Location
Moultrie, GA
Start Date
8-5-2024 1:00 PM
End Date
8-5-2024 4:00 PM
Description
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX) are a series of board exams required for medical licensing in the United States for Doctors of Medicine (MD) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students, respectively. Historically, DO students have faced a unique disadvantage compared to their MD counterparts in that specific residency programs require DOs to provide USMLE board examination scores in addition to COMLEX board examination scores. The 2022 National Resident matching Program (NRMP) Program Director (PD) Survey showed that PDs had a higher value in USMLE scores for DOs compared to COMLEX: 9% of program directors do not put weight in USMLE Step 1 and 11% for USMLE Step 2, while that number increases significantly in contrast for COMLEX Level 1 and Level 2 (16% and 18% respectively). However, there have been significant changes in the medical board examination landscape in the past few years. In 2022, the USMLE Step 1 and the COMLEX Level 1 exams transitioned from a three-digit scoring format to Pass/Fail scoring. This Pass/Fail scoring transition was significant in the medical examination landscape and will first fully impact the graduating classes of 2024.
To gain insight into the effects of these changes on the class of 2024 and future classes, the study surveyed all DO students graduating from a United States osteopathic medical school in 2024 shortly after Match Day 2024. This study seeks to provide insights into the perceived advantages, disadvantages, and pressures of taking the USMLE board exams within the DO student community. The study will help to understand outcomes related to The Match as it relates to both USMLE performance as well as understanding how the decision for Step 1 and Level 1 board examinations moving to Pass/Fail scoring instead of numerical scoring has impacted medical student preparation for Step 2/Level 2. Additionally, these data will help to determine the implications of these changes on the student’s residency application, interview, and match processes. Through these characterizations, the study will help future DOs in navigating the new reality of Pass/Fail medical licensure examinations.
Embargo Period
7-3-2024
Included in
Impact of USMLE examinations and pass/fail Level 1/Step 1 on osteopathic medical students’ 2024 residency match cycle
Moultrie, GA
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX) are a series of board exams required for medical licensing in the United States for Doctors of Medicine (MD) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students, respectively. Historically, DO students have faced a unique disadvantage compared to their MD counterparts in that specific residency programs require DOs to provide USMLE board examination scores in addition to COMLEX board examination scores. The 2022 National Resident matching Program (NRMP) Program Director (PD) Survey showed that PDs had a higher value in USMLE scores for DOs compared to COMLEX: 9% of program directors do not put weight in USMLE Step 1 and 11% for USMLE Step 2, while that number increases significantly in contrast for COMLEX Level 1 and Level 2 (16% and 18% respectively). However, there have been significant changes in the medical board examination landscape in the past few years. In 2022, the USMLE Step 1 and the COMLEX Level 1 exams transitioned from a three-digit scoring format to Pass/Fail scoring. This Pass/Fail scoring transition was significant in the medical examination landscape and will first fully impact the graduating classes of 2024.
To gain insight into the effects of these changes on the class of 2024 and future classes, the study surveyed all DO students graduating from a United States osteopathic medical school in 2024 shortly after Match Day 2024. This study seeks to provide insights into the perceived advantages, disadvantages, and pressures of taking the USMLE board exams within the DO student community. The study will help to understand outcomes related to The Match as it relates to both USMLE performance as well as understanding how the decision for Step 1 and Level 1 board examinations moving to Pass/Fail scoring instead of numerical scoring has impacted medical student preparation for Step 2/Level 2. Additionally, these data will help to determine the implications of these changes on the student’s residency application, interview, and match processes. Through these characterizations, the study will help future DOs in navigating the new reality of Pass/Fail medical licensure examinations.