US Medical Student Perspectives on the Impact of a Pass/Fail USMLE Step 1

Girard, Alisa O.; Qiu, Cecil S.; Lake, Isabel V.; Chen, Jonlin; Lopez, Christopher D.; Yang, Robin

doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.09.010

Cited by 34 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…With less emphasis placed on preparation for the Step 1 exam, medical students responded to a survey that they would be more likely to focus on other factors that will prepare them better for residency, including the Step 2 CK exam and clinical research. 14 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of the Emergency Medicine Resident Selection Process by Program Directors Following the Transition to a Pass/Fail USMLE Step 1

Bray¹,

Burge²,

Patel³

et al. 2023

OAEM

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Background Beginning January 26th, 2022, the National Board of Medical Examiners transitioned scoring of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 from a 3-digit score to pass/fail. In the past, the Step 1 score has been weighted heavily by program directors (PDs) as one of the most important metrics when assessing medical student’s competitiveness. Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of emergency medicine (EM) PDs on the transition to a pass/fail USMLE Step 1 exam, and to elicit the opinions of EM PDs on the USMLE examinations’ ability to predict resident performance. Methods A survey consisting of ranking and multiple-choice questions was sent to EM PDs. The multiple-choice questions were asked to determine EM PDs level of confidence in the ability of Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) to predict a student’s ability to succeed in residency. The ranking questions focused on assessing each program’s current resident selection practices in comparison to expected selection criteria changes following a transition to pass/fail Step 1. R studio and MATLAB were used for statistical analysis, and a P value <0.05 was considered significant. Results The survey was completed by 57 (20.21%) EM PDs. When asked if Step 1 and Step 2 CK are accurate predictors of a resident’s ability to perform clinically within EM, only 10.5% of PDs answered ‘yes’ to Step 1 being predictive, compared to 31.6% for Step 2 CK. Regarding selection criteria, the top quartile of attributes (standardized letters of evaluation [1st], away rotations [2nd], clerkship grades [3rd] and Step 2 CK score [4th]) remained the same following the transition. Conclusion Our results indicate that the top quartile of attributes might remain the same, despite most PDs agreeing that Step 2 CK is a better predictor of a resident’s performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of the Emergency Medicine Resident Selection Process by Program Directors Following the Transition to a Pass/Fail USMLE Step 1

Bray¹,

Burge²,

Patel³

et al. 2023

OAEM

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“…This finding may be due to USMLE Step 1 changing from a three-digit scoring system to a pass-fail system. The intra-pandemic MS1s may have felt less inclined to start USMLE Step 1 preparation early on and may have prioritized other aspects of their medical education such as extracurricular activities [29]. With the previous three-digit scoring system, medical students may have chosen to forgo studying traditional lectures to instead focus on USMLE Step 1 material via third party resources [30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medical student exam performance and perceptions of a COVID-19 pandemic-appropriate pre-clerkship medical physiology and pathophysiology curriculum

et al. 2022

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Background Medical schools were compelled to abruptly transition pre-clerkship curricula to remote learning formats due to the emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We evaluated student perceptions of remote learning, exam performance, and utilization of third-party learning resources to assess the implementation of a newly developed pandemic-appropriate physiology curriculum. Methods This was an observational study based on a survey conducted in the Spring of 2021 at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine (UCISOM). This study aimed to assess first (MS1) and second year (MS2) medical students’ perceptions of satisfaction, support, academic performance, and connectedness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The MS1 class began medical school during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas the MS2 class did so prior to the start of the pandemic. A survey instrument was developed and validated to identify the impact remote learning had on student self-perceptions of the Medical Physiology and Pathophysiology course. Surveys were distributed to all students and responses were collected on a voluntary basis. Exam scores on a customized National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) physiology shelf exam were also compared to objectively identify how the remote curriculum during the pandemic impacted academic performance. Results Of 204 students enrolled, 74 responses were analyzed, with 42 MS1 (40% of MS1s) and 32 MS2 (31% of MS2s) responses. Overall, MS1s and MS2s were satisfied with the curriculum they received (95 and 97% respectively) and the school’s support of their concerns (86 and 100% respectively). Notably, only 50% of MS1s felt connected to their peers, compared to 94% of MS2s. Lecture attendance and self-perception of their academic performance were similar between both classes. Interestingly, the intra-pandemic class’s NBME exam average in 2020 (60.2% ± 8.9, n = 104) was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic class average in 2019 (56.8% ± 11.3, n = 100). Both classes primarily used course materials over third-party learning resources. An additional set of survey questions distributed only to the MS1 class found that the majority of MS1s reported minimal barriers with regards to accessibility, including internet connectivity, study-conducive environments, and balancing family commitments. Overall, pre-clerkship medical students had positive perceptions of the newly developed pandemic-appropriate physiology curriculum. Conclusions Changes to the pre-clerkship physiology curriculum during the COVID-19 pandemic were met with overall satisfaction from the students and an increase in NBME scores. More attention to student connectedness is needed to improve how remote learning can be best optimized into future curricula development.

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“…In the context of medical education and training, research has become increasingly important for residency applications. 14 The USMLE step 1 becoming pass/fail in 2022 shifted the importance of research to a higher level, as students had fewer metrics to separate themselves from others. Specialties like plastic surgery, neurosurgery, and orthopedic surgery require a high number of publications for applicants, and the projected increase in demand for research may increase this average over time.…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

AI-generated research paper fabrication and plagiarism in the scientific community

Elali¹,

Rachid²

2023

Patterns

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US Medical Student Perspectives on the Impact of a Pass/Fail USMLE Step 1

Cited by 34 publications

References 23 publications

Perceptions of the Emergency Medicine Resident Selection Process by Program Directors Following the Transition to a Pass/Fail USMLE Step 1

Perceptions of the Emergency Medicine Resident Selection Process by Program Directors Following the Transition to a Pass/Fail USMLE Step 1

Medical student exam performance and perceptions of a COVID-19 pandemic-appropriate pre-clerkship medical physiology and pathophysiology curriculum

AI-generated research paper fabrication and plagiarism in the scientific community

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