Reduction in Step 1 number of questions

[sierra89]

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So the NBME announced to schools today that they are reducing the # of questions per section (by 2 or 3? I didn't bother to do the math). I couldn't resist posting.

from http://www.usmle.org:80/general_information/announcements.html

Starting on or around May 15, 2008, a transition period will begin in which the number of items in current forms of the Step 1 examination will change from 350 items to 336 items. Although the transition will occur quickly at many test centers, there may also be some locations where the changes take slightly longer to complete. The overall transition period will likely last approximately 6 weeks. The length of the examination day will remain unchanged.

The decrease in the number of items per form will be accounted for in scoring the examination results, so that scores on new and old forms will be comparable. Because of these changes in timing, as well as modifications to the test item pool and the processing load caused by a heavy volume of test takers, there will be a delay in score reporting for most Step 1 examinations administered in the second half of May and June.

The target date for reporting Step 1 scores for most examinees testing from May 15 through late June will be Wednesday, July 16, 2008.

Good luck to all studying this year

 

[bbpiano1]

I bet this is going to create a lot of unnecessary confusion/anxiety/date switching....and it's just for 14 measly questions. Gotta love the NBME.

 

[gotgame83]

july 16th!! geez, im going to have to wait 8 weeks for my score!! Im pissed

 

[-Goose-]

NOOOOOOOO!!!

The longest 8 weeks of my life. Why is it taking longer to get scores back?

 

[gotgame83]

what are they thinking! This is the time of year with the most volume of ppl sitting for step 1, why on earth are they messing around with this stuff during their busiest time of year??

 

[Blesbok]

what are they thinking! This is the time of year with the most volume of ppl sitting for step 1, why on earth are they messing around with this stuff during their busiest time of year??

:werd: I am suprised they don't do it in december or january since not too many people that i know of take the step 1 during that time.

This seems like a really strange thing to do. I think that everyone that takes it after that time should have an equal 14 points deducted from their score to account for the extra time they will have per section.

 

[gotgame83]

:werd: I am suprised they don't do it in december or january since not too many people that i know of take the step 1 during that time.

This seems like a really strange thing to do. I think that everyone that takes it after that time should have an equal 14 points deducted from their score to account for the extra time they will have per section.

Haha, thats right your exam is in a day or two right? I hope that my testing center is quick with this update and I get the extra time but id trade my extra time in for getting my score in 3 weeks rather than 8. I am so annoyed now...

 

[Blesbok]

Haha, thats right your exam is in a day or two right? I hope that my testing center is quick with this update and I get the extra time but id trade my extra time in for getting my score in 3 weeks rather than 8. I am so annoyed now...

yep, this friday.

I personally would rather have the extra two questions. Although there is a chance one of those two would be a question that I have no idea about, there is a better chance that those two will help offset that question that was in the other 48, if that makes any sense.

I also wonder if they are truly reducing the number of graded questions or just reducing the number of practice questions that they throw in there.

 

[skm95]

Hmm, I wonder if 336 has something to do with introduction of media-clips starting in mid May, i.e. if there is one media-clip per block and if it is allotted more time (3x the normal question time) then you subtract 2 questions per block to accommodate media-clip question ???????

 

[SOUNDMAN]

Good Luck Blesbok i'm taking mine on Tuesday so I miss all the May madness as well thank goodness!!

 

[dilated]

These lazy whippersnappers. In my day (late April) we had to do 350 questions uphill both ways and we liked it!

 

[MattD]

Hmm, I wonder if 336 has something to do with introduction of media-clips starting in mid May, i.e. if there is one media-clip per block and if it is allotted more time (3x the normal question time) then you subtract 2 questions per block to accommodate media-clip question ???????

That was my assumption as well 🙂

 

[Blesbok]

Good Luck Blesbok i'm taking mine on Tuesday so I miss all the May madness as well thank goodness!!

Good luck. I feel like I want to vomit when I think about it.

 

[hasha100]

That was my assumption as well 🙂

Yeh I think that is the reason for less questions.

 

[doctorFred]

Hmm, I wonder if 336 has something to do with introduction of media-clips starting in mid May, i.e. if there is one media-clip per block and if it is allotted more time (3x the normal question time) then you subtract 2 questions per block to accommodate media-clip question ???????

this makes sense, particular if the length of the audio or video clips is anything longer than 15 or 20 seconds, seeing as how most people will probably replay them at least once or twice.

and i would gladly take 350 all-text questions than 336 with god-knows-what to actually expect from multimedia items.

 

[RussianJoo]

I didn't bother reading other peoples posts so i am sorry if my comment has alread been said. but i bet they're lowering the number of q's because they're adding video and audio q's so this way there will be more time per question so that you can listen or watch the multi media clip a few times.

 

[Studyin 4 Step1]

The Step 2 CK has had audio questions for some time now and they have 46 Qs per block x 8 blocks for a total of 368. Talk about long day!

Are they thinking of having 48 x 7 = 336 questions for Step 1??

 

[JDWflash44]

I assume they are doing this during the busiest time of year so that they have a high enough number of test takers to normalize the curve and only hold scores for a short period of time. I would imagine if they were doing it in the offseason they would need to hold scores for months to get a high enough number of test takers to scale it. My $0.02... sucks for anyone taking it in the 2nd half of may or early June though.

 

[45408]

there will be a delay in score reporting for most Step 1 examinations administered in the second half of May and June.

Of course. I'm hoping it won't affect me though, since I'm taking it June 18th, and I wasn't expecting my score until mid-July anyways.

 

[doctorFred]

i got this from our dean, dr. pohl, who inquired directly about the reduction in step 1 questions -

I happened to be at the NBME, so I asked why they decreased the number of items. They told me it was done to allow the time per question to improve.

 

[SoCuteMD]

NOOOOOOOO!!!

The longest 8 weeks of my life. Why is it taking longer to get scores back?

They hold the scores for a while almost every June/July. It sucks, but it means that everyone gets theirs at the same time instead of people getting freaked out as they wait from week to week.