Medical Schools by Step 1 score

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

national average is taken from us med school students only

Originally Posted by dyeguy21

http://www.educus.com/Journals/18444195

for School v. Score = More inter-student variability than inter-school.

http://www.educus.com/Journals/17198300

for MCAT = Moderate correlation between MCAT biological sciences and verbal to Step 1 (r=0.60)

There is an r of <0.4 for my school. They are all different and depends on the people more than the school.

Originally Posted by MossPoh

There is an r of <0.4 for my school. They are all different and depends on the people more than the school.

out of curiousity, does your school have an average MCAT <30? because off the top of my head, i would think that the correlation breaks down a bit at schools with lower averages, and tightens up for ones with a higher concentration of better test-takers. i could be wrong, but it would help explain the discrepancy.

Originally Posted by gravitywave

out of curiousity, does your school have an average MCAT <30? because off the top of my head, i would think that the correlation breaks down a bit at schools with lower averages, and tightens up for ones with a higher concentration of better test-takers. i could be wrong, but it would help explain the discrepancy.

Yes - I think it's 29ish.

Originally Posted by officedepot

thanks! I agree.


but seriously I wouldn't call myself a whore. But I do think status/tier of a school often correlates with the skill of a physician coming from said school. Anyway, I won't talk about it again.

Yes, definitely. They teach you information the rest of us common folk aren't privy to. It wasn't until I talked to a Yale student that I learned the appendix doesn't secrete insulin.

Originally Posted by CaptainSSO

Yes, definitely. They teach you information the rest of us common folk aren't privy to. It wasn't until I talked to a Yale student that I learned the appendix doesn't secrete insulin.

lol classic

Originally Posted by CaptainSSO

Yes, definitely. They teach you information the rest of us common folk aren't privy to. It wasn't until I talked to a Yale student that I learned the appendix doesn't secrete insulin.

They get access to Robbins' Pathologic Basis of Disease, Yale Edition: The Real Medicine

Originally Posted by AlexTrebek

uva class of '13: 233 avg (sd = 20)

any other schools know?

What was 2010's avg?

Originally Posted by gravitywave

out of curiousity, does your school have an average MCAT <30? because off the top of my head, i would think that the correlation breaks down a bit at schools with lower averages, and tightens up for ones with a higher concentration of better test-takers. i could be wrong, but it would help explain the discrepancy.

Yes, as stated above.

I had a 27 MCAT on second try and got a 240+ on step 1, which was underperforming from practice exams.

Your argument is sound in theory, but that would also imply those with lower MCAT are poor test takers. It also does not take GPA into account (and tons of other things). The best predictors of step 1 scores are pre-clinical grades and nbme performance. When you are dealing with classes around 100-150, it doesn't take much to muck up averages.

...

Originally Posted by MossPoh

Yes, as stated above.

I had a 27 MCAT on second try and got a 240+ on step 1, which was underperforming from practice exams.

Your argument is sound in theory, but that would also imply those with lower MCAT are poor test takers. It also does not take GPA into account (and tons of other things). The best predictors of step 1 scores are pre-clinical grades and nbme performance. When you are dealing with classes around 100-150, it doesn't take much to muck up averages.

Also makes you wonder about schools like Mayo, which has a 50 person class, a reasonable MCAT average yet class STEP scores averages hover around 240.

Originally Posted by Techmed07

Also makes you wonder about schools like Mayo, which has a 50 person class, a reasonable MCAT average yet class STEP scores averages hover around 240.

What's Mayo's MCAT average?

240 isn't surprising at top schools. A low 30's MCAT projects into the low 240s I think.

Originally Posted by 2012mdc

What's Mayo's MCAT average?

240 isn't surprising at top schools. A low 30's MCAT projects into the low 240s I think.

If that were true then the avg step1 would be in the 240s, not 1 std deviation below in the 220s

Originally Posted by turkeyjerky

If that were true then the avg step1 would be in the 240s, not 1 std deviation below in the 220s

I'm not up on recent data but I thought the average for matriculants was around 28-29. I'm talking about scores around 32-33.

And I guess I left out the part where the SD for the correlation was ~15. Oops

Originally Posted by 2012mdc

I'm not up on recent data but I thought the average for matriculants was around 28-29. I'm talking about scores around 32-33.

And I guess I left out the part where the SD for the correlation was ~15. Oops

avg US matriculant was a 32 last year from what I remember

Originally Posted by mtwop

avg US matriculant was a 32 last year from what I remember

There's no way it's a 32. I have a renal final coming up so I won't look it up, but I will, however, express my skepticism publicly. 32 is the upper 80th percentile, that doesn't make sense.

Originally Posted by Beta Cell

There's no way it's a 32. I have a renal final coming up so I won't look it up, but I will, however, express my skepticism publicly. 32 is the upper 80th percentile, that doesn't make sense.

Take a look at the MSAR from last year. They have the mcat averages for each school, and on every single listing the national average of 11+11+10 is shaded. I didn't write the book, but that's what is listed

Originally Posted by mtwop

Take a look at the MSAR from last year. They have the mcat averages for each school, and on every single listing the national average of 11+11+10 is shaded. I didn't write the book, but that's what is listed

Ok nevermind then. I took the MCAT a while ago (it was still paper). Makes sense it's gone up as med school seems to get more competitive every year

Originally Posted by 2012mdc

What's Mayo's MCAT average?

240 isn't surprising at top schools. A low 30's MCAT projects into the low 240s I think.

I believe last year's class averaged about a 235 with an MCAT average of around 33.

I know several people here at Mayo that have had MCATs around 31 with STEP 1 over 250+.

We have some really great teaching (and not so great), but we are prepared very well for the exam. It's just a matter of putting in the the time and working efficiently from what those that have made such strides have said.

Originally Posted by 2012mdc

Ok nevermind then. I took the MCAT a while ago (it was still paper). Makes sense it's gone up as med school seems to get more competitive every year

It's not just that it's more competitive, but average MCAT scores keep going up because you can take the test anytime you want and up to four times. When they only offered the MCAT 2x/year on paper you 1) HAD to take it in April or August whether or not you were ready and 2) either had to apply with your subpar score or take a whole year off in hopes you would do better the following year. I'm guessing there were a lot of people who applied to med school even though they wished they could have taken the MCAT another time to get a better score.

This all leads to increased scores for everybody.

Originally Posted by xanthomondo

It's not just that it's more competitive, but average MCAT scores keep going up because you can take the test anytime you want and up to four times. When they only offered the MCAT 2x/year on paper you 1) HAD to take it in April or August whether or not you were ready and 2) either had to apply with your subpar score or take a whole year off in hopes you would do better the following year. I'm guessing there were a lot of people who applied to med school even though they wished they could have taken the MCAT another time to get a better score.

This all leads to increased scores for everybody.

It's still the 85th-89th percentile. 50% of all current M2s (I assume the data is a year old) scored in the top 15% nationally. My school's average is a 36, and I wouldn't have been content with a 85th-90th percentile score, but I certainly respect it. This puts how competitive entrance into medical school is becoming into perspective.

I went through the process successfully and still don't fully appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Beta Cell

It's still the 85th-89th percentile. 50% of all current M2s (I assume the data is a year old) scored in the top 15% nationally. My school's average is a 36, and I wouldn't have been content with a 85th-90th percentile score, but I certainly respect it. This puts how competitive entrance into medical school is becoming into perspective.

I went through the process successfully and still don't fully appreciate it.

Such a tool. That is all

I wouldn't have been content with a 85th-90th percentile score, but I certainly respect it.

Wow.

Originally Posted by MilkmanAl

Wow.

Lol. I actually can relate to that mentality. I just don't understand how it was relevant to this discussion

It's just not something you ever share. You keep that kind of crazy on the inside, because there's no way you can let it out without sounding like a complete douche.

Originally Posted by MilkmanAl

It's just not something you ever share. You keep that kind of crazy on the inside, because there's no way you can let it out without sounding like a complete douche.

I agree that it's something that shouldn't be shared and that's why I laughed. But this is an anonymous forum

I disagree with the assertion that it's crazy though. Some people use that type of mentality to get that extra gear. I personally learned to. It turned me into a better, more driven student and I did considerably better in med school than I did in UG. As long as you know how to deal with when you don't reach the goals you set it's all good IMO

PS - I vaguely remember us touching on this topic when I mentioned I was aiming for a 270 in a Step 1 thread.

I also agree that your board score is directly related to your own studying and does not depend on the school you go to. Your chances of getting into competitive residencies does however depend on both.

Originally Posted by MilkmanAl

It's just not something you ever share. You keep that kind of crazy on the inside, because there's no way you can let it out without sounding like a complete douche.

I agree it's not something you go bragging about (and I wasn't), but not accepting anything less than your personal best isn't crazy. The score itself is respectable and I don't look down on anyone based on their GPA or MCAT score, but, on an individual level, there's nothing wrong with trying to elevate your performance to its best. To that extent, everyone is different, there are people who do better than me, there are people who do worse, but all I care about is what I know I can accomplish. If a 32 on the MCAT or a B in a class is the best I can do, fine, but if it isn't and I can do better, then I'll try to do that. The trick is to have interests outside of school and not let it consume you.

This discussion is proof that most people in medical school seem to agree with my philosophy. The increased trend upward in MCAT scores since it went computerized is due, in part, to people taking the test more often to obtain their 'theoretical best.' Even if they are trying for the magic score of 30, retaking the test implies they think they are capable of it. If that isn't enough, take a look at where we're commenting, this is a "Step 1 score" thread. People are already worrying about the distant future. Trying to play it cool like nothing matters is the tool bag approach. No one gets into medical school without a significant effort. I'm certain you, above all people, Milkman, can agree.

Originally Posted by officedepot

... My school is top 20 ...

only top 20? not top 10? get outta here.

Originally Posted by mtwop

Take a look at the MSAR from last year. They have the mcat averages for each school, and on every single listing the national average of 11+11+10 is shaded. I didn't write the book, but that's what is listed

Those are median scores for each individual section. You can't necessarily directly extrapolate and conclude that the mean (or even median) score is a 32.