I have attached a sample evaluation form that is used to evaluate applicants during an interview. You can score a theoretical maximum of 120 points. Let’s discuss it in detail:
1) USMLE Scores (2 to 10 points): After you get the interview, your scores do matter but not to the same extent as interview skills! You can score 10 points provided you have great scores which correspond to >=245 on step 1 and >=253 on CK. Step 3 is not mentioned on the form and its importance varies depending on the specialty that you are applying and the program. For e.g. Psychiatry places a great weightage on step 3 while IM is not that rigid about step 3.
2) Medical Knowledge (other than USMLE scores) (0 to 10 points): When you are asked any clinical question, this is where your clinical experience will help you. A person who has strong clinical experience will nail this section vs. a person who does not have clinical experience will not be able to create an impression in this section.
3) Medical School (0 to 10 points): 3 points for Int’l and 5 points for US Medical schools! Unfair but that’s how life is! You can score an additional 5 points for exceptional academic achievements which includes home country residency, PhD in US, MPH in US etc.
4) The INTERVIEW (0 to 60 points): Here is where you can hit the jackpot. It’s all about interview skills and how you can best present yourself to the entire interview committee and the support staff. Remember, every single person that you meet during the interview can potentially have a say in the final ranking. Any specific negative quality that comes through during the day can affect your final score and ranking. For e.g. you acted arrogantly in the morning with the PC and he/she goes and conveys that to the PD, that would be a red flag irrespective of how good a candidate you are. Also, say that you are too immersed in yourself when you are trying to sell yourself during the interview and give a vibe of being narcissistic, that’s a red flag again. Remember, they are trying to find the BEST FIT, not the BEST CANDIDATE. A douchebag with a 265 is still a douchebag. Don’t be one.
Bottom line: Nail the interview and you are in!
5) Recommendation letters (0 to 10):
-Outside USA letter has zero/negligible value
-US private practice: 3 points
-US medical school/academic center: 7 points
-Excellent and well known author: 10 points
-Outside USA letter has zero/negligible value
-US private practice: 3 points
-US medical school/academic center: 7 points
-Excellent and well known author: 10 points
That’s why letters from academic centers matter more than private practice or home country. If you can work with a well-known personality, that adds to the deal.
6) Research/Publications (clinically related preferred) (0 to 5):
Some or ordinary publications give you 2 points. Quality publications carry 5 points. Clinical research scores over basic sciences research. The bottom line is that you need to publish. Just research without publications does not have much weightage. Also, if the person offering you research is also a clinician and is a well-known author, you can score the 10 points from the LOR section and his phone call to your top choices would carry great weightage in helping you match!
Some or ordinary publications give you 2 points. Quality publications carry 5 points. Clinical research scores over basic sciences research. The bottom line is that you need to publish. Just research without publications does not have much weightage. Also, if the person offering you research is also a clinician and is a well-known author, you can score the 10 points from the LOR section and his phone call to your top choices would carry great weightage in helping you match!
7) Intangibles (0 to 15):
This is the miscellaneous section where having family in the area, spouse planning to move here, having strong past experience and overcome difficulties will potentially get you another 15 points. This is a section which depends on how effectively you could convey these intangibles effectively and is very variable.
This is the miscellaneous section where having family in the area, spouse planning to move here, having strong past experience and overcome difficulties will potentially get you another 15 points. This is a section which depends on how effectively you could convey these intangibles effectively and is very variable.
At the end, there is a section for comments and that is where specific impressions are put which can make/break a candidate’s application. So, just because you scored high would not effectively give you a higher ranking and vice versa. This form is just used to estimate the relative strength of candidates and helps the committee make a decision. Also, this is just one form. There are other forms like these which are similar and might use different grading systems but the most important thing in all these forms is that interview performance is the main criteria used to rank you and other factors including scores are relatively less important.
Hope this helps! Good luck 
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