS passing result for ranking... Oh gosh!

Yeah it really sucks. It complicates everything. Ideally they rank you anyway and you take it before pgy1. I honestly think cs should be removed especially for American medical students. Wish there was a way to bring cs up as a problem in a professional manner. Hopefully we all passed it. Did your permit disappear on your nbme dashboard?

 

[Reveler]

Permits being there or not being there mean nothing. If you really want an omen, get a Ouija board.

Ya'll passed. It's a minimum competency exam. Sure, some people don't, but ya'll did.

Now go drink a margarita and watch some cartoons. You're almost a doctor.

 

[Vrach]

I guess this is the tread for those awaiting CS results this wednesday! I'm here cheering for my bf as I was in ya'll spot in September. My score came out at 3:45PM - just when i thought it wasn't going to be released! I wonder what time they will release them this time!

 

[Sashap]

Hi everyone! So my permit is gone and I am blocked from "applying" for step 2cs again. I read that if the application is blocked (in IWA), that means a pass. Is anyone familiar with this?

 

[MikMik6]

I think the IWA trick is an urban legend.

 

[Sashap]

I think the IWA trick is an urban legend.

Thanks!! Well, hopefully I will have a pass tomorrow. Best wishes to everyone waiting on scores tomorrow!

 

[W19]

Yeah it really sucks. It complicates everything. Ideally they rank you anyway and you take it before pgy1. I honestly think cs should be removed especially for American medical students. Wish there was a way to bring cs up as a problem in a professional manner. Hopefully we all passed it. Did your permit disappear on your nbme dashboard?

yes it did

 

[Sashap]

I passed!!! Thank you God!!!!

 

[sulfonate]

I passed!!! Thank you God!!!!

Congrats! Did you find out this morning?

 

[Sashap]

Congrats! Did you find out this morning?

Than you!!! Yes, I received an email this morning saying my score report was available a little after 8:30am. Good luck everyone!!

 

[sulfonate]

Than you!!! Yes, I received an email this morning saying my score report was available a little after 8:30am. Good luck everyone!!

Cool! Does that mean we probably won't get it if we haven't got the email?

 

[AThousandTrees]

Congrats! Are you an IMG? It appears from past posts that IMGs get theirs earlier but AMGs start score reporting around 11am.

 

[Sashap]

I think more scores will be released today. From reading various threads, scores are released until about 11am. Yes, I am an IMG.

 

[Anon99]

Good luck everyone. I'm sure you did just fine. I did so much ridiculous stuff and was sure I failed but it was all all right in the end. Hang in there during this stressful waiting for results period!

 

[WiseOne]

I PASSED WOOO, this test is very forgiving.

 

[ophthoapplicant17]

Passed w high performance in all sections... Thank god

 

[AThousandTrees]

Whoooo high passed in everything! Extreme high pass on spoken English lol.

 

[W19]

Passed....

 

[MudPhudHopeful]

Passed


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[Anti-PD1]

Passed.

 

[sulfonate]

Passed! I got borderline in the ICE component though. Will residency programs see that I was borderline on ICE or will they just see that I passed the exam?

 

[Anti-PD1]

Passed! I got borderline in the ICE component though. Will residency programs see that I was borderline on ICE or will they just see that I passed the exam?

It's not reported to them. All they see is the Pass, Pass, Pass.

 

[Enzymaticdegradation]

Passed! Wohooo. Worst 2 months of my life.

 

[sulfonate]

It's not reported to them. All they see is the Pass, Pass, Pass.

Thanks! Does anyone know what we have to do to send the scores to the programs?

 

[W19]

Thanks! Does anyone know what we have to do to send the scores to the programs?

Update it in ERAS... click on 'successful' next to Latest USMLE Request Status, then click on 'select' on the drop down menu and then click on 'resend my scores'...

 

[TDoc42]

Passed! Made bunches of mistakes...will post more about them later. Try not to stress too much about this test, there is room for error!

 

[GoPelicans]

Anyone get a score today?

edit: passed but barely, thank god