The fourth section in the 2015 edition focused on psychology and sociology. However, the format and scoring of the MCAT were modified extensively in April 2015 from a three-section test with a maximum possible score of 45 to a four-section test with a maximum possible score of 528. The MCAT not only provides the admissions committees with an objective leveling metric for evaluating candidates from different schools with variable GPAs but has also been shown to positively correlate with performance on USMLE Step 1. Along with undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and extracurricular activities such as shadowing physicians, recommendation letters, and a personal statement, the MCAT is a critical component of medical school admissions. The MCAT is a standardized examination that forms an integral part of the application process to medical schools across the United States. Therefore, parameters influencing student performance on Step 1 examinations such as the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and related preparatory materials are of interest to both students as well as medical schools. Of these, Step 1 scores have been shown to play an important role in residency selection by standardizing academic achievements of students from different schools, in predicting success in clinical clerkships and Step 2 examinations, and in board examinations taken during residencies. Step 3 is taken during the first year of residency and evaluates the application of medical knowledge to the supervised practice of medicine. Step 1 tests basic science concepts while Step 2 evaluates clinical knowledge. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), consists of three examinations or “steps” that assess medical student and resident competency for practicing safe medicine in the United States. It will also introduce them to an existing Step 1 score predictor that will help determine their readiness for Step 1. We believe this study will aid in the selection and purchase of appropriate self-assessment tests as preparatory material for the USMLE Step 1 examination. The predicted score by an updated Step 1 score predictor was within 3.8 points or 1.6% of the actual Step 1 score. Overall, taking six or more practice tests significantly enhanced Step 1 scores the optimal number of tests was found to be between six and nine. Ironically, NBME16,the second-most correlativetest to Step 1 performance, is no longer available for purchase. However, students using any of the UWorld practice tests did significantly better than students who practiced using only NBME practice tests but not UWorld practice tests. Students who practiced with the new NBME practice tests scored significantly higher than students who did not use them.
While new NBME practice tests were more predictive of Step 1 scores than old NBME tests, UWorld test scores were the most predictive.
#USMLE WORLD STEP 1 SELF ASSESSMENT FORM 2 DISCUSSION UPDATE#
Data obtained was used to update an existing Step 1 score predictor, which was then validated.Ī positive correlation between the MCAT (average score: 510.1 ± 6.3) and Step 1 scores (average score: 246.1 ± 14.2) was observed. Linear regression analysis followed by either analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Student's t-tests were used to analyze 399 responses. The authors hypothesized that the new MCAT scores correlated positively with Step 1 scores and that the new NBME practice tests were more predictive of performance on Step 1 as compared to old NBME tests. Step 1 scores are more important than Step 2 scores, Dean’s letter, or other letters of recommendation in determining the overall ranking of a candidate after interviews. Program directors rank USMLE Step 1 scores as the number one criterion in selecting interviewees for residency. Additionally, there is a need for accurately predicting Step 1 scores to self-evaluate study progress and reduce student anxiety.
Preparation for Step 1 typically involves purchasing and perusing practice tests from the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and UWorld however, their predictive value to performance on Step 1 remains to be ascertained, especially with the release of five new NBME practice tests. However, in 2015, a new MCAT format was released and its correlation with Step 1 remains to be fully analyzed. Candidates' performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 examination had been correlated with the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
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