changing view on step II?

Unfortunately, I have to agree w/ Cakes. I believe it will become more important in the near future. It is yet another measure with which the pack can be stratified. That being said I took Step II fairly early (Sept.) but after I had submitted my ERAS application and no one asked for my Step II score (though I suppose that the score report may have automatically appeared on my application).

In short, if you are going to take it early, make certain that you are prepared for the exam.

I took step 2 early, and improved 36 points over my step 1 score. At least half of my interviewers mentioned it during the interview, and were very impressed that I took it early and did so well.

So obviously I don't regret taking it early, and I can't imagine how horrible it would be studying for it later on in the year.

i'm going to disagree with all the above. first off, i took it at the end of february and it was not horrible at all. I was not on an orthopaedic rotation or working on applications/interviews like I would have been earlier in the year. Because of this i was able to study for almost two weeks and just take the thing during a period where my schedule was very light.

Secondly, of all the things on your app, board scores are the least interesting and important in the long run and i dont think that is going to change. Sure, it helps to have a score >230 and if you dont it is probably *helpful* to take step II early. that said i dont think it is essential because if you have good research, grades, LoR, extra-curriculars then boards become increasingly less important. If you are in a possition where your step one is not great or your app is light on other things, of course you will want to take it early. If you did better than 230, an impressive step II is not going to be the make-or-break item on your app, now or in the future. you are better served spending the early part of your M4 year doing research or other extracurriculars to set yourself apart.

The first response on this thread was the most accurate. you need to look at your own app as a whole and put your board score in perspective based on that information. You also have to be honest with yourself about how important it is to get interviews at the HSS's and Pitts of the ortho world. The dirty little secret that is seldom emphasized on this website is that they are like all the other programs out there--great at some things, not as great at others, and certainly not the ideal program for every budding orthopod out there.

dr. fxrx is correct at stating the USMLE should be taken in perspective with the rest of the application .... remember this, most of us know when you are padding an application (MS 4 research or extracurriculars) so be careful when following that advice .... there is not much you can do in your 4th year except clinical rotations that will make you more marketable and completing previous research

starting research in you 4th year looks desperate .... starting extracurriculars not previously involved in, desperate ...

in truth, and i have said this before ... know yourself, be honest with yourself ... do the best you can ... and work with what you have ...

i have not met a USMLE score 250 that i have liked ... but i know a lot of people that i have

The step score question will (likely) soon become obsolete. The USMLE people are strongly leaning towards combining step I and II into one exam that will be scored p/f. Their rationale is that the step exams were never intended to stratify students based on ability or knowledge level, rather they were designed to ensure a sufficient knowledge base amongst those that pass.

I'm not for their proposed changes, but should they occur, they will make the application process to competitive specialties "interesting."

The pass/fail options would be interesting. I never took USMLE as the FLEX exam was in its last year. I only took one exam in December of my M4 year, so I had no scores at all when I applied for residency. They had to only go on grades, LORs, AOA, etc...