The Relationship Between Preclinical Grading and USMLE Scores in US Allopathic Medical Schools

Kim, Seungjun; George, Paul

doi:10.22454/fammed.2018.145163

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…In addition, other medical schools may have different curriculum than RVUCOM, so our predictive models may not apply to other medical schools. Some medical schools have converted to a pass/fail grading system recently [13], therefore our models may not work in schools with this new grading system.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early prediction of the risk of scoring lower than 500 on the COMLEX 1

et al. 2021

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Background The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States Level 1 (COMLEX 1) is important for medical students to be able to graduate. There is a glaring need to identify students who are at a significant risk of performing poorly on COMLEX 1 as early as possible so that extra assistance can be provided to those students. Our goal is to produce a reliable predictive model to identify students who are at risk of scoring lower than 500 on COMLEX 1 at the earliest possible time. Methods Academic data from medical students who matriculated at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine between 2011 and 2017 were obtained. Odds ratios were used to assess the predictors for scoring lower than 500 on COMLEX 1. Correlation with COMLEX 1 scores was assessed with Pearson correlation coefficient. The predictive models were developed by multiple logistic regression, backward logistic regression, and logistic regression with average scores in courses in the first three semesters, and were based on performances on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) before admission, as well as students’ performances in preclinical courses during the first three semesters. The models were generated in about 82% of the student performance data and were then validated in the remaining 18% of the data. Results Odds ratios showed that MCAT scores and final grades in each course in the first three semesters were significant in predicting a score lower than 500 on COMLEX 1. Performances in third-semester courses including Renal System II, Cardiovascular System II, and Respiratory System II were most important in prediction. The three predictive models had sensitivities of 65.8 -71%, and specificities of 83.2 - 88.2% in predicting a score lower than 500 on COMLEX 1. Conclusions Lower MCAT scores and lower grades in the first three semesters of medical school predict scoring lower than 500 on COMLEX 1. Students who are identified at risk by our models will have a 65.8 -71% chance of actually scoring lower than 500 on COMLEX 1. Those students will have enough time to receive assistance before taking COMLEX 1.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early prediction of the risk of scoring lower than 500 on the COMLEX 1

et al. 2021

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“…However, SED itself did not have a discernible effect on Step 2 CK scoring [ 3 ]. Pass/fail preclinical curriculum did not have a significant effect on Step 2 CK scoring [ 4 , 5 ]. Students participating in extracurricular activities, such as free clinic volunteering, were found to have higher Step 2 CK scores compared to their peers [ 6 ].…”

Section: Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some students may worry that admission to a medical institution with the tiered categorical grading scheme will be detrimental. We found that a pass/fail grading curriculum had no significant impact on Step 2 CK scoring [ 4 , 5 ]. However, individual preclinical examination grades did demonstrate a small effect size on Step 2 CK scoring [ 16 ].…”

Section: Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of Performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge: A Systematic Literature Review

Jacobparayil¹,

Ali²,

Pomeroy³

et al. 2022

Cureus

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In February 2020, the governing bodies of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) announced the decision to change Step 1 score reporting from a three-digit system to pass/fail designation. Previous studies theorized that Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) will become the numerical standard by which residency directors can quickly sort through program applicants. The goal of this study is to review prior research and identify significant factors associated with Step 2 CK outcomes.A systematic literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC that included articles published between 2005 and 2015 was conducted using the keywords "USMLE," "Step 2 CK," "score," "success," and "predictors."After screening the initial search yield of 3,239 articles, 52 articles were included for this review. Positively correlated factors included Step 1 score, clinical block grades, Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment (CCSSA), Comprehensive Clinical Science Examination (CCSE), and volunteerism. Factors such as clerkship sequence and pass/fail grading failed to correlate with Step 2 CK. Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score (p < 0.01) and undergraduate grade point average (GPA) (p = 0.01) positively correlated, while age displayed a negative correlation. Additionally, females typically scored higher on Step 2 CK than their male peers.The study findings suggest that continuous learning and academic success throughout medical school positively influence eventual Step 2 CK scoring. Performance on USMLE practice examinations, Step 1, and clinical evaluations serve as positive predictors for Step 2 CK scores. Interestingly, changing answers and spending more time on each question during the examination were associated with higher scores.

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“…Currently, many medical schools have adopted a pass/fail system for pre-clinical years, which has been shown to improve the psychological well-being of medical students[ 6 ]. With the announcement that USMLE program will change the Step 1 score reporting from a three-digit numeric score to Pass/Fail only [ 7 ], LORs may become more important to identify ‘good fit’ anesthesiology residency candidates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes towards and impact of letters of recommendation for anesthesiology residency applicants

Pierre

Weber

Abramowicz

2021

Medical Education Online

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Background: This survey aims to identify the relative value and the critical components of anesthesiology letters of recommendation(LORs) from the perspective of Program Directors (PDs) and Associate/Assistant Program Directors (APDs). Knowledge and insights originating from this survey might add to the understanding of the anesthesiology residency selection process and mitigate unintended linguistic biases. Methodology : Anonymous online surveys were sent to anesthesiology PDs/APDs from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited anesthesiology residency Programs in the USA (US), as listed on the ACGME website and the American Medical Association Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (AMA FREIDA) Residency Program Database. The survey authors were blinded to the identity of the respondents. Results : 62 out of 183 (33.8%) invited anesthesiology PDs/APDs completed the survey anonymously. In our survey, LORs are reported as more important in granting an interview than in making the rank list. 64% of respondents prefer narrative LORs. 77.4% of respondents look for specific keywords in LORs. Keywords such as ‘top % of students’ and ‘we are recruiting this candidate’ indicate a strong letter of recommendation while keywords such as ‘I recommend to your program’ or non-superlative descriptions indicate a weak letter of recommendation. Other key components of LORs include the specialty of the letter-writer, according to 84% of respondents, with anesthesiology as the most valuable specialty. Although narrative LORs are preferred, 55.1% of respondents are not satisfied with the content of narrative LORs. Conclusion : LORs containing specific keywords play an important role in the application to anesthesiology residency, particularly when submitted by an anesthesiologist. While narrative LORs are still the preferred format, most of our respondents feel they need improvements. The authors suggest specific LOR improvements including creating formalized LOR training, adding a style guide, and applying comparative scales, with standardized vocabulary in the narrative LOR.

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The Relationship Between Preclinical Grading and USMLE Scores in US Allopathic Medical Schools

Cited by 17 publications

References 5 publications

Early prediction of the risk of scoring lower than 500 on the COMLEX 1

Early prediction of the risk of scoring lower than 500 on the COMLEX 1

Predictors of Performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge: A Systematic Literature Review

Attitudes towards and impact of letters of recommendation for anesthesiology residency applicants

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