basic science NBME Shelf score percentiles?

[bonez318ti]

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Anyone know what the pre clinical NBME shelf exam scores translate as a percentile?

I understand that 500 is the mean.. but anyone know what a 550 is? 600? 650? (ie: how many points per SD?) If a 350 is a 7% on the biochem, is a 350 a 7% on the physio shelf?

Did some searching here and on google and couldn't really find anything useful.. anyone else got some insights into this question?

 

[ForbiddenComma]

They should tell you your percentile at the same time as your raw score... if not, bug your professor. You can also usually guess what it is from the grade you get.

Incidentally, did anyone else feel like the path shelf hit like a mack truck? 🙁

 

[sanche60]

Anyone know what the pre clinical NBME shelf exam scores translate as a percentile?

I understand that 500 is the mean.. but anyone know what a 550 is? 600? 650? (ie: how many points per SD?) If a 350 is a 7% on the biochem, is a 350 a 7% on the physio shelf?

Did some searching here and on google and couldn't really find anything useful.. anyone else got some insights into this question?

550~70th percentile in the nation
600~83rd
650~91st
if you want to convert your three digit score to a board score estimation go here:
http://www.medfriends.org/step1_estimator/

yeah, i know the nbme score they are referring to is the step 1 practice test, but nbme uses the same scale for that test as well, i think.

 

[doctorp82]

550~70th percentile in the nation
600~83rd
650~91st
if you want to convert your three digit score to a board score estimation go here:
http://www.medfriends.org/step1_estimator/

yeah, i know the nbme score they are referring to is the step 1 practice test, but nbme uses the same scale for that test as well, i think.

When you take a CBSSA for step 1, it gives you a conversion for that.

 

[sanche60]

the percentages i posted were from a chart given to us from nbme via a prof. I gave that link just in case you wanted to get cute.

 

[doctorp82]

the percentages i posted were from a chart given to us from nbme via a prof. I gave that link just in case you wanted to get cute.

But a path only exam doesn't translate to a step 1 score, that's all. It's just not wise in my opinion to get excited if you rock your path shelf and see a great step 1 score on this, because you're not taking into account the other disciplines of step 1. Plus, you're comparing a shelf score on one exam to a pool of subjects who took a totally different test. It doesn't go to reason that someone should believe they're going to break 240-250 on step 1 by plugging in a test score from some different test into this calculator.

I'm not disbelieving your percentages. I'm simply saying that the medfriends score estimator doesn't translate those scores that way.

 

[sanche60]

But a path only exam doesn't translate to a step 1 score, that's all. It's just not wise in my opinion to get excited if you rock your path shelf and see a great step 1 score on this, because you're not taking into account the other disciplines of step 1. Plus, you're comparing a shelf score on one exam to a pool of subjects who took a totally different test. It doesn't go to reason that someone should believe they're going to break 240-250 on step 1 by plugging in a test score from some different test into this calculator.

I'm not disbelieving your percentages. I'm simply saying that the medfriends score estimator doesn't translate those scores that way.

that was my contention the whole time bro. not trying to argue with you, i was just trying to allow the op to put it in perspective of the step 1. obviously its not refelective of the entire step 1 thats why i hinted at that in my previous posts. i didnt think i had to spell it out like you put it though, i thought that was common sense.

 

[bonez318ti]

Thanks everyone for their input. That was exactly what I was looking for.

 

[shivasHeroLike]

i look at shelf score percentiles as an indicator of how well i did compared to the average US medical student.
Since the average US medical student gets around a 225 on step1 and if i happen to be scoring above average on my shelf scores.. then i can get a rough estimate to where i stand.

 

[doctorp82]

that was my contention the whole time bro. not trying to argue with you, i was just trying to allow the op to put it in perspective of the step 1. obviously its not refelective of the entire step 1 thats why i hinted at that in my previous posts. i didnt think i had to spell it out like you put it though, i thought that was common sense.

👍 No worries. You didn't have to spell it out. I just didn't want someone to think "OH I'm going to get a 270 on step 1!"