Who is the Pillar behind your Success?
Step 1 : 216 (first attempt)
Step 2 CK : 213 (first attempt)
Step 2 CS : Pass (first attempt)
Step 3 : 208 (second attempt)
GAP since graduation: 7-Years
US IMG
Third attempt at matching
Number of interviews: 4
Here's another success story of a US IMG with low scores, a failure on step 3, a 7-year gap, a young child at home, and 2 unsuccessful attempts of matching who had someone who believes in them and helped push her to success!
Dear Dr Barone!!
What a legend! I was in your pathology class at Kaplan in May 2012 in Newark and a BIG admirer. This is my success story. Hope it will help motivate your medical mafia!
I graduated medical school in 2010 and I came to the US in 2013. I passed Step 1 with a 216 after so much struggle. I also passed Step 2CS and Step 2CK 213.
I got my ECFMG certificate in 2015 and applied for residency, about 70 programs. Got 1 IV, was very confident I would match( I know silly me 
)
Then I took a job as a research assistant in cardiology at a hospital but they did not have a residency program. I worked hard, I was shadowing doctors, working and was preparing for step 3. During this time I also did a poster presentation/publication.
Then I failed step 3 with 186. Regardless I applied to 200+ programs, and NO interviews! I was devastated. I thought this isn't for me. I even went for PA school orientations. I tried to apply to NP program and they said even though I have an MD I still need to do a BSN. I had totally given up by then as I felt all the doors were closing upon me. But my husband who is the pillar behind my success, kept pushing me. He said "residency is for you! Try until you match!"
Then at the hospital I worked I shadowed a physician for a fresh LOR. I was traveling to NY from VA every week for an externship at a hospital there. And I was pregnant at that time. Icing on the cake, I was preparing to take step 3 yet again. Seems like a nightmare now. But I kept at it. I was pushing myself for more and more. I was 32 weeks pregnant when I took step 3 in August. Then I got my results 208! I passed!
I applied this time again and got 4 interviews. 3 IM and 1 FM. I prepared well, practiced and practiced. Again tremendous help and encouragement from my better half.
I got the results. And I matched!!!! 
What I think made the difference for the last match was having the Step 3 exam done and the 2 externships at hospitals instead of private clinics, therefore I got LORs on hospital letter heads. I just kept knocking until the door opened 
The journey wasn't at all easy. As I was humiliated many times; being called an unqualified doctor, made fun of for getting lower scores on practice tests. And also being told by a relative who is a practicing physician in Canada, "don't bother coming to the US because you will never get into residency"
Guess I beat all the odds. I'm extremely thankful to my husband, my parents, and my in laws and most of all my lucky charm my baby girl who brought all the luck to me!!!
I believe everyone does hard work. I just want to tell you, don't give up on your dreams. Keep trying, I know it's easy to tell but trust me I was there. And your time will definitely come.
"Everything has a happy ending, if its not happy, it's not the end!"
- S. A. March 14, 2018
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