Gauging level of difficulty

[nasdr]

correct me if i'm wrong, but it looks like there are a lot of people who score near 65% or so on UsmleWorld upto their test, but score 230+ on the real thing. does this imply that UW is significantly harder than step 1, since scoring 65% on the usmle is barely passing, right? [i guess the alternative explanation is that people learn from their mistakes and improve their percent correct on the actual test to 70-75%, or higher]

thoughts?

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[domer621]

How do you know that a 65% on the usmle is barely passing? The exam is scored against other people who take the test.

 

[nasdr]

from FA 2007: "A score of 182 or higher is required to pass step 1. Passing the CBT Step 1 is estimated to correspond to answering 60-70% of questions correctly" (p8).

 

[doctorp82]

from FA 2007: "A score of 182 or higher is required to pass step 1. Passing the CBT Step 1 is estimated to correspond to answering 60-70% of questions correctly" (p8).

http://www.usmle.org/news/step1minpass.htm

The new passing score is 185 as of Dec. '06.