can I make it too???

no you can't

I hate these questions...

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Insert generic "you can do it just bust your ass on your away rotations" reply.

You are in a hole because you will get few interviews based on step 1 cut offs. I would chose aways wisely, hopkins might not be best choice. Not sure if they interview everyone that rotates. Might want to do 3 aways. Pick a few smaller or community programs that might put more weight on your hard work. Also do well on step 2 and take it early. Good luck

Agree that Hopkins may be bad...but only do 3 aways if you can handle it. I was pretty beat up after 3 months of ortho and coupled with the stress of waiting for invites, don't think I could have done another month. ONLY do that many aways if you can be at 100% for that month!

uh man... guys... be nice... i've been there before, and i'm sure many of us have wondered about the same thing during our third year.

I think your step I will hurt you. I would take step II early and ace it. If you bomb that one too, there is an option not to automatically submit, so I would do that. If you really didn't study for step I (why?) and that's why you didn't do so well, then I would study, study and study like never before and ace that sucker. It's very doable. Step II is ALL clinical with minimal basic/genetic stuff. If you are getting all honors in your 3rd year, step II should be much easier for you.

My basic response to your questions:
1. poor step 1 -> take step II (i'm talking 240+).
2. school name -> although many people talk about prestigious med school not making a difference, I would strongly disagree. Not just in ortho, but in everything else. I know many people who matched at Harvard, UPenn, Columbia, UCSF, HSS and huge majority are from top ranked med school (or have awesome home ortho program). Studentdoctor.net forum has match list going, and it's very obvious that top medical school secure top academic residency positions (Johns Hopkins would be one of them). So you are already at a disadvantage. Because of this, I would do 1 home, and 2 aways. 1 competitive school and 1 back-up. Not knowing details, Johns Hopkins is a steep hill to climb for you.
3. Research -> what you have is good, but will not distinguish you from others. I would highly consider taking 1 year off to get as many publications out as possible (also a good time to ace step II). Taking a year off is much better than taking a year off because you didn't match.

Final answer: I think you can make it, but you really have to apply widely and hope for the best. There are people who matched at top ortho programs with your step I score, but it's not a common story.

thank you guys, for all the replies.

Loving_ortho, I am really considering doing that. Taking an year off, doing some research, and ace step II.

I hope it works

I agree with what has been said regarding step 1 hurting your numbers of interviews, and regarding the importance of taking step 2 early and acing it. I personally scored a 200 on step 1, not really sure why...somewhat of an anomaly I think. Anyway, I took step 2 early and got a 243. I know I was screened out of a lot of programs for step 1, but I got 13 invites total, made it to 9 and matched in my top 3 on my rank list. Interestingly enough it was at a program I didn't rotate at. Anyway, you've dug yourself a hole with step 1, but if you focus on step 2 (take a month off and study for it hard) and do well you still have a pretty good shot. Alot of it depends on your personality, work ethic, ability to get along with people, etc. but unfortunately board scores can hurt you too. I didn't make any excuses for my step 1 just said it is what it is and here is what I've done to make up for it....etc. Anyway pm me if you have any other questions.

Orthodudette...you can totally do it and you don't have to take a year off...I barely broke 200 on step I and then I broke 240 on Step II...I had 5 out of 8 honors for junior year, strong letters, was in the top quarter of my class....it's going to be HARD...it's going to be FRUSTRATING...but most importantly, I think, don't talk about your situation too much with other people in your class that are applying because it'll just get you worked up for no reason, focus on busting your ASS at your aways (cliche but totally the truth), and KILL step II. And with regards to where you go to school, who cares...I totally go to a no name school and 7 out of 9 of us applying for ortho matched and we matched to big name places including U Chicago, Stanford, and NYU-HJD....PM if you have any questions. Good luck. Matching is Bliss and you're already less than a year away!