Where can I find info about board pass rates and Resident specialties?

[Kerowyn]

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I'm trying to narrow down my school choices right now, and one of the things I'm interested in is COMLEX pass rates and the percentages of residents entering various specialties.

Does anyone know where I can get this sort of info? Some schools do list it on their website (if the numbers are good, obviously), but not all of them.

 

[ShyRem]

This information you seek is deceiving at best. you don't know what schools pre-test their students, which ones hold students back from taking the exam, which ones give board prep courses, what percentage of students actually take the exam, if the scores given are first time pass rates or do they take into account retakes after a failing score...

You get my drift.

 

[Cheshyre]

I didn't believe it when I first started surfing SDN, but I agree with Shy.

There are lots of factors to look at. You're going to have to research each school extensively. It's a pain, but such is life. Candidates, schools, hospitals, whatever - they all try to make themselves look as good as possible. You have to dig deep and consider everything.

 

[Harry Bahgina]

This information you seek is deceiving at best. you don't know what schools pre-test their students, which ones hold students back from taking the exam, which ones give board prep courses, what percentage of students actually take the exam, if the scores given are first time pass rates or do they take into account retakes after a failing score...

You get my drift.

How can a school hold a student back from taking the COMLEX if it is a NBOME driven exam?
Do they pay for the exam or administer it themselves?

 

[ShyRem]

The school has to ok you to take the exam before you're allowed to sign up. If they don't think you're ready, they don't tell NBOME you're allowed to sign up for it. Thus, you are held back from taking the exam.

 

[TexasPhysician]

This information you seek is deceiving at best. you don't know what schools pre-test their students, which ones hold students back from taking the exam, which ones give board prep courses, what percentage of students actually take the exam, if the scores given are first time pass rates or do they take into account retakes after a failing score...

You get my drift.

100% correct for MD and DO schools.

Schools are very deceiving. Choose a school based on fit and price.

 

[Kerowyn]

You know, even as I asked the question I suspected I would get that answer. I suppose the question is a bit moot, since you have to pass boards anyway to graduate.

But what about residencies? I think I would like to specialize in family practice or surgery (big difference, I know), but how can I figure out which schools produce a lot of those specialties?

 

[DbDan]

You know, even as I asked the question I suspected I would get that answer. I suppose the question is a bit moot, since you have to pass boards anyway to graduate.

But what about residencies? I think I would like to specialize in family practice or surgery (big difference, I know), but how can I figure out which schools produce a lot of those specialties?

Any DO school is going to serve you well for FP. General surgery from what I understand is also fairly common amongst DO schools with a large number of specialty surgery spots near MSU for DO only residencies, since MSU students are nearby and rotate there they tend to have a slight advantage at those spots. Although I haven't fully researched the topic so I'm not 100% sure if I'm right. My mentality is to pick a school based on fit and price like was said before. If I score high enough on the boards, work hard and set up the right audition rotations and electives I will get to a residency I like from wherever I wind up going to school.

 

[Wyclef]

Sometimes you may have to email the school directly for their match lists. I have seen threads on SDN with match lists of multiple schools.

I do agree with others that the information is deceiving. If in a year more students want to do primary care, you may think they couldn't have gone for a lifestyle specialty, which may or may not be true.

As far as board pass rate, be wary of how schools phrase things.

My 2 cents.

 

[AMEHigh]

You know, even as I asked the question I suspected I would get that answer. I suppose the question is a bit moot, since you have to pass boards anyway to graduate.

But what about residencies? I think I would like to specialize in family practice or surgery (big difference, I know), but how can I figure out which schools produce a lot of those specialties?

It isn't necessarily up to a school to "produce" a certain specialty.

I know it's far fetched, but there could be a class that everyone wants to go into FP. If you saw a match list that everyone just matched FP, then you might think that's a bad thing...however if they all got their top choice FP residency, then this would be great.

At any school you're going to have to work hard to get into a more competitive specialty. I would focus on how you think you'll fit in at a school, their curriculum and how rotations work.

 

[ShyRem]

A school can "produce" a lot of any specialty about as accurately as two brunettes can "produce" blond offspring every time.

Schools don't "produce" specialties. They educate students who choose what specialty they would most like to go into for residency. And considering 80% of all med students change their minds about what they want to go into, med schools would have to be pretty omniscient to choose all students who choose FP and/or IM in their fourth year.

 

[TexasPhysician]

You know, even as I asked the question I suspected I would get that answer. I suppose the question is a bit moot, since you have to pass boards anyway to graduate.

But what about residencies? I think I would like to specialize in family practice or surgery (big difference, I know), but how can I figure out which schools produce a lot of those specialties?

Family and general surgery are too common of fields to analyze this way. All US medical schools will send plenty of students to both family and general surgery. If those are your two choices, anywhere will serve you well.