Honest advice needed: Ortho
I'm looking for some honest advice because I'm having a hard time getting out of my own head.
I'm applying orthopaedic surgery this cycle and just got my Step 2 score back: 247.
I know that's not a bad score in general, but for ortho it feels like I underperformed significantly. My practice exams were consistently much higher (NBMEs in the mid/high 250s and even one in the 270s), so getting a 247 was honestly crushing.
Here's the rest of my application:
School
- US MD school
- Strong home department with faculty support
Clinical
- Honors/High Pass throughout third year
- Strong feedback on my home ortho Sub-I
Research
- 16 research items (4 first-author publications, 5 other publications, 7 presentations, abstracts, etc.)
- Ongoing projects that should continue to mature
Leadership
- Gold Humanism Honor Society
- Multiple leadership positions focused on mentorship and community outreach (AWS, RJOS, etc)
Letters
- Strong home letters
- Chair letter
- Well-known faculty writing on my behalf
Away rotations
- NYU (obviously this is now next to impossible, but it's too late to change now)
- Ochsner
- Loyola
- UT Chattanooga
I leave for NYU ln a couple of days, and now I feel like I have this huge cloud hanging over me.
The biggest thing I'm struggling with is whether a 247 gets you screened out at places like NYU, HSS, Columbia, Rush, etc. I know nobody on Reddit can know a specific program's filters, but I'm curious what people have actually seen.
Some questions:
- Is a 247 still competitive enough if the rest of the application is strong?
- Do programs with hard Step cutoffs automatically filter someone like me out?
- If you were a resident or faculty member, would a 247 make you significantly less interested in an applicant with otherwise strong research and letters?
- How much can an away rotation realistically move the needle?
- Is there anything I should do differently over the next few months?
I'm trying to separate reality from anxiety. Logically, I know a 247 isn't a "bad" score, but after spending months expecting to be around 255-260, it's hard not to feel like I sabotaged my chances.
I'd especially appreciate hearing from:
- Current orthopaedic residents
- Faculty involved in resident selection
- Anyone who matched recently with a similar score
- Anyone who had a lower-than-expected Step 2 but still ended up matching at a strong program
Please be honest. I'd rather hear the truth than false reassurance. If my application realistically changes from "academic ortho" to "cast a wider net," I'd rather know now so I can adjust my strategy before ERAS is submitted.
Thanks everyone.