do I still have an opportunity

I am a third year student. I have always struggled with standardized testing. I am in the top 15% of my class but I only scored a 508 on step 1. I want to do Ortho and am willing to do what it takes to get there. Does anyone have any input to whether this is even possible. Also any advice to which programs may suit someone with weaker board scores would be helpful. I would appreciate any input. Thanks!

check your pm

I am a third year student. I have always struggled with standardized testing. I am in the top 15% of my class but I only scored a 508 on step 1. I want to do Ortho and am willing to do what it takes to get there. Does anyone have any input to whether this is even possible. Also any advice to which programs may suit someone with weaker board scores would be helpful. I would appreciate any input. Thanks!

I am in a similar position; not in top 15% of my class but good grades, slightly better boards. I also have been an summer anatomy fellow, involved in a ton of orthopedic club events and have been shadowing ortho's since my M1 year. I, too, would do what it takes to get into an ortho residency and feel that once a program has me they will not regret my hard work and team effort.

Although grades are certainly looked at, and their are some (many?) programs that will cross you off just b/c of them, its not the case with all. My advise is to make a list of programs with whom you can make to the time to ROTATE with -- one month each. I would recommend using every elective you have for a rotation at a new prospective program.

Face time gives you the best chance of getting an interview. If you don't interview, you've got no chance, and as you suspect, w/ lesser scores there's lesser chance of an interview w/o rotating. ROTATE, ROTATE, ROTATE.

Good Luck.