tests

[xxMDxx]

Does everyone in all medical schools take the same tests for every module? Or do the schools make their own tests?

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[Goro]

They make their own tests. Question writing tends to be the bane of being a faculty member, and preparing an exam is even worse.

Some schools will use shelf exams purchased from NBME.

Does everyone in all medical schools take the same tests for every module? Or do the schools make their own tests?

 

[xxMDxx]

Then what is this whole "everyone learns the same things and all medical schools are the same" business that people keep telling me about? It sounds like Harvard's tests are going to be much more difficult than those of a podunk state school. Right?

 

[Dr. Retractor]

Then what is this whole "everyone learns the same things and all medical schools are the same" business that people keep telling me about? It sounds like Harvard's tests are going to be much more difficult than those of a podunk state school. Right?

Just because the tests are different doesn't mean the education is different.

 

[LizzyM]

Then what is this whole "everyone learns the same things and all medical schools are the same" business that people keep telling me about? It sounds like Harvard's tests are going to be much more difficult than those of a podunk state school. Right?

Why would they be harder? We want to test whether students can demonstrate knowledge of the material and the ability think critically using the knowledge they've acquired. The test shouldn't test minutia or material that was not covered and would be over the heads of students at this level of training.

We might give a scenario such as, "Jack Jones is being treated for ___ with [drug name]. Which of the following is not a side effect of this drug? a, b, c, d, e. Ten months later, Mr. Jones is diagnosed with ___. His physician prescribes drug X rather than Y. The reason for not using drug Y in this patient is: a b c d e.

Graduates of both schools are going to need to know the same material in order to practice medicine.

 

[nemo123]

Then what is this whole "everyone learns the same things and all medical schools are the same" business that people keep telling me about? It sounds like Harvard's tests are going to be much more difficult than those of a podunk state school. Right?

Because you do... There are fundamental concepts and information that every doctor needs to know to practice (or at least pass boards). However, some lecturers are PhDs who also like to present their own research findings related to topics covered in lectures, and some of those details become quiz or exam questions.

You're asking something very much like why gen chem exams between colleges aren't the same even though all colleges teach the same material.

 

[Goro]

100% concur with this and the learned LizzyM. As an example of what nemo is mentioning, back when I was on faculty at IU, our subject matter for teaching content had to be 80% identical with what all the other IU centers were teaching. The profs had the leeway of deciding what the other 20% was. However, they did NOT teach their research.

One of my clinical colleagues attended Stanford some 30+ years ago, and he told me that basically the basic science Faculty would teach significantly on their research areas. How the students managed to learn about the basic and required materials, I still have yet to figure out!

Because you do... There are fundamental concepts and information that every doctor needs to know to practice (or at least pass boards). However, some lecturers are PhDs who also like to present their own research findings related to topics covered in lectures, and some of those details become quiz or exam questions.

You're asking something very much like why gen chem exams between colleges aren't the same even though all colleges teach the same material.

 

[xxMDxx]

I think the gen chem example actually is a great analogy. I go to a podunk state school and my gen chem teacher had group tests that almost everyone in the class makes 90+% on. However, I had a friend at Cal Tech who is barely passing gen chem. After seeing her test, I realized that they're at totally different levels. Nevertheless, my GPA is a 4.0 and hers is skirting a 3.6. I've gotten interviews to ivy league med schools and she has nothing. We both submitted everything at the same time, and obviously my extracurriculars were much more impressive than hers. But clearly no one cares that my gen chem class (and every other premed class) was 1000x easier than hers was. Apparently no one cares that I'm going to a state school and she's at Cal tech, either.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Step 1 is the great equalizer for pre-clinical education. No matter what your classes and exams are like, everyone is going to have to study for the same board exam.

 

[xxMDxx]

Are ivy kids more qualified? Be honest, now.