Factors that correlate with the U.S. Medical Licensure Examination Step-2 scores in a diverse medical student population

Objective:
To assess factors that correlate with performance on U.S. Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step-2 examination. Our hypothesis was that demographic factors, faculty assessments and other standardized test scores will correlate with students' performance on USMLE Step 2. Study

Design:

A comparison of standardized examinations and demographic factors with USMLE Step-2 scores as the outcome varoble was accomplished using the educational records of 171 medical students.

Results:
Mean USMIE Step 2. USMLE Step 1, NBME-OB/GYN and MCAT scores, respectively, were 190.63, 1943.53, 67.47 and 24.03.

Positive correlations of USMLE Step 2 were:

• USMLE Step-1 scores (r=0.681, p=0. 000);
  
• MCAT scores (r=0.524, p=0.000)
  
• NBME-OB/GYN scores (r=0.614, p=0.000);
• year of OB/GYN rotation (r=0.432, p=0.000);
  
• faculty grades (r=0.400, p=0.000);
• undergraduate GPA (r=0.287, p=0.000);
• and science GPA (r=0.255, p=0.002).

Negative correlations of USMLE Step 2 were

• students increasing age (r=0.405, p=0.000),
  
• increasing number of MGAI attempts (r=-0.182, p=0.000)
  
• and increasing number of NBME-OB/GYN attempte (r=-0.310, p=0.000).
  

There was no correiction with gender or race. Logistic regression analysis showed that a failing NBME-OB/GYN score (p-0.008), failing USMLE Step-1 score (p=0.01), failing faculty grade (p=0.029) and muttiple MCAT attempts (p=0.033) independently increased the risk of failing USMLE Step 2.

Conclusions:
Premedical test-taking abilities (MCAT scores), results of preclinical standardized tests (USMLE Step 1) and performance on clinical rotations (MBME-OB/GYN score and findings may assist educators in selecting medical students at risk of performing poorly on the USMLE Step-2 examinations.

Source