Is there somewhere that lists all the average board scores for each med school?
Is there somewhere that lists all the average board scores for each med school?
Don't bother, they're all above the national average.
The part that does matter is, if a certain professor is terrible at teaching anatomy or histology, the average step score will depress for that section.
The part that does matter is, if a certain professor is terrible at teaching anatomy or histology, the average step score will depress for that section.
Not true. Of course, any school that posts their unrefined results risks being negatively viewed by applicants who fall for the inflated averages posted by other schools. But there are schools who post their averages with 100% transparency.Also, schools all tweak their posted averages...
Seriously, that's what they'll tell you. Plus, who the hell cares what the average board scores are? That's like saying, my undergrad has an average MCAT of 33. Does that mean a damn thing for you when you take the MCAT? No! The boards come down to you and not the school, so even if you could find the averages it wouldn't matter.
You guys did an awful job answering my question. Yes, I know board scores are up to the student, but also some schools help you prepare for them better.
I hate to sound crass, but most people answer questions around here horribly. They side step them and give you some weird answer, like "board scores are inflated" or some off base cutsy answer like "it all depends on the student". Truth is, if you go to a school with higher board score averages, you will more than likely perform better because of better preperation.
You guys did an awful job answering my question. Yes, I know board scores are up to the student, but also some schools help you prepare for them better.
I hate to sound crass, but most people answer questions around here horribly. They side step them and give you some weird answer, like "board scores are inflated" or some off base cutsy answer like "it all depends on the student". Truth is, if you go to a school with higher board score averages, you will more than likely perform better because of better preperation.
I'm just asking a question here, and it seems weird that school board averages are not posted.
I also think it is weird for people on here to get heated about this question.
There is no reason to think your school is inferior because of lower board scores.
I hate to tell you that just because something is not easy to find on google does not mean it doesn't exist. Take for instance the whole MSAR book. I also searched the forums and found nothing on this.
So how exactly is it a dumb question? Seems extremely important to me. If 2 schools I were accepted had signficantly different board averages, I think that would be important, don't you?
I'm just asking a question here, and it seems weird that school board averages are not posted. I also think it is weird for people on here to get heated about this question. There is no reason to think your school is inferior because of lower board scores. You problably chose it for different reasons
Better take those gloves off, don't want anyone to get hurt.
t. It sad to think a future doctor lacks the ability to reason logically. Ya, that was low, but I don't care. The majority of people on these forums deserve to be knocked down a few pegs.
You are not giving good advice. You say that it is the student that gets the board score and NOTHING else. I say that the school influences the student. I am right here. To say the school does nolt influence the student is just insane.
I asked for board scores bc I believe it to be a good factor for deciding a school. I do not need info about whether it is a good indicator or not. My reasoning is fine.
I said it was low, didn't I?
OP- I'll tell you Dartmouth's 3rd-years had an "alleged" average score of 237. FWIW.
School-specific curriculum does, to an extent, affect board scores. For example, someone mentioned how you are most likely to forget first-year biochemistry by the time Step 1 comes around. This is very true. However, if your school has a more traditional curriculum vs. a block schedule, you'll have seen the material a little more recently.
A school with heavy PBL can *possibly* help you as it seems the Step 1s these days are increasingly based on "clinical vignettes."
A 16-month preclinical curriculum vs. a 24-month preclinical curriculum can have advantages and disadvantages that affect us individually. Are you the kind of person for whom the jumpstart on clinical rotations will help you synthesize material so you're more ready for the "vignettes"? Or are you the kind of person who likes to hit the books harder than most before an exam?
I could go on and on...in any case, if the adcoms are worth their salt, they can find candidates who would most likely excel within their school's specific style of teaching.
You said I asked a dumb question, so if the "utility" of the scores is not the problem what is? The accessibility?
I just did another search and could not find the scores, so that can't be it. So what are you arguing here? Seems like nothing to me, seems like I asked a good question. Why are you posting then? Are you bored? Do you need a friend? I would love to here your arguement if you have one.
Except you got the correct answer in the first reply.customer- Can someone else help me?
So then the answer would be no, which he said. Although, the thread he's referring to isn't just for top schools, anyone who has heard a number associated with a school (regardless of the year) has posted. So there's a fair number of lower ranked schools with their alleged scores posted.I'm not looking for just the top schools though. I am looking for more schools around the middle. So it really doesn;t answer my question.
Here we go, arguement with another SDNER. Or can you just say, "oh my bad man?"
Ya, dig them up, bc I can't find them! I don't think you are being rude, I jsut get annoyed at the way people shuffle around the answers to questions. Immagine if a studentdoc member worked at a convienent store.
customer- How much for this pack of gum?
student doc member- Well it really depends on what store you go to. Also, did you know that we have other packs of gum that are different prices, but do you really want those? I don't think the price matters bc they are all so close, so I would go and pick the gum that best suits you, but then again you may like all types of gums equally.....
customer- Can someone else help me?
Scron, you can't be serious.
Scron, in one word, No.
My analogy is way closer then yours Bobbieboy. You can spin it anyway you would like, but it doesn't make it true. Obscure brands, ya OSU and Baylor are obscure. I think I just got a migrane.
Also how are board scores not important? Maybe in your fantasy world where closeness to mommy and daddy gets you a better residency they wouldn't matter, and are equivalent to cinnamon concentration. But this is the real world. You get in residencies based off board scores, evaluations, and grades, not the "goodness of your oh so pure heart."
Once again, all I wanted was numbers, and I got them.
It sad to think a future doctor lacks the ability to reason logically. Ya, that was low, but I don't care. The majority of people on these forums deserve to be knocked down a few pegs.
To both of you, data is important. Why do schools pick students on grades and MCAT score? Bc they will more than likely succeed in med school. I guess they should just pick students based off of looks and personality.
Anyway, I couldn't find all my schools in either of those lists so I'm done here. Hopefully forever, bc finding an answer here is like pulling teeth. I hope med school students are for the most part completely different than the people on these boards. Good luck to you all and don't go to my school.
I still have to disagree with this, and you won't understand until you take the step 1 for yourself. You bring up that different ways of teaching can affect you individually, then how does an average board score in any way reflect this? There may be advantages and disadvantages between a 16-month preclinical curriculum and a 24-month preclinical curriculum, but very little of it will affect how you do on your boards. A lot of step 1 is rote memorization, and even if you saw that information a few months prior, you are still going to have to go over it again and re-learn it during board studying. The MCAT analogy works very well for the boards. Do you attribute how you did on your MCATs to the institution you went to, or the time/effort (reading review books, doing questions, maybe taking a course) you put into studying for it.
I'm not trying to say that your school's curriculum has zero impact on how well you are prepared for the boards. Your school does provide your medical knowledge foundation. I'm just trying to say that the overwhelming components to good board scores are how much time and effort you put into studying for it and how good of a test taker you are, and very little of that is your school's curriculum.