What Step 1 score do you need to match in the specialty you want? The NRMP just released updated results on the Main Residency Match® (See Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2014: Characteristics of Applicants Who Matched to Their Preferred Specialty in the 2014 NRMP Main Residency Match (5th edition) (PDF, 290 pages). We created a table showing the average Step 1 scores by specialty for the 2014 Match, in addition to summarizing some of the findings contained in the NRMP report and providing general match tips from the

What Types of Applicants Match In Their Preferred Specialties?

As stated in the NRMP report, applicants who are the most successful in matching to their preferred specialty are more likely to:

• Rank more programs within their preferred specialty
• Be U.S. allopathic medical school seniors
• Have higher USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores than the average student (p. iii)

There are a number of factors that the Charting Outcomes in the Match do not take account of in its report including; course evaluations, reference letters and the Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE). While there is a correlation between USMLE Step scores and Match success, the distributions of scores indicate that program directors do not rely solely on USMLE scores when making their decision. Program directors want to find the best fit for their program. Depending on the competitiveness of your desired specialty, other factors may aid the director in making the decision to match an applicant.

What this means for you is your score alone is not the defining factor for your match success. A high USMLE score does not guarantee you will be matched to your specialty of choice.

Tips on How to Match
Below is advice from the report for all applicants entering the Match:

• Rank all of the programs you interview at, without regard to your estimate of your chances with those programs.
• Include a mix of both highly competitive and less competitive programs within your preferred specialty.
• Include all of the programs on your list where the program has expressed an interest in you and where you would accept a position.
• If you are applying to a competitive specialty and you want a safety net in the event you are unsuccessful in matching to a program in your preferred specialty, also rank your most preferred programs in an alternate specialty.
• Include all of your qualifications in your application, but know that you do not have to be AOA, have the highest USMLE scores, have publications or have participated in research projects to match successfully. (p. iii)

 

Average USMLE Step 1 Scores by Specialty for the 2014 Match

Below is a table summarizing USMLE Step 1 averages by specialty reported in the Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2014: Characteristics of Applicants Who Matched to Their Preferred Specialty in the 2014 NRMP Main Residency Match (5th edition) (PDF, 290 pages)

	US Seniors		Independent Applicants
Specialty	Matched	Unmatched	Matched	Unmatched
Anesthesiology	230	208	230	216
Child Neurology	229	228	217	220
Dermatology	247	239	235	230
Diag Radiology	241	221	235	224
Emergency Med	230	215	226	217
Family Med	218	201	212	203
Gen Surgery	232	213	232	222
Internal Med	231	210	229	214
Internal Med/Peds	233	223	225	216
Neurosurgery	244	232	240	230
Neurology	230	208	226	216
Obstetrics & Gynecology	226	209	223	213
Orthopedic Surgery	245	231	233	228
Otolaryngology	248	239	236	233
Pathology	231	217	224	212
Pediatrics	226	206	222	210
Physical Med & Rehab	220	205	214	204
Plastic Surgery	245	236	224	232
Psychiatry	220	205	214	204
Radiation Oncology	241	237	234	238
Vascular Surgery	237	221	242	224
All Combined	230	221	225	213

References

Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2014: Characteristics of Applicants Who Matched to Their Preferred Specialty in the 2014 NRMP Main Residency Match (5th edition)