New Step 2 CK software

[ranmyaku]

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I just got this email.

A new version of the software used to deliver the USMLE Step examinations is scheduled to be introduced in mid-August 2008. Migration to the new version will occur first in the Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) examination, and will be phased in over several weeks. If you plan to take the Step 2 CK examination in August 2008 or later, you should familiarize yourself with both the current test delivery software and the new version.

The sample test materials using both the current test delivery software and the new version are available on the USMLE website at
http://www.usmle.org/Orientation/2008/menu.html.

The change to the test delivery software will be accounted for in scoring the examination results, so that scores will be comparable to those of exams using the older software. Because of this change, it will be necessary to delay the reporting of scores for some examinees. The normal turnaround time for reporting scores to Step 2 CK examinees is 3 to 4 weeks. However, during this transition, turnaround time may be as long as 6 to 8 weeks.

How exactly does just changing the software affect the scoring of the examination results? I would think that no matter what the delivery is of the questions, that shouldn't change the fact that you either got a certain number right or not.

 

[medready2005]

Yea, I just recieved the email also. I am taking mine on the 1st. I wonder if the new software will be implemented this early in August?

 

[northandponce]

First of all, I called ECFMG to verify when exactly this "new-system" would be implemented, they were very vague rudely saying "Did you read the email? It said Mid-August". I then tried to call USMLE, but they wouldn't speak to me since I'm not a US/Canadian med student, so maybe someone else would have more luck there. So for those of you taking it Aug 1st...I'm not sure if you will also have to wait 6-8 weeks for your score.

I downloaded the software, let me say- that I had to uninstall and reinstall because it kept "sticking".

I hate it- it's garish... the font and the colors seem to be a distraction, my eyes kept going everywhere. And the red-warning signs are very "threatening"- Maybe it just takes getting used to- but at this point, i hate it.

Also, there is a new "sequential" question type. Basically a two-step question. Once you answer the first question (or skip it) the answer gets locked. You can't go back and change it, that's it. So- this is def. something new.

I dont know how they will compensate those who have to take the new exam, maybe they will grade it on a curve or something to take into account the transition. I'm sure hoping they "fluff-up" our grade quite a bit, since I'm one of the ones who will be taking it mid-aug.

It doesn't really seem fair, especially since residency applications will be in Sept. 1st- #1, we wont get our scores on time for any sort of early-match or competitive program. #2, we will be at a disadvantage to those who are used to taking the format from step 1 and usmleworld practice q's.

It has always been advised for test takers to sit their step 2 by the end of august.

Why didn't they implement this change in January? Well after the residency application process has started?

Just my two cents.

If anyone gets any answers from the USMLE people, please do let us know. 😉

 

[medready2005]

Yea brother,

I also contacted USMLE today and they basically just read the email off to me over the phone- blah, blah... "mid-august, be familiar with the new format just in case." anyone else have better luck?

 

[CanIMakeIt]

I didn't contact them but I did try the new software. I actually liked it. It was full screen (better than the partial screen they used to give) and also the lab values open on the same page and is "searchable" ... that is awesome.
How it will affect scoring our exam, I am not sure. The only thing I don't like about the new version is the 2-step questions that "lock" the previous answer 🙁

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

This is seriously FUBAR! Many residencies set interview cutoffs for USMLE scores (which is completely inappropriate since it is NOT a standardized test to begin with). As unfair as that is, how can they possibly compare someone who takes the test in July to someone who takes it in August? Why are they implementing this change in the middle of the residency application cycle?!?! Why was this change only announced < 1 month before it was to be implemented?!?! Why can't they say exactly when in August the change will be made?!?!? If I take my test on August 15, will I take the new or the old version?!?!? Have the ~2500 USMLE World questions I've done been a total waste of time? THIS IS COMPLETE AND UTTER BULLSH*T!!!!!! Heads should roll at the NBME! Where is the accountability?

 

[twesting2173]

.

 

[flumazenil]

if they have the audacity to annouce the change in software in a "as a matter of fact" type email a few weeks before the implementation- who says the questions wont be different/ or formatted differently?.
I have already heard that the format of a few question types will be changed, such as adding a sequential vignette where you must answer the first question then that is locked as an answer and you can't go back to change it.
I think the NBME should have done this change for next year so people have a year to know about it/ and let it set it in..but doing it in the mid-aplication cycle with a 2 week notice is foolish.
Shame on the NBME

 

[flumazenil]

another reason this idea is gonna hurt students is because they said it may take up to 6-8weeks for score reporting. SO assuming a student takes step 2 ck mid august, he or she will receive their score at the earliest october 1st or mid october. Now, assuming that student failed( unfortunately), he/she has to now reapply for the exam ASAP and perhaps study for a week or two..and take it quickly suppose ( november or mid november). That can add a lot of stress.
If the student failed, but received his/her score as originally intended on the third wednesday- then the student can study for the next 2..3 weeks (instead of WAITING for the score report to come in)

I am willing to bet this change will make a few unfortunate people who could have matched in this cycle wait until next year to match....simply because of the 6 to 8 week delay in score reporting!

 

[gonogo]

Can't we like complain to NBME about this? I mean, it's really a very short notice they're giving.

 

[medready2005]

Greetings all,

So one of the folk at my med school spoke to USMLE with some success. Here is the email that was sent to us regarding this conversation:

Recently, we received an e-mail from USMLE that there will be some changes to the Step 2 CK starting in August, date when changes take effect not yet specified. Because of these changes, score reporting which was usually 3-4 weeks will now be 6-8 weeks. Therefore, your score will not come back in time for the residency screening process. I called USMLE and spoke with a representative who told me that they are aware of this problem, however, they are not planning to make changes unless they receive a lot of written complaints. The phone operator gave me the email to send the complaints to which will be forwarded to the USMLE administration; the email is [email protected].​

I say we ALL speak our mind!! QUE VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!!

 

[IzzyMD09]

but i dont think step 2 has or ever will be used for residency interview screening

thats a step 1 thing it has always been a step 1 thing

 

[northandponce]

should we start a petition?

i'm game. anyone else?

 

[medready2005]

count me in

 

[Javad]

Hi, correct me if i am wrong, if one's step I score is low a higher StepII score will provide a better chance for getting an interview? can someone tell me when do programs actually review the applications? i am taking step II sept 10th and i think its very unfair that they have suddenly decided to implement the new change, i am all for the petition and i am emailing them today.

 

[EternalMD]

I completely agree with above. My friend was to take the test in late august which would have left plenty of time to get the scores back and then have it out with the application. Now with a score delay, it just throws a wrench into her plans because that was the whole point of taking it 'early' so that the scores could be back equally early. I think the timing of this change is pretty piss poor. How about do it when it will minimally affect the application process such as in December or January. I can understand the reason for changes for Step 1 around august because people have a full year to prepare for it during 2nd year, but the same isn't true for 4th years.

 

[boyz of 4d]

I agree, this change, especially given on such short notice is ridiculous. Had i know this was going to happen, I would have taken my step 2 in july. I highly doubt that they will delay the change, but I feel that the best chance would be to email the above address, I just sent one, and will share the response I get

 

[Javad]

i just emailed them and i think everyone else should do the same or start the petition.
Thank YOu

 

[Ice dude]

Hi, correct me if i am wrong, if one's step I score is low a higher StepII score will provide a better chance for getting an interview? can someone tell me when do programs actually review the applications? i am taking step II sept 10th and i think its very unfair that they have suddenly decided to implement the new change, i am all for the petition and i am emailing them today.

me too, i think it's very unfair, seriously in the middle of the application process.
So FMG send the email to nbme too?

 

[Ice dude]

ok, i sent them an e-mail too.seriously guys iam concerned about it.

 

[bigdan]

First,

but i dont think step 2 has or ever will be used for residency interview screening

thats a step 1 thing it has always been a step 1 thing

Not entirely true. Two program directors (my home school in NY and one program in Pittsburgh) will take the higher of the two board scores when their cutoffs are set.

Second, our Office of Medical Education has told us that the scores will be delayed 3-4 weeks LONGER than the typically accepted time. That ABSOLUTELY sucks for me, since my entire 4th year schedule has been based around ERAS submission deadlines and Step 2 score reporting.

Alas, things will be fine, because they always are.

dc

 

[allendo]

I sent an email. Please, everyone should contact them and voice our concern.

 

[IzzyMD09]

First,



Not entirely true. Two program directors (my home school in NY and one program in Pittsburgh) will take the higher of the two board scores when their cutoffs are set.


dc

Ok your two programs to the over 100 I have heard say that USMLE 2 doesnt matter as most students dont even release them when they apply anyways, but hey write your letters, not to mention every Residency Guide publication in the world .... EVAHHH
make your petitions....go crazy wit your bad self

i hope for your sake you guys get them to change something

 

[IzzyMD09]

First,



Not entirely true. Two program directors (my home school in NY and one program in Pittsburgh) will take the higher of the two board scores when their cutoffs are set.


dc

Ok your two programs to the over 100 I have heard say that USMLE 2 doesnt matter as most students dont even release them when they apply anyways, but hey write your letters, not to mention every Residency Guide publication in the world .... EVAHHH
make your petitions....go crazy wit your bad self

i hope for your sake you guys get them to change something

 

[Javad]

Ok your two programs to the over 100 I have heard say that USMLE 2 doesnt matter as most students dont even release them when they apply anyways, but hey write your letters, not to mention every Residency Guide publication in the world .... EVAHHH
make your petitions....go crazy wit your bad self

i hope for your sake you guys get them to change something

you can definitely apply with your step I score, please keep your advice to yourself because as you can read in the original post we are complaining about the new software, if you and your 100 programs are ok with that, please apply with your step I scores and i hope you get your top choice , but dont try to put people down.
Thank You

 

[IzzyMD09]

whoooo sensitive sally dont cry

no one is putting anyone down here, its a FACT

most students applying for residencies DO NOT release or even TAKE step 2 till after their interviews....get over yourself please

 

[flumazenil]

Izzy, i see where you are coming from- but the ultimate issue at hand isnt if programs do or do not look at step 2- i think it is principle that is wrong. I know a lot of medical students that wisely planned out their entire 4th year knowing that they need to improve step 1 score or need to have everything early to look good ( especially true for IMG's).

The issue is NBME sending an email a few weeks before the change is taking place then saying the scores will be delayed. I think that is wrong. Regardless of what your step 1 score is, or if programs look at step 2, it is the PRINCIPLE by which the NBME did it that is at hand. While it is possible to say " just suck it up, and move on", I do beleive the posts by the students has validity because it isn't fair to them in getting back their scores so late in the application process..i guess its the method by which NBME did this. had they have warned us about this even 5 months ago, this wouldn't be an issue- but 2 weeks before August??? come on!

 

[IzzyMD09]

Izzy, i see where you are coming from- but the ultimate issue at hand isnt if programs do or do not look at step 2- i think it is principle that is wrong. I know a lot of medical students that wisely planned out their entire 4th year knowing that they need to improve step 1 score or need to have everything early to look good ( especially true for IMG's).

The issue is NBME sending an email a few weeks before the change is taking place then saying the scores will be delayed. I think that is wrong. Regardless of what your step 1 score is, or if programs look at step 2, it is the PRINCIPLE by which the NBME did it that is at hand. While it is possible to say " just suck it up, and move on", I do beleive the posts by the students has validity because it isn't fair to them in getting back their scores so late in the application process..i guess its the method by which NBME did this. had they have warned us about this even 5 months ago, this wouldn't be an issue- but 2 weeks before August??? come on!

part 1 I agree if you take into account that its a smaller percentage of students that have to do better on step 2 to balance out a mediocre or sub par step 1, I think from day 1 in all medical schools the importance of step 1 is highly emphasized so kids plan way ahead of time which is why there is a huge score inflation ...especially on these posts, and if students dont break 290 they are happy with what they get because those that are not entering competitive fields no that board scores are of relatively little importance

the posts by the students have valdity, but while they sit here and whine about, in all honesty nothing is going to happen, id wager on that, the same thing happened last year with the audio clip fiasco, I dont know about your med school but these are the kinds of shenanigans my school pulls all the time, last minute changes and all, look it really sucks, but what are a bunch of whiny MSIII's going to do about the corporation that is NBME, make yourselves useful bring down the cost of CS...1200 bones, thats just ridiculous, the timing thing....well that just sucks, most of my class is taking it in july, i only know one person out of th 40 that is taking it not in july, so i guess its all a matter of when you are taking the test, im sure for those taking it in september or december wont care because they will have enough time to prepare, at least one group of students is going to get screwed and sadly its the august students,

i really hope it changes for you guys, im cereal, i really do, but be realistic is alls im trying to say

love,
izzy

 

[HolyMoly]

guys this could be serious. send an e-mail to the above mentioned email address ASAP. This is absolutely ridiculous, changing the software in the middle of the application cycle and causing a disadvantage to a great number of students.

 

[IzzyMD09]

large number of students, how many MS IV's can there possibly be DEPENDING on Step 2, have you seen the NRMP from last year....

 

[Dr McSteamy]

large number of students, how many MS IV's can there possibly be DEPENDING on Step 2, have you seen the NRMP from last year....

what did you see in the nrmp?

in the 2007 results, 13000 people had step 1 scores, and 9000 of those also had step 2 scores.

so a good majority do have both step scores available.

Izzy, you like to throw around blanket generalizations that come off as exaggerations.
For an MS3 who hasn't gone through the Match process yet, you pretend to know a lot.



Anyway, back to the original topic. I don't see anything that can possibly delay the score report 8 weeks. It's only a minor interface tweak. The test content is the same, with the addition of new a 2-step locked question.

It is bullchit....... and I hope the NBME expedites score reporting during the application season.

They should've waited till November to implement this.

WTF was the rush, stupid NBME.............. 👎thumbdown


this topic should be stickied......... and the NBME email address should be in the first post to receive complaints.

 

[Dr McSteamy]

send your complaints to

[email protected]

 

[medready2005]

Right On Doc McSteamy!!

Someone please sticky this ish.......

NBME; it's on!

 

[IzzyMD09]

thanks dr mcsteamy your so cute

write your little emails...best of luck

but you have failed to convice me that those 9000 who had step 2's out of the 13000 actually needed to do better on them to make up for lackluster scores,

step 2 was not now and has never been designed as a make-up test so get over it, it tests you on completely different things, some fields dont care about step 2, especially fields where board exams are more exploitative of the basic sciences which is why an emphasis is put on Step 1 (path Derm rads)

anyways good luck everyone

just study hard and im sure the new "glitch" wont even bother you

 

[joe6102]

most students applying for residencies DO NOT release or even TAKE step 2 till after their interviews....get over yourself please

most of my class is taking it in july, i only know one person out of th 40 that is taking it not in july

so which is it?

 

[IzzyMD09]

do the math 40 people in my class, most students dont take it until after they APPLY....

39 med students does not = the 16,000 MSIV's or the other 5000 IMG's

work hard on that biostats section, i hear its easy points

😍

 

[boyz of 4d]

did anyone actually get a response?

 

[joe6102]

most students dont take it until after they APPLY....

most students DO NOT TAKE step 2 till after their interviews

so which is it?

 

[Javad]

did anyone actually get a response?

i did, pretty much they said we try to have results as fast as possible which means it might take 6-8 weeks the same way they wanted it.
Thank You

 

[Ice dude]

i did, pretty much they said we try to have results as fast as possible which means it might take 6-8 weeks the same way they wanted it.
Thank You

i received pretty much the same response yesterday, they r gonna stick to the change 🙁.
Anyway good luck to all.

 

[Taurus]

Who over at the NBME is making these decisions?

First, the NBME seemed to have unilaterally agreed to create a medical test modeled after Step 3 for DNP's. The AMA had to officially denounce this move.

Now this? Giving us just 4 weeks notice about adding a new question feature and delaying results by 4 additional weeks is ridiculous. Somebody needs to lose their job over there.

 

[Taurus]

Got a reply from NBME.

The software change is set to begin August 14.

 

[joe6102]

Got a reply from NBME.

The software change is set to begin August 14.

Nice work. 👍 I'm taking it the 6th.

 

[twesting2173]

.

 

[ranmyaku]

I'm not sure anyone knows the answer to that question except the NBME.

Although if you think about it...assuming that there are 4 to 6 Q's in each block that are in the new format of getting 'locked in'...then that means there is anywhere from 8.5 to 13% of the test that will be different (ie. new) than those who take it before that change gets implemented.

That is a significant number of questions. Probably has something to do with the fact that the score reporting is getting delayed also. They are going to need a fairly large sample size in order to insure that the grading is consistent.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

This email we got from our school and also on USMLE website:

As reported previously, due to a change in the test delivery software, the score reports for some examinees taking Step 2 CK in August will be delayed. We can now advise that the target date for reporting Step 2 CK scores for most examinees testing from mid-August through late September will be Wednesday, October 8, 2008.

 

[Dean202]

Here's the info directly from their webpage:

Posted July 15, 2008, Updated August 1, 2008]
A new version of the software used to deliver the computer-based USMLE Step examinations is scheduled to be introduced in mid-August 2008. Migration to the new version will occur first in the Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) examination. The migration is expected to begin at a small number of test centers on August 14, and will then be phased in at remaining test centers throughout the remainder of August and into September. If you plan to take the Step 2 CK examination in mid-August 2008 or later, you should familiarize yourself with both the current test delivery software and the new version.
Orientation and practice materials using both the current and new versions of the software are available for downloading by clicking here.
The change to the test delivery software will be accounted for in scoring the examination results, so that scores will be comparable to those of exams using the older software. Because of this change, as well as routine modifications to the test item pool, it will be necessary to delay the reporting of scores for some examinees. The normal turnaround time for reporting scores to Step 2 CK examinees is 3 to 4 weeks. The target date for reporting Step 2 CK scores for most examinees testing from mid-August through late September will be Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
Note to Step 1 and Step 3 examinees: Migration of Step 1 and Step 3 to the new test delivery software will occur in 2009. Please monitor the USMLE website announcements section to check for changes in test delivery software, and to access orientation and practice materials.

 

[cgk]

i dont think that the q's will be different...just the software, so doing the 2500 USMLE world q's is not a waste. someone correct me if you think otherwise...i cant imagine they would give takers in aug different q's.

I have just started my MSIII clinical rotations, and I wanted to purchase and begin using the USMLE question bank for Step 2. Given the changes in the Step 2 format forthcoming, do you think I am wasting my time purchasing the questions at this time?

Also another question I have is about score report releasing. Theoretically, can you take Step 2 in August for example and not release the results for purposes of NRMP. I scored a 265 on Step 2, and am planning on applying for Rad/Onc next year. Just in case I don't do well on step 2, I would like to reserve this option if possible. Please advise.

 

[domer621]

but i dont think step 2 has or ever will be used for residency interview screening

thats a step 1 thing it has always been a step 1 thing

Step 1 is still the most important for programs, but there are programs out there that weigh Step 1 and 2 equally. This goes in favor of people who have lower Step 1 scores, of course. This just proves what we all already know - if you have a great Step 1, you can afford to delay Step 2; if you have a lower Step 1, you should take Step 2 early.

 

[cgk]

Step 1 is still the most important for programs, but there are programs out there that weigh Step 1 and 2 equally. This goes in favor of people who have lower Step 1 scores, of course. This just proves what we all already know - if you have a great Step 1, you can afford to delay Step 2; if you have a lower Step 1, you should take Step 2 early.

But can you take Step 2 in August for instance and then have the option of releasing your score or not for the purpose of NMRP depending how you do?