NBEO passing percentage based on correctly answered questions

[TNgal21]

I have a sibling in another medical profession getting ready to take her licensing exam. It came up the other day that each week the exam is given, certain questions are thrown out by an executive committee; therefore, each group has a different percentage considered as passing. She was saying that for some of her classmates, "passing" was 45% or 53% of questions answered correctly! What I'm wondering is if something is similar with the different parts of the NBEO? Is the passing percentage relatively low such as 40-60% of questions answered correctly? That just scared me because I would hate knowing I became an OD after getting (hypothetically) half of the questions right on my boards. Isn't that like undermining the intelligence of the field?! Hopefully this question makes sense to people. Thanks for any input! =)

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[thecgrblue]

I have a sibling in another medical profession getting ready to take her licensing exam. It came up the other day that each week the exam is given, certain questions are thrown out by an executive committee; therefore, each group has a different percentage considered as passing. She was saying that for some of her classmates, "passing" was 45% or 53% of questions answered correctly! What I'm wondering is if something is similar with the different parts of the NBEO? Is the passing percentage relatively low such as 40-60% of questions answered correctly? That just scared me because I would hate knowing I became an OD after getting (hypothetically) half of the questions right on my boards. Isn't that like undermining the intelligence of the field?! Hopefully this question makes sense to people. Thanks for any input! =)

Did you know your OAT isn't based off how many raw questions you got right? Honestly...would you really feel guilty about passing the boards? I don't think they're prepared by a group of 3rd graders.

 

[JMU07]

Yeah, the NBEO always throws out a few questions. I think you need 60% right to pass.

 

[TNgal21]

Did you know your OAT isn't based off how many raw questions you got right? Honestly...would you really feel guilty about passing the boards? I don't think they're prepared by a group of 3rd graders.

Obviously, when I take the boards I'll be stoked to pass and all that. I was referring to hindsight if I knew I passed after answering less than half the questions correct. It all just reminded me of undergrad physics professors who purposely make sure test avgs are like 40 so getting an A in the class is 60. Just seemed as though I they were more interested in making their tests too difficult for students to get high grades as opposed to seeing how much a student actually learned. I'm NOT saying that last logic applies to the boards! Haha so don't jump on me for that! I only wondered if something similar happens with our board scores that's all.

Thanks for the reply JMU07!

 

[ABaverage]

Obviously, when I take the boards I'll be stoked to pass and all that. I was referring to hindsight if I knew I passed after answering less than half the questions correct. It all just reminded me of undergrad physics professors who purposely make sure test avgs are like 40 so getting an A in the class is 60. Just seemed as though I they were more interested in making their tests too difficult for students to get high grades as opposed to seeing how much a student actually learned. I'm NOT saying that last logic applies to the boards! Haha so don't jump on me for that! I only wondered if something similar happens with our board scores that's all.

Thanks for the reply JMU07!

I know what you mean.. I guess you wouldn't feel that someone is equipped enough to be an OD if they just got a 60% right on boards. But, this is the standard to which we are held to. I think that it is adequate enough. I believe that recent grads as a whole know what they're doing out there. Even if some of them made a bare min of 60%.