What exactly is a competitive score?

[ScutMonkey007]

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I'm curious what is a "good score" on the USMLE exam...also which is more important the 2 or 3 digit score...I mean in general to get into top residencies such as IM or PMR, etc. Then what are the scores that are competitive for Derm or Radiology? I hear too many things...I was thinking of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, to be specific, or other Big academic medical schools with gigantic hospitals. Also, what's competitive to get a good residency in the NYC or NJ or Boston area?
Thanks,

 

[2TIM4:7]

I'm curious what is a "good score" on the USMLE exam...also which is more important the 2 or 3 digit score...I mean in general to get into top residencies such as IM or PMR, etc. Then what are the scores that are competitive for Derm or Radiology? I hear too many things...I was thinking of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, to be specific, or other Big academic medical schools with gigantic hospitals. Also, what's competitive to get a good residency in the NYC or NJ or Boston area?
Thanks,

I just talked to my 4th yr friend at UMich. she said top residency programs are based on so much more than just board scores: research, doing well there for your away rotation, PERSONALITY, etc.

Based on the nbme site, one can infer that the 3 digit score is more important because the score is unaffected by the pass level as opposed to the 2 digit score.

 

[Long Dong]

I've heard of a rads program with a cut off of 240 (ucsf), so i'd figure above that you should be good to go.

 

[fang]

I've heard of a rads program with a cut off of 240 (ucsf), so i'd figure above that you should be good to go.

I'm wondering about this as well. Being an engineering nerd, I cacluated the percentile-- my score is a 244, which is 88th percentile if the scores are distributed normally (which they probably are not!). That means about 12% scored higher than I did. I'd like to get into a well-ranked residency, so I'm sure everyone applying will be in that range, but hopefully it's high enough to be competative.

Here's a normal dist. table if you want to calculate yours--
z=(your score - 217) / 23.

http://www.math.sfu.ca/~cschwarz/Stat-301/Handouts/node122.html#table:normal

 

[14022]

my score is a 244, which is 88th percentile if the scores are distributed normally (which they probably are not!). That means about 6% scored higher than I did.

Let me guess. You did poorly on the biostats section of step 1. It amazes me that some people can score so well on step 1 but cannot interpret a simple percentile score. It is correct that you are in the 88th percentile, BUT if you scored in the 88th percentile, then 12% scored better than you. 6% of test takers scored better than the person in the 94th percentile.

 

[fang]

Let me guess. You did poorly on the biostats section of step 1. It amazes me that some people can score so well on step 1 but cannot interpret a simple percentile score. It is correct that you are in the 88th percentile, BUT if you scored in the 88th percentile, then 12% scored better than you. 6% of test takers scored better than the person in the 94th percentile.

Yup, I know. I was fixing it.

 

[GenSurg]

Competitive scores vary for each specialty and within specialties. All specialties are competitive at the elite programs like Harvard and Hopkins.

In general, specialties like Oto, Ophth, Ortho, Rad Onc require higher scores. I would think that a score > 220 will meet interview cutoffs for most programs and specialties. As stated earlier, some programs like UCSF Rads may or may not have a higher cutoff, such as 240, but I have never seen this in writing. I also feel that you can get good training at many mid-tier universities.

After making the cutoff for an interview, other things become more important than a score. Too much is made of the Step I score, and while important, only gets your foot in the door.

http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=20049323

 

[DHMO]

In general, specialties like Oto, Ophth, Ortho, Rad Onc require higher scores. I would think that a score > 220 will meet interview cutoffs for most programs and specialties. As stated earlier, some programs like UCSF Rads may or may not have a higher cutoff, such as 240, but I have never seen this in writing. I also feel that you can get good training at many mid-tier universities.

On the UCSF website, a cutoff score of 240 is written. They are one of the few places that will actually give you a number for a cutoff:

"Performance on the USMLE is only one of several factors that we consider when choosing candidates whom we would like to interview. We review each application as a whole, and we do not have a threshold value for USMLE scores. However, in recent years, most of our interviewees have had three-digit scores of 240 or higher on Step 1. The small number of our interviewees with Step 1 scores between 200 and 239 have had offsetting factors such as a combination of top clinical grades at a competitive medical school and extraordinary research experience and promise. Once an applicant is selected for an interview, USMLE scores have little bearing on the final rank."

http://radiology.ucsf.edu/residents/application.shtml