step 2 ck or ecfmg cert more important?

[coolbabe76]

hi
i am an img planning to give step 2 ck sometime mid -late august.other requirements for my ecfmg certificate are met.want to apply for 2006.

i was wondering if i should go slow,get a very goood score in ck and apply late by sept end
or

i should give exam asap ,get certificate and that way my chances of interveiws improve?

i ws wondering if i get a gr8 score in step 2 but AFTER the PD has downloaded my applicn,then is it of any use?

please reply........i am very confused

[Nimitt]

As an IMG I would recommend applying early. You dont have to have your step 2 taken by that time so long as the results are in before ECFMG verifies for NRMP by mid Feb I think. PDs generally screen by step 1 scores so applying early is a key.

[drprateekgupta]

what i have found so far - am in a similar situation to u - is that apply asap in Sep 1. does not matter if u have even given your step 2 CK. Give it such that result comes latest by Sep end.

ECFMG certification I realised is not that important. Reason lot of candidates are still students and they cannot get certificate by next year close to the match. Anyhow most programs want u to be certified by rank order deadline - Jan/Feb so no probs on that account.

Actually am regretting the fact that I am giving CS so early - July 11 (it will take time out of my CK prep).

Do correct me if anyone feels differently