two digit number
Started by jkin
The two digit score is even more mysterious than the 3 digit score. I have heard of people getting the same 3 digit score but getting slightly different 2 digit scores. Perhaps this is due to differences in the estimated difficulty levels of individual exams? (And the 2 digit is their way of adjusting for different exams.) The only thing is, its ceiling seems to be pretty low: you hit a 99 two digit in the upper 240's, but 3 digit scores for recent examinees have extended into the 280's. So, it seems silly to have the two digit peak out this early.
One thing I can say with certainty, however, is that it is not a percentile. I occasionally hear people who scored in the upper 240's going around telling people, "I scored in the 99th percentile!" Which is a boat load of crap. Scoring in the 99th percentile these days requires scoring in the upper 260's or higher. This is assuming, however, a "normal," bell shaped distribution based on a mean of 216 and standard distribution of 24. But I see no reason why this assumption necessarily holds for scores near the extreme ends of the score range.
One thing I can say with certainty, however, is that it is not a percentile. I occasionally hear people who scored in the upper 240's going around telling people, "I scored in the 99th percentile!" Which is a boat load of crap. Scoring in the 99th percentile these days requires scoring in the upper 260's or higher. This is assuming, however, a "normal," bell shaped distribution based on a mean of 216 and standard distribution of 24. But I see no reason why this assumption necessarily holds for scores near the extreme ends of the score range.
Definitely true! There is no way a score in the 240's is in the 99th percentile. That said a 99/244 (~87th percentile) is still a really good score that should get you an interview to just about anywhere.
Congrats!
The reason why 2 digit scores exist is based on some state jurisdictions requires a 2 digit score on medical examination board to give a numeric score out of 100 so it can set passing standard for each state. NBME just do that so they can satisfy those requirements, and they do that by aligning their own passing standards to a 75, which is the passing standards for most states. My guess the reason why it peaks quite early is that perhaps some jurisdictions require slightly higher 2 digit scores, such as 80. So by making each point increments smaller, it wont bury too many people. So while the 3 digit score is a statistical measure of where you are in the national curve, and the 2 digit score is an indication of how well you did in terms of licencing. So say if passing score this year is 182 and you get a 182, you are at 75, but if passing score was raised to 185 the next year and you get a 185, you still at 75, even though you might have done slightly better on the curve the second year. (assuming mean and standard deviation stays the same.)
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my classmate who just took step 1 was telling me that the 3 digit score is exactly equivalent to the number of questions you got correct on the exam. he said that since 50 of the questions are so-called "experimental" questions that are not counted, you are left with 300. if your score is then 217, you got 217 right. is this accurate? i understood it to be scored differently.
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