Question about USMLE Score

[DocInProgress]

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How is it possible that in one year, a 3 digit score of 236 is the equivalent of a 2 digit score of the lowest 99, and then in the next year, a 3 digit score of 229 is equivalent to a 2 digit score of the lowest 99?

Can someone explain this difference?

 

[HPSPpayissues]

I don't know. Does it matter? Do people analyze the 2 digit score as anything?

 

[lord_jeebus]

The two-digit score is essentially meaningless beyond 75 = pass.

 

[Law2Doc]

The two-digit score is essentially meaningless beyond 75 = pass.

Agreed. It is not really a percentage, it generally confuses more than it adds. For this reason, most US allo folks and program directors will only talk about 3 digit scores as the all important numbers. Based on what I see on SDN, the IMG crowd focuses too much on the two digit score.

 

[HPSPpayissues]

hmm... just a thought, but the two digit score might somehow relate to the %ile for IMG's? So, 230 would be 99%ile among Caribbean med students, while it is like 65%ile among all test takers? hmm...

 

[lord_jeebus]

hmm... just a thought, but the two digit score might somehow relate to the %ile for IMG's? So, 230 would be 99%ile among Caribbean med students, while it is like 65%ile among all test takers? hmm...

no

A few state medical boards are required by law to only recognize licensing exams that are graded on a 99 point scale where 75 = pass. So the NBME made a second score to fulfill that requirement. Unlike the 3 digit score, it is not designed to make comparisons between students who took the test in different years.

 

[HPSPpayissues]

Not regarding the score format- Don't you think that, overall, IMG's would have lower avg scores than the US med students?