why arent board scores publicized?

[Dulcina]

---

Members do not see this ad.

how come board scores arent made publicly available?

 

[Depakote]

because board scores are largely a result of individual preparation.

(insert stock analogy about how your undergrad doesn't advertise the MCAT scores of their grads)

 

[MrBurns10]

Because schools don't want pre-meds making their decisions based on a test that is more individual than anything. I do think there are some schools that prepare students a little better than others, but in the end it's a very individually-driven test.

 

[Dulcina]

Because schools don't want pre-meds making their decisions based on a test that is more individual than anything. I do think there are some schools that prepare students a little better than others, but in the end it's a very individually-driven test.

but the schools are made up of those individuals! I do see your point though.

 

[TexasPhysician]

At almost every school, someone will score in the 10th percentile, and a classmate will score in the 99th percentile. When every school has students that vary in 89 percentile points or more, the test proves to be based on the individual. Don't choose a school based on Step scores.

 

[Law2Doc]

but the schools are made up of those individuals! I do see your point though.

Med schools don't want to get stuck "teaching to the boards" instead of focusing on what they believe will actually make you a better doctor (various forms of clinical exposure in the early years, PBL, etc). The consensus is that boards are a very poor yardstick for quality of education, and so med schools don't want folks to focus on these as applicants and force them (the schools) to focus on these and perhaps be less creative and pioneering in terms of education. To have med schools focus on their board scores ties their hands in a way that is not desirable. So med schools have found a way around this -- they have as a group agreed not to publish them. Various schools do breach this tacit understanding, and far more use the void of information to tell applicants they are "above the national average" regardless of whether that is in fact true. But the bottom line is that schools don't want you to make decisions based on board scores, nor should you really anyhow (as your individual effort is more meaningful than anything the school does in preparation for this).

So just forget about them. you can get the best or worst score regardless of where you go to med school. Everybody uses the same First Aid, the same Qbanks and what really makes a difference is your effort, aptitude, test taking skills and discipline in the years leading up to the test. Heck, if you browse the general residency applicant boards, you will see that some of the highest scores sometimes get snagged by offshore types not even in US schools, who probably won't match into something competitive.

 

[pianola]

Do residencies "advertise" the board scores of their accepted applicants?

 

[MrBurns10]

Do residencies "advertise" the board scores of their accepted applicants?

Not that I'm aware of, but some programs will have step 1 cutoffs...some of which are advertised and some which are just word of mouth (though I'd be careful with the latter, as I've heard rumors of step 1 cutoffs that weren't true).

 

[Law2Doc]

Not that I'm aware of, but some programs will have step 1 cutoffs...some of which are advertised and some which are just word of mouth (though I'd be careful with the latter, as I've heard rumors of step 1 cutoffs that weren't true).

There are various "charting the match" publications each year that indicate average board scores in each specialty. But I haven't seen such for specific programs.

 

[MrBurns10]

There are various "charting the match" publications each year that indicate average board scores in each specialty. But I haven't seen such for specific programs.

Many program websites will have that info under "Application FAQ" or something similar. Most programs in most specialties probably don't have cutoffs, advertised or otherwise.

 

[pianola]

There are various "charting the match" publications each year that indicate average board scores in each specialty. But I haven't seen such for specific programs.

ah ok. Cool. Thanks L2D and MrBurns!