Does anybody else have a mean of 217 for Step 1?

[OneStrongBro]

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This seems kind of strange that some people have a mean of a 221 with a standard deviation of 21, while others have a 217. Can someone verify this for me.

Are there even more variations on the mean score.

 

[bigfrank]

My report was mean 217, SD 24
I think the other one floating around is 221 and 21. The test with the higher average has a tighter SD, so it all basically workks out roughly equally.

 

[tylerdo]

so what is the difference in the test since there are two means?

 

[bigfrank]

that's what I'd like to know!!!

 

[14022]

My hypothesis...

I think that the reported mean is based on that determined from exams taken in June, which I am assuming is the time of the year that has the largest volume of test takers. The people that are reporting a mean of 217 seem to be those who took their exam in May or earlier. 217 is also the mean that is reported from those that took their exam a year ago. Therefore, I am guessing that the small volume of test takers in the months of May and earlier are being compared to last year's summer test takers.

Those that took the exam in June of this year are reporting a mean of 221. I am guessing is that this will be the mean reported to all test takers who take their exam between now and next May.

Does anyone find any validity in what I am proposing?

 

[bigfrank]

That's what so strange. Everyone but ME who took the exam in June (I took mine 6/8) is reporting a 221 mean. My report said 217.

Basically, I think that most of my classmates will have a mean of 221. I actually prefer this scoring system better than my 217/24, as the SD with the 221 (21) works out better for me statistically.

Anyways, it really doesn't matter, everyone's works out to approximately the same if you do Z-scores, etc.

Best,

 

[EM Junkie]

Hey guys,

I think I may have some more insight on the apparently higher means that we have been hearing about (217 and 221). I emailed the Director of Student Affairs at my school, and she says that the USMLE does not release the official mean for the test and individual schools until early 2005. Upon further examination, the means we have been bouncing around are the means for "first-time examinees from U.S. and Canadian medical schools" only. Thus, it is quite possible that the mean for the entire population of those who took Step 1 (including repeat test takers and FMG's) is indeed still 214-215, as it has been for a couple of years now.

Now why there are 2 means floating around, I have no idea. I'm just trying to make a little more sense of my score along with everyone else!

-Scott 😕

 

[Idiopathic]

This is sort of misleading, because the NBME sets the mean before each exam, and curves the test-takers into the mean. So, the mean is what it is. Obviously there are two distinctly different test set-ups, perhaps having to do with when the majority of students tested last year or what not.

 

[Coalboy]

Apparently the different mean/SD reports was a mistake - it was supposed to be 217/23.

See this thread...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=138869

I just got my score report yesterday, and it was Mean 217, SD 23.

I wonder if the mistake also applies to the range of scores reported. Mine said most people scored between 140 and 260, while a friend who was in the 7/14 reporting had a report that said between 144 and 288. Strange.

 

[bigfrank]

stw...,

Thank you very much for your attention to this matter. It helps a great deal!!! Best wishes and THANK YOU again for letting us know.

Best,

 

[AlexRusso]

Mine said most people scored between 140 and 260.

Well you know thats wrong because there are plenty of people on this board that got above a 260.

 

[Ganz]

I took my test on June 30, and my mean and SD are 217, and 23

 

[dukeblue01]

I also had a mean of 217 with a std.dev. of 23. Also, they are absolutely correct when they say that most people scored between 140 and 260. That range should include greater than 95% of all the scores.

 

[Rod Farva]

Well you know thats wrong because there are plenty of people on this board that got above a 260.

Yeah, but how many take the test? Sure a few people out there will break 260, but I think this board is a bit biased as a sample source... people posting here tend to be more neurotic about grades, scores etc. than the average med student.

 

[bigfrank]

So a score of 260 makes one neurotic? Nice.

 

[scootad.]

So a score of 260 makes one neurotic? Nice.

No, but your need to bring up your Step 1 score every chance you get does. 😉

 

[bigfrank]

No, but your need to bring up your Step 1 score every chance you get does. 😉

keep those jealous comments coming! BTW, I didn't mention my score, but THANK YOU for your need to do so.

Nice to see you "trolling" around, scootad! So what??!!?? -- I beat you by a full SD on the Step I -- it's OK -- give it up!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I should compile all the nasty PM's I've rec'd from SDN-ers who either despise your posts on here or have been offended by your continuous idiotic/jealous comments.

Best wishes, feel free to write anytime.

 

[Rod Farva]

So a score of 260 makes one neurotic? Nice.

Easy... all I'm trying to say is that people who check and post on this forum tend to be more obsessed and focused on grades/scores, etc... thus there are a disproportionate amount of ridiculously high scores posted for the total amount of scores posted... that is not meant to be a slam on you or anyone, bigfrank, I certainly wish I could have gotten a 260+, that's a damn impressive accomplishment. I'm just saying that a casual observer could only look at these forums and say "****, lots of people get 260+" when in actuality that is exceedingly rare percentage-wise, if you believe the mean and SD. And yes, I think everyone on here is probably more driven to succeed than the average med student, and that is why the scores coming in are so high on these forums. That's a compliment if anything. I'm not going to pile on you for posting your scores in an anonymous internet forum, bigfrank, that 267 you got is impressive indeed. If I met you and you wore a big yellow shirt that says "I got a 267", then I would probably have some judgement for you. Also, the fact that I check these forums regularly and occasionally post also puts me into the same category of "neurotic" med students, so who am I to pass judgement?

 

[bigfrank]

Gotcha -- don't want anyone propagatin' the notion that we 260-ers are in a dim room all day studying from Harrison's or somethin'!

though many of us are 😉

 

[AlexRusso]

I also had a mean of 217 with a std.dev. of 23. Also, they are absolutely correct when they say that most people scored between 140 and 260. That range should include greater than 95% of all the scores.

If you use the mean and SD to figure it out 95% of all scores fall between 171 and 263. Ok lets round those to 170 and 260. Why do they report the interval as 140 to 260??????? 140 is more than 3 SD below the mean and 260 is less then two above. Are you saying that the distibution is that skewed? Wouldn't make sense if it was.

Seems like by "most" they mean "all" (they just dont wanna say it to cover their asses in case 1 score falls through the cracks) in that 140 is the lowest and 260 is the highest. Now we know this to be false b/c many people got above a 260. I'm not talking people on this board. I know of plenty in my class that broke 260 and they never even heard of SDN.

In fact, if you do the math 3% of all scores are above 260 and of the 15,000 people taking the test annually 450 people get above a 260. Thats more than 4 average sized med school classes, or more than 1 whole entire med school. Not a small amount by any estimation, and a number that definately desrves inclusion in the "most" category.

Also something to think about -- in the past few years the score report has always said that most scores fall between 140 and 288, which incdentaly works out to be slightly above 3 SD on each side of the mean. On a two tailed analysis this range would include 99.999 percent of the scores --- or in other words MOST SCORES with the exception of 1 thousandth or ten thousandth (depends on how many significant numbers you work it out to) of a percent. (Hence the phrasing on the score report)

Could this just be another typo?? Is the distribution really skewed?? I don't know, but something just doesnt add up here.

 

[scootad.]

fascinating stuff. 😴

 

[bigfrank]

fascinating stuff. 😴

always a class act, scootad. 🙄

AlexRusso and I sincerely apologize for wasting your time discussing the upper tier of the Step I scoring results.