List of board scores for DO schools?!

[RunGently]

Hey all!

I've looked around and haven't seen anything but I was wondering if anyone knows of a comprehensive list of each school and their corresponding average board scores.

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[cabinbuilder]

How does that help you in any way? Board scores are such and individual thing. You have to pass to get licensed to practice.

 

[Thisismyrealname]

You won't find them. Some schools give them out during interviews. They did at DMU, but other schools don't even release them at all.

 

[Thisismyrealname]

How does that help you in any way? Board scores are such and individual thing. You have to pass to get licensed to practice.

Agreed, it's more important to find out how they do board prep. If a school doesn't allow you to plan for time off ahead of boards, that's no good. Also find out if they do any sort of structured board prep.

 

[DrEnderW]

There's no document where you'll find this. Schools do not publicly report this number.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

How does that help you in any way? Board scores are such and individual thing. You have to pass to get licensed to practice.

Pre-meds can't understand this because they haven't seen how the system works. You can go into med school and find out you are a terrible, average or gifted student, and they are all talking the same classes and have similar background.

 

[j4pac]

Agreed with what everyone else said it is student dependent...so take this what its worth.

LECOM-B widely publicized our top 3 board scores for the 2009 and 2010 classes (#2 I believe). My wife tells me that her class was also top 3 on COMLEX (class of 2013).

They also publicized that our class was above the national mean for USMLE. But not all students took the USMLE, so I don't think you could compare is to MD programs.

I would be surprised if LECOM-B wasn't pretty consistently top-5. Their curriculum is designed for students to rock the boards. With all that said I did know a handful of students who were in the low 400s.

 

[RunGently]

I realize that board scores are completely individual. I was honestly curious because I am working on a couple secondaries and have heard that certain schools have had, on average, higher board scores than others. I was wanting to mention this on a secondary because I think it is a good quality in the school. I know that the school averaging higher board scores doesn't help me as an individual, but it helps the collective group. It is a great idea for understanding how schools do board prep so thanks for mentioning that.

 

[100111]

How does that help you in any way? Board scores are such and individual thing. You have to pass to get licensed to practice.

I disagree. University of Washington is extremely hard to get into and they select for really talented students, but their board performance is very average/on par with much lower tier schools. Back a few years ago when USC Keck fully restructured their curriculum, their average shot up when very first class under the new curriculum took the boards.

How material is delivered, what is covered, what is tested, etc have a huge effect on board scores.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I disagree. University of Washington is extremely hard to get into and they select for really talented students, but their board performance is very average/on par with much lower tier schools. Back a few years ago when USC Keck fully restructured their curriculum, their average shot up when very first class under the new curriculum took the boards.

How material is delivered, what is covered, what is tested, etc have a huge effect on board scores.

Perhaps, but having a list of a schools board scores won't tell you anything and certainly not the information you are proposing in the above statement. Bottom line is everyone has to pass in order to practice medicine no matter what school you go to. A high average score for a school does nothing for the individual who doesn't test well. It's really a moot point because everybody takes tests differently and one persons performance does not automatically relate to the next student.

 

[costales]

Medicine is about more than the USMLE and COMLEX. I personally don't think med schools should teach to the boards.

 

[Thisismyrealname]

Medicine is about more than the USMLE and COMLEX. I personally don't think med schools should teach to the boards.

I agree, but that won't happen until residencies find another way to rank applicants. Good luck getting an ENT spot based on bedside manner.

 

[costales]

Where did I say anything about ranking criteria?

 

[Thisismyrealname]

Where did I say anything about ranking criteria?

You didn't, I was providing a reason why schools might teach to the boards, and why students might want them to.

 

[karling]

Perhaps, but having a list of a schools board scores won't tell you anything and certainly not the information you are proposing in the above statement. Bottom line is everyone has to pass in order to practice medicine no matter what school you go to. A high average score for a school does nothing for the individual who doesn't test well. It's really a moot point because everybody takes tests differently and one persons performance does not automatically relate to the next student.

I understand what you're saying, but there's a reason why some schools consistently have high board scores and others that don't. It's not coincidence. Some schools just prepare their students better. Having a list would give prospective students a better indication of which schools do a better job of board prep. Of course, compiling such a list is very difficult because, generally speaking, only schools with consistently high board scores like to make them public.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Sigh.........

 

[kenjixshadow]

x

 

[AM508]

I do think first time pass rates (which many schools have on their website either in the open or as part of annual reports) have some relevance to selecting a school. If a school has a consistent history of 90+% first time pass rates that says to me a number of things. First, that the school screens applicants well based on ability to succeed at that institution, second, that the school attracts motivated individuals, and third, that the curriculum is not in some way severely lacking. If, for example, I see a school with a history of first time pass rates in the low to mid 70's I think I would be justified in thinking that the problem had to do with the school not just individual students. While at the end of the day, it is up to the individual students, to make sure they do well, I think trends in numbers of the school do tell a bit of a worthwhile story.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Question, what do you do when you see another attending argue with your colleague? I once saw physicians badmouth one another (a surgeon vs. an EM doc) and everything just went south.

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Not sure what answer you are looking for? That's not my business, testosterone abounds, let them argue.