Borderline Scores and GPA
By Guest on Sunday, 10 August 2003
Posted in Match Center
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This is some personal info of mine, but I figured there were others who are in the same boat. I just received my step I score and was a little disappointed with the 224 I received (wife and I had a baby a few weeks before the exam so I never got the studying done that I should have). Anyway, my GPA is ~3.5, and can be raised to about a 3.75 after the core rotations which I am doing very well in at the moment. I come from a home program that is pretty stout, so the expectations for ortho may be higher here than is required at most others around the country.

Since receiving the score, I have been really nervous about the possibility I will have to do something that is not what I want for my life. So my question is simple, with applying to approx 60-70 programs, what are the odds that come match day I will be left out in the cold. Thanks for any and all responses.
Those are borderline scores/grades? Dude, if you apply to that many programs and don't have any major interview flaws, it is likely that you will match somewhere.
Guest
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22 years ago
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Programs are much more interested in class rank/AOA status that "GPA" since the discrepancy between grading at different schools is so great.
Guest
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22 years ago
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It's hard to say... there have been people with lesser step 1 scores that have matched. However, <230 and especially <225, you have to seriously consider a backup. You still apply to ortho hard and heavy, but you need a serious backup, unless you do make AOA and kill step 2.
Guest
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22 years ago
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A couple words of advice after looking at lots of aps....

There's more to it than the numbers although there are lots of places that screen based strictly on pt 1 to cut down the number of applications.

Apply to way more programs than you think you need.

Do rotations or at least stop in for a few days at programs you are really interested in (take a night of call etc).

AOA can be pretty subjective some places so its really not any better than grades in picking people.

The most important thing for me is meeting the person and determining fit. I have to feel like I want to train them for 5 years (or maybe longer in the future).

Good luck,

Scott Silverstein MD
Education Director
WVUH Orthopedics
Guest
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22 years ago
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If there is a theme to all of the board scores/grades threads, it is that every individual case is different. Of course AOA and killer boards help, but "fit" is also a huge factor for matching.
Guest
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22 years ago
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I understand the difficulty in answering this due to not knwing me or how I would fit. Obviously I will impress all I meet along the interview path and will be desired by all programs I come into contact with! All kidding aside, I really was just wanting to make sure that with these scores I had not severely put myself behind the 8 ball. I have no problem applying to 70-80 programs if that is what it takes. By the way a 3.7 would be near to AOA status here, would be close as to if I officially make it. Any more responses would be great.
Guest
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22 years ago
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To reiterate Scott's previous reply, personal interactions, i.e. fit, is just as important as numbers. People match in good Ortho programs every year with lesser numbers than others who do not match with stellar numbers because they were over confident, or just " not a good fit ". I would not worry about your numbers; they are more than acceptable for all but the most academic of programs; academic programs to me equals a lot of in training competition & emphasis on research with poor operative experience.
Good luck,
Geof
Guest
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22 years ago
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new,

don't sweat the numbers too much. i had a 241 and was 0 for 3.
and no i'm not a freak or geek.
honors in 3rd year esp med and surg can get you over the hump.
a chair at a good but remote program told me 215 was his cut off.
they just want you to pass boards easily..
i saw just about all the scores from a programs current residents and only 1 was above 230 (that person didn't match the first year)
apply to as many as you can afford. that wat there is no 2nd guessing.
get letters from big names.
spots do open so if you'll only be happy with ortho keep going for it
"did we quit when the germans bombed pearl harbor?"

somewhat less bitter
Guest
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22 years ago
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g-l,
what are you doing now. sorry to hear of your frustrations.
Guest
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22 years ago
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jason,
i got an unfilled ortho spot.
g-l
Guest
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22 years ago
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Congratulations G-love. It's good to see you posting again, I thought you were gone from here. Also glad to see the 'a little less bitter.' Congrats again.

Orthofixation
Guest
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22 years ago
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