board question:

[FC Omar]

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i may be reopening a topic that has been settled, but a 2nd year in my school (im a first) told me something that kinda got me wondering. they told me that class of 2015 and after would have to take the usmle. i'm not worried about having to study for a test like that, i just want to know if that statement holds any water, or do i need to inform that person that they are wrong.

(and no, i dont go to western)

 

[that1guyfromFL]

That is not true.

Pod students are not permitted to sit for the USMLE at the present time.

 

[AttackNME]

I heard about that, there are people on APMA that are pushing for it, and there are others against it. We'll just have to wait and see, politics is difficult to predict

 

[OCPM2013]

There is a push to work with the writers of the USMLE to write an exam that would be more similar to the USMLE with the addition of the podiatry components. Basically the USMLE + podiatry/lower anatomy. Making the exam more on par with the USMLE and therefore, easier for us to study for the exam.

 

[air bud]

I don't see why it would be any easier to study for. I think it is simple, you either know the material or you don't. I think it is BS to hear school X say "well we are taught a different way and to think a different way like the MD/DO's." Elevated potassium causes the same thing any way you want to ask the question.

 

[OCPM2013]

The exam would be constructed the same way as the USMLE, by the same people, therefore, the USMLE study materials (which are much more abundant) would be perfect study aids for the APMLE. In the end you either know the material or you don't, but being able to efficiently prepare for the exam would make sure you actually do know the material.

 

[DPMer]

i may be reopening a topic that has been settled, but a 2nd year in my school (im a first) told me something that kinda got me wondering. they told me that class of 2015 and after would have to take the usmle. i'm not worried about having to study for a test like that, i just want to know if that statement holds any water, or do i need to inform that person that they are wrong.

(and no, i dont go to western)

Even if it were true, it would be a terrible idea that would fail. The USMLE is much harder than the APMLE computer tests because the USMLE Step 1 covers Psychiatry aka Behavioral Sciences, Neuroanatomy, and Embryology in much more detail. Not all podiatry students are taught these courses in that much comprehensive detail. And the USMLE is a 7 hour computer test offered by Prometric, not the comparatively generous 4 hour test we pod students have!

And to top it off, there is the oral exam test in USMLE step 2! Pod students would not like it and most would fail it! Why? Because not all the 3rd year pod students take the core clinical rotations (Psychiatry, Surgery, Pediatrics, and OB-GYN) like the allopathic and osteopathic students do! The only core clinical rotation we take along with the MD and DO 3rd years is Internal Medicine. I do not think podiatry students want to sit for 7 hours for a computer test in a Prometric center, and be faced with diagnosing a medical condition on a mock patient that is outside the foot ankle and leg. The podiatry curriculum is way too limited and tunnel visioned in specialty that the majority of pod students would not learn the more broadly comprehensive medical and surgical material covered in the USMLE steps 1 and 2.

 

[BlueMerlin]

Its a podiatry specific USMLE - won't be tested on anything we don't know. Just switching who writes it. Not a rumor. btw.

 

[amaprez]

Its a podiatry specific USMLE - won't be tested on anything we don't know. Just switching who writes it. Not a rumor. btw.

Do you have any proof or evidence you can cite to back up your prediction?

 

[Podfather]

Even if it were true, it would be a terrible idea that would fail. The USMLE is much harder than the APMLE computer tests because the USMLE Step 1 covers Psychiatry aka Behavioral Sciences, Neuroanatomy, and Embryology in much more detail. Not all podiatry students are taught these courses in that much comprehensive detail. And the USMLE is a 7 hour computer test offered by Prometric, not the comparatively generous 4 hour test we pod students have!

And to top it off, there is the oral exam test in USMLE step 2! Pod students would not like it and most would fail it! Why? Because not all the 3rd year pod students take the core clinical rotations (Psychiatry, Surgery, Pediatrics, and OB-GYN) like the allopathic and osteopathic students do! The only core clinical rotation we take along with the MD and DO 3rd years is Internal Medicine. I do not think podiatry students want to sit for 7 hours for a computer test in a Prometric center, and be faced with diagnosing a medical condition on a mock patient that is outside the foot ankle and leg. The podiatry curriculum is way too limited and tunnel visioned in specialty that the majority of pod students would not learn the more broadly comprehensive medical and surgical material covered in the USMLE steps 1 and 2.

USMLE part 2b is not an oral but staged clinical exams with actors. Podiatry is currently investigating to do the same since the DOs added this a few years ago. It is primarily to assess communication skills.

As far as USMLE for DPM students I have mixed emotions. In one regard, it would demonstrate our "parity" if we had a decent pass rate. On the other hand those who fail ABPMLE certainly will fail USMLE. Perhaps the schools will take this into mind in selecting their future students? IMO it should be open to those DPM students that wish to take it and perhaps phased in over time.

Many complain that it is the DPMs that are holding us back from taking the exam. Yes some oppose the idea for multiple reasons. However it is the NBME and the MDs that prevent us from taking the exams just like they did to the DOs for many years. In fact many DOs still do not take the USMLE and only the COMLEX. Those who do not or perform a residency at a AOA hospital can not be boarded by a MD board and will not be able to keep their hospital privileges in many hospitals that require certification by ABMS and ABPS(if they have DPMs).

Is it the future (perhaps) or is it Pandoras box?

 

[OCPM2013]

It's a collaboration between all of the schools to work with the writers of the USMLE. The goal being to write a podiatry specific exam, which includes lower anatomy and excludes some sections from the actual USMLE. As for OCPM, we take courses in embryology and neuroanatomy. It would be nice to be a litttle more on par with the MD students, seeing as everyone is always saying that we already are. Maybe it's like taking the GRE instead of the MCAT. If we want to be on par we have to start taking an exam that measures up.

 

[TUpod2013]

I also have mixed feelings about a Podiatry USMLE test, but overall I think it would be far better than the NBPME exams that we have now. I like the idea of a minimal score to pass the exam rather than just blindly failing the bottom 15-20% while telling the schools "get better students."
A USMLE variant would allow better study materials because they release questions from their tests and tell you how it is graded. The NBPME gives you a general breakdown (don't count on it being accurate) but no specifics as to how the grading actually works (are pictures worth more? multiple choice answers worth more? is there partial credit on multiple choice questions?).

 

[hematosis]

I also have mixed feelings about a Podiatry USMLE test, but overall I think it would be far better than the NBPME exams that we have now. I like the idea of a minimal score to pass the exam rather than just blindly failing the bottom 15-20% while telling the schools "get better students."
A USMLE variant would allow better study materials because they release questions from their tests and tell you how it is graded. The NBPME gives you a general breakdown (don't count on it being accurate) but no specifics as to how the grading actually works (are pictures worth more? multiple choice answers worth more? is there partial credit on multiple choice questions?).

hehehe that's cute.

 

[josebiwasabi]

hehehe that's cute.

i think s/he is asking about the MC questions where you have to select the 3 of the 5 that are correct answers.

and i believe the answer is no, there is no partial credit for those. it's all or nothing.

 

[AZ25]

Do you have any proof or evidence you can cite to back up your prediction?

Not a rumor. All of the college deans are working with the writers of the USMLE to write a podiatry specific exam that has a similar format to the USMLE. Hopefully this would put us more on par with the other professions as well as make the exam "easier" to prepare for. We will see what happens.

 

[AZ25]

I also have mixed feelings about a Podiatry USMLE test, but overall I think it would be far better than the NBPME exams that we have now. I like the idea of a minimal score to pass the exam rather than just blindly failing the bottom 15-20% while telling the schools "get better students."
A USMLE variant would allow better study materials because they release questions from their tests and tell you how it is graded. The NBPME gives you a general breakdown (don't count on it being accurate) but no specifics as to how the grading actually works (are pictures worth more? multiple choice answers worth more? is there partial credit on multiple choice questions?).

I believe this is how the exam is scored. Being minimally competent assures you pass the exam and failing to be minimally competent assures you fail the exam. They set a low bar and you just have to get over it. Passing is not a function of the students taking the exam but of the exam itself.

http://www.betaeducation.com/blog/2010/02/16/angoff-method-to-determining-passing-grades/

Drawbacks to this scoring system are that it takes a long time to rate the exam and since it requires experts and a lot of time it is expensive. Though it seems like a pretty fair grading system that requires a lot of time and thought.