Class of 2023 Step 1 Scores Possibly may be converted to P/F on Residency Application per USMLE town hall

[Medical_studies]

When so much money is involved in tuition for all of this, I really hope they will stick to their official announcements and this recording and not have a pass/fail score for anyone before 2022. There is no difference between masking and a pass/fail score. There will be ways to give students who test after the benefit of the doubt. For example, start masking jan 1 2022 for 2024 match applicants only and move to pass/fail in 2023

 

[Premed2295]

Agree. Students decide how to sacrifice their time and money weighing all factors. It isnt fair to change the game halfway through. Everyone who will be getting "masked" should know that before commiting.

 

[BibFortuna]

Perfect breakdown of everything from this video a few months back when the change was first announced. Someone should email this video to the NBME. Honestly so many things that people fail to consider that are mentioned in this video. Long but super important and worth the watch

 

[aaronrodgers]

> Be in class of 2022
> Want to do competitive specialty
> Score well on Step 1
> Plan to do gap year to bolster CV
> Gap year now means Step 1 becomes a P

 

[YouEverHadOurSausages?]

> Be in class of 2022
> Want to do competitive specialty
> Score well on Step 1
> Plan to do gap year to bolster CV
> Gap year now means Step 1 becomes a P

Same but military GMO instead of gap year.

 

[Disciple of Sattar]

> Be in class of 2022
> Want to do competitive specialty
> Score well on Step 1
> Plan to do gap year to bolster CV
> Gap year now means Step 1 becomes a P

Literally the same thing. Class of 2022 with intentions of a research year, I let my research projects simmer in the background for basically the entire M2 year to crush step and now if my step would just be a P if I applied in 2023 I will probably not be able to match.

 

[aaronrodgers]

Literally the same thing. Class of 2022 with intentions of a research year, I let my research projects simmer in the background for basically the entire M2 year to crush step and now if my step would just be a P if I applied in 2023 I will probably not be able to match.

It sucks because It feels like we played this ‘game’ perfectly right because so many others did the same get-high-step-1-then-research-year combo and matched into competitive specialties in the past.

 

[Azmkv]

What's the current status with this?

Still no idea. They really don't seem to care about our times

 

[Beans203]

Still no idea. They really don't seem to care about our times

This is really disappointing. The decision was made 5 months ago and they still have no further updates? Why do I have to pay thousands of dollars to these jokers?

 

[aaronrodgers]

Can we start a new wave of phone calls and emails to get them to respond to this specific complaint. I feel like they have no sense of urgency.

 

[blueharbor]

Looks like there will be no retroactive masking: USMLE Score Reporting Policy Updates | CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE CENTER

 

[slowthai]

So does that mean scores for all class of 2023 will be graded? They’re still using the ‘no earlier than’ language so I imagine that step 1 scores might be graded for Class of 2024 as well.

No, it means that everyone taking it before January 2022 will get a score. That includes current M2s (class of 23) and current M3s (class of 22) that take it at the end of third year.

Current M2s (class of 23) that take it at the end of third year and incoming/current M1s (class of 24) will potentially take it pass/fail if they don't push it back. Hoping that they push it back some (really indefinitely lol) for those guys.

 

[CJhooper123]

Ooh so you’re hoping it won’t be p/f for class of 2024?

Big picture, I'm team 3-digit score.

For c/o 2023, I think he hopes that everyone applying for residency has a 3-digit score rather than 67% of the schools having a 3-digit score and 33% having a P/F. That would complicate the match. How do you compare a 230 to a P?

 

[Disciple of Sattar]

Looks like there will be no retroactive masking: USMLE Score Reporting Policy Updates | CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE CENTER

Thanks for the update!

 

[slowthai]

Ooh so you’re hoping it won’t be p/f for class of 2024?

Big picture, I'm team 3-digit score.

For c/o 2023, I think he hopes that everyone applying for residency has a 3-digit score rather than 67% of the schools having a 3-digit score and 33% having a P/F. That would complicate the match. How do you compare a 230 to a P?

Exactly, I'm totally against pass/fail, period. And yes, I don't want my comrades in either class to have to deal with this crap. 23 would have to deal with what CJ outlined, and 24 would have to find a way to optimize their apps, knowing that it's too late to pick another school or try for another cycle.

 

[g3tb0mbed]

I feel like the easy solution would be for USMLE to give a grade vs. pass/fail based on what year you apply for residency. For example, class of 2023 ERAS would be a score regardless of when you took it, but anyone applying during class of 2024 ERAS has pass/fail reported.

 

[slowthai]

I feel like the easy solution would be for USMLE to give a grade vs. pass/fail based on what year you apply for residency. For example, class of 2023 ERAS would be a score regardless of when you took it, but anyone applying during class of 2024 ERAS has pass/fail reported.

But then what about people taking research years? Their scores would be erased doing it this way.

 

[Gregor_Mendel]

Was the change announced anywhere other than here? USMLE Score Reporting Policy Updates | CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE CENTER

I didn't see an official update from nbme or a tweet or anything.

 

[msnbc2020]

Looks like there will be no retroactive masking: USMLE Score Reporting Policy Updates | CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE CENTER

Good call imo. There are 155 LCME schools. It would have been irrational to make the wishes of students at 20 med schools that take USMLE during the third year more important than the wishes of students at 135 med schools that take USMLE at the end of second year. The ~20 schools should consider allowing their students to take the exam in time to get numeric scores.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

programs are already starting to blind step 1 scores in their evaluation of applications

 

[The wise one]

That sucks. Step I is the best tool we have to evaluate students.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[sk1791]

programs are already starting to blind step 1 scores in their evaluation of applications

Source?

 

[username456789]

Source?

FWIW, yesterday I spoke with my former TY program coordinator (finished that program in 2013) and she said for this coming interview cycle they are unable to view Step I scores at all.

 

[TwoHighways]

Are we making medical residencies participation trophies? Or will school prestige play a bigger role in determining who gets interviewed and matches? I’m a fan of pass/fail grading at an individual school
level, especially for preclinical curriculum, but a standardized test taken by all students across the country needs to be scored in percentiles. Could you imagine if the MCAT was pass/fail?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Are we making medical residencies participation trophies? Or will school prestige play a bigger role in determining who gets interviewed and matches? I’m a fan of pass/fail grading at an individual school
level, especially for preclinical curriculum, but a standardized test taken by all students across the country needs to be scored in percentiles. Could you imagine if the MCAT was pass/fail?

You mean like if med schools used a 500+ score to indicate that an applicant is likely to succeed in med school like the AAMC suggests?

 

[Neopolymath]

FWIW, yesterday I spoke with my former TY program coordinator (finished that program in 2013) and she said for this coming interview cycle they are unable to view Step I scores at all.

WHAT?

 

[littlecow]

No sources and no named programs = stirring hysteria

 

[slowthai]

No sources and no named programs = stirring hysteria

They posted about UChicago peds doing it in another thread.

From their website:

• Passing USMLE scores are not required prior to invitation to interview but are needed prior to admission to our program

How To Apply - Categorical Program

Pediatric Residency Training Program

pediatrics.uchicago.edu

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

They posted about UChicago peds doing it in another thread.

From their website:

• Passing USMLE scores are not required prior to invitation to interview but are needed prior to admission to our program

How To Apply - Categorical Program

Pediatric Residency Training Program

pediatrics.uchicago.edu

Doesn’t really say they aren’t looking at scores. Just says you don’t have to have them to get an interview.

 

[slowthai]

Doesn’t really say they aren’t looking at scores. Just says you don’t have to have them to get an interview.

Yeah, but the fact that they're saying "prior to admission" makes it seem like they're not even using it for rank lists. Like they just need to make sure you passed for licensing purposes. That's my interpretation, at least

 

[efle]

Seems odd to blind this year when everyone still has a score displayed. I guess they'd rather adapt early.

But good on the PDs who plan to blind next year when it's a mixed cohort. Downright evil for the NBME to only allow some students to show a score next cycle. The more PDs refuse to play that game, the better.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Yeah, but the fact that they're saying "prior to admission" makes it seem like they're not even using it for rank lists. Like they just need to make sure you passed for licensing purposes. That's my interpretation, at least

That’s what I would hope but if it’s not actually blinded (and it doesn’t say it is) then I imagine someone with a 240 is going to look better than someone without a score lol

 

[username456789]

No sources and no named programs = stirring hysteria

You don’t have to believe me. It’s second hand info anyway, but I see no reason why she would make that up.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Seems odd to blind this year when everyone still has a score displayed. I guess they'd rather adapt early.

But good on the PDs who plan to blind next year when it's a mixed cohort. Downright evil for the NBME to only allow some students to show a score next cycle. The more PDs refuse to play that game, the better.

How will it be mixed next year? P/F doesn't go into effect until 2022 testing, at which point next year's cohort will have already applied/interviewed.

 

[drducky.]

Some FM residency PD in the middle of nowhere probably never bothered to look at scores in the last 20 years as long as they passed. Each residency is different, doesn’t mean the vast majority won’t.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

How will it be mixed next year? P/F doesn't go into effect until 2022 testing, at which point next year's cohort will have already applied/interviewed.

I’m assuming he meant 2023 cohort.

 

[efle]

How will it be mixed next year? P/F doesn't go into effect until 2022 testing, at which point next year's cohort will have already applied/interviewed.

Oh right it'll be mixed in Sept 2022, even stranger that PDs would make the change now, especially when COVID is probably going to mean record breaking numbers of apps per seat at their program

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Oh right it'll be mixed in Sept 2022, even stranger that PDs would make the change now, especially when COVID is probably going to mean record breaking numbers of apps per seat at their program

I'm personally doubtful it's happening on a large scale. There may be a few programs jumping the gun, but I can't see this being common for most PDs. It'll just make things tougher for them in an already tough year.