2001 USMLE Performance Data
As published in the 2001 NBME Annual Report,
Copyright 2002 by the National Board of Medical Examiners®
USMLE Administration, Minimum Passing Scores, and Performance
Continuous test administration of the USMLE is available to all examinees. Prometric, Inc.® provides scheduling and test centers for the USMLE. The examination is currently administered at more than 300 US/Canadian Prometric test centers and more than 200 international Prometric test centers. Additional test centers are located at eight medical schools in the United States. The Step 1 and Step 2 examinations are administered worldwide; the Step 3 examination is administered only in the United States.
After completion of the registration process and receipt of certification of eligibility, applicants for Step 1, Step 2, or Step 3 contact the Prometric scheduling network to make an appointment to take the examination at a location and time most convenient to the applicant's schedule. Examination results are processed continuously, and scores are reported weekly. Most Step 1 and Step 2 examinees receive their scores approximately three to four weeks after their test date and most Step 3 examinees, four to six weeks. Individual score reports are mailed to examinees; medical schools and state licensing authorities can receive score information by using a secure website. Paper score rosters are no longer provided.
The USMLE program recommends a minimum passing score for each Step of the USMLE. Minimum passing scores are based on achievement of specified levels of proficiency established prior to administration of examinations. Statistical procedures are employed to insure that for each Step, the level of proficiency required to pass remains uniform across forms of the examination. As noted in the USMLE Bulletin of Information and at the USMLE website, the score required to meet the recommended level of proficiency is reviewed periodically and may be adjusted without prior notice. Notice of adjustments is posted on the Internet at the USMLE website.
In setting the minimum passing score for USMLE Step examinations, the USMLE Step Committees employ information gathered from a number of sources including standard setting surveys and content-based standard setting panels. A standard setting survey for all three Steps was conducted in 2000. Results of the review of USMLE standards by the Step 1 and Step 2 Committees were published in the 2000 NBME Annual Report. A content-based standard setting panel and review of the Step 3 standard by the Step 3 Committee was conducted in 2001. Results for the Step 3 program.
Step 1
Details on the performance of examinees taking Step 1 in 2000 and 2001 are provided below. Data for 2001 are based upon examinees whose results were reported through January 30, 2002. Approximately 16,400 first-time takers from LCME-accredited US and Canadian medical schools were tested in each of these years. First-time takers from non-US/Canadian medical schools numbered approximately 8,800 and 9,800 for the same years. The pass rates for first-time takers from LCME-accredited US and Canadian medical schools were 93% and 91%, respectively. Because failing examinees generally retake Step 1, the ultimate passing rate across test administrations is expected to increase to approximately 99% for the first-time takers from LCME-accredited US/Canadian schools.
| TABLE 1 - 2000-2001 STEP 1 ADMINISTRATIONS Number Tested and Percent Passing |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001* | |||
| #Tested | %Passing | #Tested | %Passing | |
| US/Canadian Examinees | ||||
| LCME Students | 18,267 | 90% | 18,380 | 88% |
| 1st Takers | 16,412 | 93% | 16,368 | 91% |
| Repeaters** | 1,855 | 58% | 2,012 | 58% |
| Osteopathic Students | 823 | 75% | 774 | 69% |
| 1st Takers | 785 | 77% | 723 | 72% |
| Repeaters** | 38 | 40% | 51 | 31% |
| Total US/Canadian | 19,090 | 89% | 19,154 | 87% |
| Examinees from Non-US/Canadian Schools | ||||
| 1st Takers | 8,767 | 65% | 9,835 | 66% |
| Repeaters** | 4,688 | 36% | 4,259 | 35% |
| Total non-US/Canadian | 13,455 | 55% | 14,094 | 56% |
| * Represents data for examinees tested in 2001 and reported through January 30, 2002. ** ‘Repeaters’ represents examinations given, not number of different examinees. |
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Step 2
Details on the performance of examinees taking Step 2 in the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 academic years are provided below. First-time takers from LCME-accredited US and Canadian medical schools numbered approximately 16,300 and 16,200 for the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 periods, respectively. First-time takers from non-US/Canadian medical schools numbered approximately 6,100 and 7,100, respectively. The pass rates for first-time takers from LCME-accredited US and Canadian medical schools were 95% both years. As noted with Step 1, given the opportunity to repeat the examination, the ultimate Step 2 passing rate across test administrations is expected to increase to approximately 99% for the first-time takers from LCME-accredited US/Canadian schools.
| TABLE 2 - 1999-2001 STEP 2 ADMINISTRATIONS Number Tested and Percent Passing |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000* | 2000-2001* | |||
| #Tested | %Passing | #Tested | %Passing | |
| Examinees from US/Canadian Schools that Grant | ||||
| LCME Students | 17,440 | 93% | 17,361 | 93% |
| 1st Takers | 16,309 | 95% | 16,205 | 95% |
| Repeaters** | 1,131 | 66% | 1,156 | 66% |
| Osteopathic Students | 183 | 90% | 300 | 91% |
| 1st Takers | 178 | 92% | 288 | 93% |
| Repeaters** | 5 | 40% | 12 | 42% |
| Total US/Canadian | 17,623 | 93% | 17,661 | 93% |
| Examinees from Non-US/Canadian Schools | ||||
| 1st Takers | 6,067 | 70% | 7,131 | 75% |
| Repeaters** | 3,203 | 41% | 3,223 | 48% |
| Total non-US/Canadian | 9,270 | 60% | 10,354 | 66% |
| * Data for Step 2 are provided for examinees tested during the period from July 1 to June 30. ** ‘Repeaters’ represents examinations given, not number of different examinations. |
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Step 3
Details on the performance of examinees taking Step 3 in 2000 and 2001 are provided below. Data for 2001 are based upon examinees whose results were reported through January 30, 2002. First-time takers who were graduates of LCME-accredited US and Canadian medical schools numbered approximately 13,600 and 13,200 for calendar years 2000 and 2001, respectively. First-time takers who were graduates of non-US/Canadian medical schools numbered approximately 5,500 and 5,400 for the same years. For 2000 and 2001, the pass rates for first-time takers from LCME-accredited US and Canadian medical schools were 95% and 94%, respectively. Like Step 1 and Step 2, the ultimate Step 3 passing rate, accounting for repeat attempts, is expected to increase to approximately 99% for the first-time takers from LCME-accredited US/Canadian schools.
| TABLE 3 - 2000-2001 STEP 3 ADMINISTRATIONS Number Tested and Percent Passing |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001* | |||
| #Tested | %Passing | #Tested | %Passing | |
| Examinees from US/Canadian Schools that Grant | ||||
| LCME Graduates | 14,803 | 92% | 14,301 | 91% |
| 1st Takers | 13,636 | 95% | 13,177 | 94% |
| Repeaters** | 1,167 | 61% | 1,124 | 56% |
| Osteopathic Graduates | 62 | 89% | 79 | 90% |
| 1st Takers | 56 | 89% | 72 | 89% |
| Repeaters** | 6 | 83% | 7 | 100% |
| Total US/Canadian | 14,865 | 92% | 14,380 | 91% |
| Examinees from Non-US/Canadian Schools | ||||
| 1st Takers | 5,471 | 58% | 5,381 | 61% |
| Repeaters** | 4,533 | 40% | 4,961 | 40% |
| Total non-US/Canadian | 10,004 | 50% | 10,342 | 51% |
| * Represents data for examinees tested in 2001 and reported through January 30, 2002. ** ‘Repeaters’ represents examinations given, not number of different examinees. † Performance data not reported for catagories containing fewer than 5 examinees. |
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Performance standards for Step 3 were reviewed in 2001. Data for consideration in the review included the results of a February 2000 survey regarding the appropriateness of current USMLE pass/fail standards for each of the Steps. This survey was sent to random samples of examinees, directors of basic and clinical science courses and clinical clerkships, associate deans for academic and student affairs, directors and chief residents from residency programs, members of USMLE test material development committees, executive directors and presidents of all state medical boards, and members of the National Board of Medical Examiners and Federation of State Medical Boards board of directors.
In addition to the survey, standard setting exercises were conducted using three panels of physicians. The total group of 28 panelists were selected to represent a range of medical schools and medical specialties. In addition, panelists had a broad range of roles, such as clerkship directors, program directors, department chairs, practitioners, and state board members. Each panel met for 1½ days, engaging in a modified version of the Angoff standard-setting procedure. The same procedure was used to set initial standards in 1994 and to revisit the standard in 1997. In the 2001 review, each panelist made judgments about items from a subset of the items appearing on the Step 3 CBT examination. The results were provided to the Step 3 Committee for consideration.
At its March 2001 meeting, the Step 3 Committee considered the results of the surveys and the standard setting exercises, as well as data on recent trends in examinee performance and on the relationship of score precision to the pass/fail decision. As a result of this review, the Step 3 Committee decided to raise the three-digit score required to pass Step 3 from 177 to 182. The new minimum passing score was applied to Step 3 examinations for which the first day of testing was on or after April 1, 2001.