Question about shelf scores

[betz]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Is the two digit number that you get for the NBME exam a percentile? Our school converts this school to a percentage that counts for a portion of our clerkship grade, but what does the original raw score mean? I searched the NBME website to no avail.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

Is the two digit number that you get for the NBME exam a percentile? Our school converts this school to a percentage that counts for a portion of our clerkship grade, but what does the original raw score mean? I searched the NBME website to no avail.

No its not a percentile. The only info that you will get regarding the two digit score on this site is speculative at best.

 

[betz]

No its not a percentile. The only info that you will get regarding the two digit score on this site is speculative at best.

Nice....so the score has no meaning? That sucks. So, how do we know the mean, and SD? That way I can at least get a percentile. Its the curiousity, its killin me. 😎

 

[TruTrooper]

Nice....so the score has no meaning? That sucks. So, how do we know the mean, and SD? That way I can at least get a percentile. Its the curiousity, its killin me. 😎

Well, prepare for your funeral... 🙂

 

[DarksideAllstar]

Nice....so the score has no meaning? That sucks. So, how do we know the mean, and SD? That way I can at least get a percentile. Its the curiousity, its killin me. 😎

Your clerkship coordinator (or the person who receives your shelf score) should receive a key that enables them to determine your percentile based on the raw score (well, at least all of my clerkship directors had this option). Keep in mind that this will flux depending on when you take the exam. For example, an 84 raw will mean something different earlier in the third year (ie higher percentile) than later in the year after you have had multiple rotations and have accrued a larger body of knowledge (ie lower percentile). This is all anecdotal information, based on my experience with these damn exams last year and trying to "figure out" what the numbers meant.
Good luck in your quest, but I wouldnt count on getting a lot of info re: this, just ask if you "honored the shelf".

 

[tigershark]

On the score report from the NBME it says that the two digit score is standardized to have a mean of 70 and a SD of ~8 (varied from shelf to shelf)...you can figure out your percentile from that (the score report also gives you percentile in addition to the two-digit score).

 

[TruTrooper]

On the score report from the NBME it says that the two digit score is standardized to have a mean of 70 and a SD of ~8 (varied from shelf to shelf)...you can figure out your percentile from that (the score report also gives you percentile in addition to the two-digit score).

I was told a few times that these sort data is kept locked tight by the NMBE. I will check this out.

 

[betz]

Thanks guys! 👍

 

[tigershark]

I was told a few times that these sort data is kept locked tight by the NMBE. I will check this out.

It's not locked tight as far as I can tell...these print-outs were available from the NBME for every shelf exam I took...