MCAT to USMLE Step 1 converter

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Decicco

Decicco

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I found an interesting website that estimates your step 1 score from your MCAT. Who knows how accurate this predicition is, but it appears that it is based on the anonomyous submissions of previous test takers. It has been shown that there is a strong correlation between MCAT scores and Step 1 scores, but I remain skeptical nonetheless.

The website: http://www.medfriends.org/step1_estimator/

Note: just enter your MCAT score and leave the other fields blank
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Doesn't help premeds much considering you need practice USMLE scores...
 
Doesn't help premeds much considering you need practice USMLE scores...
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Nope, you just need to enter an MCAT score (the other scores are optional).
 
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Step 1 Score Estimator said:
Note: The MCAT probably has the least predictive value of any of the tests and certainly does not provide any information regarding your current state of preparation. However, we thought it would be interesting to know how others with similar MCAT scores have performed on Step 1.
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249 +/-17:laugh: Hilarity!
 
While standardized testing skills are important for both, the focus of the tests is different. I don't know how valid a "prediction" is. The MCAT is more about critical thinking, while the USMLE Step I is more knowledge based (from what I understand).
 
Jolie South said:
While standardized testing skills are important for both, the focus of the tests is different. I don't know how valid a "prediction" is. The MCAT is more about critical thinking, while the USMLE Step I is more knowledge based (from what I understand).
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I agree that the two tests are different from what I have seen.

The MCAT is very hard for me because of the critical thinking in physics. I do not understand it well enough and probably never will.

USMLE, I think would be better for me because my intelligence is more knowledge (facts) that I remember. I can critical think but not as well. I would expect to perform better on it.

I think it is more apple and oranges.

However, most good standardized testtakers will kill whatever kind of test you put in front of them.

With all that said, I would be glad to get a 229! :D

PS, do not forget that the percentile score you got on the MCAT is also factored in with those that are not medical students. However, when you take the USMLE, you are taking it with medical students only. So, the competition is stronger.
 
LOL at the +/- distribution.
 
Decicco said:
I found an interesting website that estimates your step 1 score from your MCAT. Who knows how accurate this predicition is, but it appears that it is based on the anonomyous submissions of previous test takers. It has been shown that there is a strong correlation between MCAT scores and Step 1 scores, but I remain skeptical nonetheless.

The website: http://www.medfriends.org/step1_estimator/

Note: just enter your MCAT score and leave the other fields blank
Click to expand...

That study you linked to looks at COMLEX, not USMLE Step 1. I don't know how different the two tests are, but I would guess that most people going to an allopathic school aren't going to bother with COMLEX.

I don't remember them, but someone once posted numbers for the correlation between MCAT subsection scores and USMLE Step 1. Off the top of my head, they were somewhere in the range of 0.4 to 0.6, which is hardly what I would call "strong" correlation.
 
I dont even know what a "good" score on USMLE is. Can anyone enlighten me?

I supposedly would get a 238 or something, but I agree with the rest of you that this is a very weak correlation at best.
 
the average for allopathic US medical schools is in the 220s and, from my understanding, anything in the 240s and above makes you competitive for most any training program. that is, you will most likely not be cut from interview status by a score in the 240s. of course, many other factors come into play and you may not get that interview. but it would likely not be because of your Step 1 score.
 
JackInTheBox said:
That study you linked to looks at COMLEX, not USMLE Step 1. I don't know how different the two tests are, but I would guess that most people going to an allopathic school aren't going to bother with COMLEX.

I don't remember them, but someone once posted numbers for the correlation between MCAT subsection scores and USMLE Step 1. Off the top of my head, they were somewhere in the range of 0.4 to 0.6, which is hardly what I would call "strong" correlation.
Click to expand...

Opps, didnt realize that. I remember seeing plenty of articles that link USMLE and the MCAT in the journal of academic medicine. Here is one below:
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/research/bibliography/basco001.htm
 
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rockydoc said:
I dont even know what a "good" score on USMLE is. Can anyone enlighten me?

I supposedly would get a 238 or something, but I agree with the rest of you that this is a very weak correlation at best.
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I think 220 is around the national average. I remember at one of my interviews that they were boasting Step 1 scores of ~1 SD above the mean, around 235ish.

So I guess this took is pretty useless. I mean, even if it predicts a 230+, the SD it reports makes the range too large to be of any value. It's essentially saying you are gonna score at least average if you test well, duh! :D
 
The most competitive specialties have averages around 240ish.
 
Yeah, it predicted a 240+ score for me (ROAD here I come!).

Too bad it was +/- 17 points for a 70% confidence interval! :laugh:
 
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DrYoda said:
Awesome, the calculator says I'm gonna be a integrated plastic radiologist.
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Mine too! Plus, it says I will practice in a small town in Maine and have three sons and no daughters. Its amazing what the MCAT can predict! ;)
 
251, is this enough for either card or neuro surg?
 
Oh, and it looks like all I need for a 299 STEP I is a 59 on on the MCAT. Should I retake the MCAT? :D
 
GloryField said:
Oh, and it looks like all I need for a 299 STEP I is a 59 on on the MCAT. Should I retake the MCAT? :D
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Haha. Yeah, if I took the MCAT again I KNOW I could get a 59. That's kind of hilarious. :laugh:

My SAT score perfectly predicted my MCAT (according to the calculations done by majahops in another thread).

Anyone know if I could do radiology with a 247?
 
pianola said:
Haha. Yeah, if I took the MCAT again I KNOW I could get a 59. That's kind of hilarious. :laugh:

My SAT score perfectly predicted my MCAT (according to the calculations done by majahops in another thread).

Anyone know if I could do radiology with a 247?
Click to expand...

No, radiology needs 290+
 
Anything about a 230 is considered good for USMLE.
240's and 250's could be helpful, or even necessary, for something like dermatology and urology.

The score converted didn't work well for me because my Step 1 score was much lower than would be predicted from my MCAT score.

I agree w/the poster above who stated that the USMLE, particularly Step 1, is more knowledge-based and there are a lot of questions that you cannot figure out/reason out - you either know the stuff or you don't. I didn't have all the stuff memorized therefore I got burned (relatively so).
 
I read somewhere that the highest score ever gotten was a 270 something. So I'd better not need a 290 for ANYTHING ;)
 
i wonder how accurate it is for people who took it multiple times? Do you put in first score? Second score? Best score? Worst score? You dont get too take the USMLE more than once if you pass it, right? Even if you are unhappy with your score adn want to try to improve?
 
RySerr21 said:
i wonder how accurate it is for people who took it multiple times? Do you put in first score? Second score? Best score? Worst score? You dont get too take the USMLE more than once if you pass it, right? Even if you are unhappy with your score adn want to try to improve?
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Maybe average the two MCAT scores (?) And no, unforunately, you can't take Step 1 more than once, like you said. (<-- if you pass).
 
During a medical internship I participated in a few summers ago, one of the medical students received her Step 1 score sometime in July. We went out to celebrate with her that night and she was going all out...pretty much blackout status. Her score was 254 and I had no idea what that meant so I was just amused. Nowadays, I am in total awe :eek:
...I was interacting with greatness! ;)
 
CRB 717 said:
During a medical internship I participated in a few summers ago, one of the medical students received her Step 1 score sometime in July. We went out to celebrate with her that night and she was going all out...pretty much blackout status. Her score was 254 and I had no idea what that meant so I was just amused. Nowadays, I am in total awe :eek:
...I was interacting with greatness! ;)
Click to expand...

Did you use a condomn?
 
Cool, I am gonna get between a 227 and 261... Woohoo, I will be able to match into surgery:rolleyes:
 
MCAT
Your estimated USMLE Step 1 score based on the entered MCAT value is 253 (70% Prediction Interval = +/- 17).

236-270

Yeeeeeaaaaah Boooooiiiiiiii

lol

radiology all the way
 
whats up with all the radiology

wouldn't you guys rather be house, burk, sheppard than wilson?
 
GloryField said:
whats up with all the radiology

wouldn't you guys rather be house, burk, sheppard than wilson?
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yeah for sure lol :)

radiology is supposed to be hard to get into though, and I can't pull an acceptance to save my life so maybe I should sit in the dark gettin paid (doesn't req. like-ability)

besides, imaging is completely ridiculous if you have any appreciation for physics. human beings have figured out some unbelievable stuff.
 
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GloryField said:
whats up with all the radiology

wouldn't you guys rather be house, burk, sheppard than wilson?
Click to expand...

I think they mean Radiology as in the people who look at X rays all day...

Rad Onc is the super hard to get into one...

Wilson is not rad onc... he is heme/onc.. which is a fellowship after IM...
 
OnlyNeedOneYes said:
yeah for sure lol :)

radiology is supposed to be hard to get into though, and I can't pull an acceptance to save my life so maybe I should sit in the dark gettin paid.

besides, imaging is completely ridiculous if you have any appreciation for physics. human beings have figured out some unbelievable stuff.
Click to expand...

I dunno. The radiologists I've shadowed seem pretty happy.
 
Vadd0 said:
I want to do robotics, what's the STEP 1 for that?
Click to expand...

It is called GRE:laugh:

So you mean robotic surgery? I would imagine you do gen surgery and do a fellowship in robotic surgery...
 
OnlyNeedOneYes said:
what makes you think I think radiologists aren't happy?
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Oh I didn't think that. I was agreeing with the last part of your statement. And adding that I think the ones that I saw were happy.

Sorry I'm a little lazy tonight; perhaps that's coming out in my typing.
 
funkydrmonkey said:
It is called GRE:laugh:

So you mean robotic surgery? I would imagine you do gen surgery and do a fellowship in robotic surgery...
Click to expand...

YOU MEAN I DID ALL OF THIS AMCAS STUFF FOR NOTHING!? :laugh:

Well what's the Step I for general surgery? I do not know any of this crap, just like I didn't really know the MCAT/GPA for many schools from the MSAR until I started applying.
 
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