Step 2 correlation?

[Kopa]

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I understand that most people do about as well on Step 2 as they did on Step 1, but can anyone say how scores on Step 2 correlate with NBME shelf exams grades? Thanks for any input.

 

[pippergal]

I know that all the administater people told me that I would get the same score on step II as on step II. For me this was not true. I got 30 points higher on step II. I thought stepII was easier because it was more clinical plus I was waaaaaaay more relaxed for step II. If you did well on shelf exams, you will do well on step II.

 

[drPLUM]

I understand that most people do about as well on Step 2 as they did on Step 1, but can anyone say how scores on Step 2 correlate with NBME shelf exams grades? Thanks for any input.

I thought the shelf exams were MUCH more difficult than Step II. Step II really is an easy test. Don't worry too much about it.

 

[CANES2006]

I did MUCH better on Step 2 than on the shelf exams.

 

[14022]

I have been told that performance on NBME chelf exams is one of the best predictors of performance on step 2. The questions for step 2 and NBME are written by the same people. For all the questions on a particular discipline, they tend to put the more difficult ones on the shelf exams since you should know more, for example, about OB/GYN right after finishing the clerkship compared to several months later when you are taking step 2.

 

[penguins]

Thought NMBE shelf was more difficult than step 2, my score was closely correlated, however, I did better on the real thing than NBME.
Did more than 30 points better on step 2 than step 1 - much easier, more fun!

 

[MedApp2003]

but it is all a national average with a standard deviation so not everyone can do better on step II as compared to step I. For everyone who does better there has to be someone who does worse ...

 

[miamidc]

but it is all a national average with a standard deviation so not everyone can do better on step II as compared to step I. For everyone who does better there has to be someone who does worse ...

I did 30 points lower on Step 2, but I took it in March of 4th year, and blew it off.

 

[Plastikos]

I did 30 points lower on Step 2, but I took it in March of 4th year, and blew it off.

I just got done taking it today and im sure i got at least 30 pts lower than step I, but i still thought it was pretty easy relative to my fears (only "studied 3 days). The stems were way shorter than what i was told, and who cares at this point as long as you pass (post match).

 

[neutropenic]

A study on the fam med shelf and steps:

http://www.stfm.org/fmhub/fm2003/jul03/myles.pdf

And ob/gyn and steps:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...gy+shelf+step+2+drew&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

 

[thos]

I did about the same NBME vs. Step II. But on the Shelf exams I consistently ran tight on time, while on Step II I had a more leisurely pace (maybe the Shelf exams actually helped).

Does anyone know much about the history of the Boards? I've been theorizing based on nothing but my own delusions, and it seems that it was originally designed to test basic competency but has since been applied to exploit minimal differences. In other words, it's pretty accurate at telling which students are competent for residency and which are not, but the difference between say a 220 and a 240 isn't really as important as the empahsis that difference might get in the app process. Just curious.

 

[Gfunk6]

I did MUCH better on Step 2 than on the shelf exams.

Ditto

Does anyone know much about the history of the Boards? I've been theorizing based on nothing but my own delusions, and it seems that it was originally designed to test basic competency but has since been applied to exploit minimal differences.

There was a recent and very interesting RadOnc thread on this very topic located here.

Specifically post #8 states,

Back in the pre-digital dark ages when feudal lords ruled the forests, and dinosaurs had only recently become extinct, the NBME had a statement in its bulletins that the USMLE scores were not useful in providing applicant discriminant information and that residency programs who tried to use the score were abusing the exam. That is also the reason they disallow retakes on the exam.

I just looked at the USMLE/NBME sites and see that they have dropped all pretext of this idea. When I was asked by a very prestigious program about my score, I quoted the USMLE statement and said I passed.

Very interesting.

 

[CameronFrye]

I did 30 points lower on Step 2, but I took it in March of 4th year, and blew it off.

This is pretty common and that's why it's pretty easy to improve upon a bad Step 1 score. No one blows off Step 1, but lot's of people blow off Step 2. Therefore, it's easier to move in relation to the mean.

 

[p53]

I understand that most people do about as well on Step 2 as they did on Step 1, but can anyone say how scores on Step 2 correlate with NBME shelf exams grades? Thanks for any input.

Of course there is a positive correlation. The SAME TESTMAKERS make both exams, and test the same concepts. 🙄

By asking this question, it is obvious that you did not do well on your shelf exams thus you are asking this question to give yourself some self-confidence i.e. my shelf exam scores were subpar but it is irrelevant for Step 2.

 

[Kopa]

Of course there is a positive correlation. The SAME TESTMAKERS make both exams, and test the same concepts. 🙄

By asking this question, it is obvious that you did not do well on your shelf exams thus you are asking this question to give yourself some self-confidence i.e. my shelf exam scores were subpar but it is irrelevant for Step 2.

p53, I don't know how on earth you came to this "obvious" conclusion.

I did extremely well on all of my shelf exams and was hoping to improve on my good, but not phenomenal, Step 1 score. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can duplicate the success I achieved on the NBME tests on Step 2.