coolmavs
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Hey guys, I know that it is too early in the day to be enquiring into the impact of the new standards of 99 for Step 1, since it has come down form 243/244 to 236. Does this mean that more FMGs are getting 99's? Also, how do you think this is going to impact the residency scene the next year, I mean will 99 still remain a 99 or they are then more likely to start looking at the 3-digit score, that is if they are NOT ALREADY looking into it, to differentiate and categorize the candidiates?
Any input and discussion on this is highly appreciated?
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| LifeInTheFastLane
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2 digit score is reported simply because some boards need it...The fact that the 2 digit score for step 1 has been "scaled down" is based on the increased passing score...it doesnt have anything to do with more FMGs getting 99s...and just in case you are wondering...the 2 digit score is NOT a percentile..(a very common misconception).
The 3 digit score is technically more important since it is a more precise comparison standard...but not all porgrams use it that intensively...many programs have "filters" set (i.e. in terms of to invite for an iv or not) based on the 2 digit score - thanks to the massive number of applications they are getting these days...
Either way, to get an interview..almost everyone above a 95 (just my arbitrary, "gut-feel" number) is in the same boat...now the other factors of the application come into play (observerships, research, time since grad-etc.) and these vary from program to program.
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| coolmavs
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Come on guys, any more views especially with regards to the cut-off opinion expressed above LifeInTheFastLane above.
Edited by coolmavs on 04/27/07 - 11:01 AM
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| doc_droc_apurva
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hmmm. this is very interesting. i didnt know that 236 is the new everest. more and more of my juniors seem to be reporting that the exam is getting tuffer. so is it that they have decreased the 99 cutoff but made the exam tuffer?
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| babydoc4usmle
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if you on on program's web site and read application reqirements, you might notice that for "FMG/IMG" part they use 2-digit number, and in general and ofter they mention "average cut off" point in 3-digit number score...sometimes you will not see it on the same site, but the truth is, that looooong time ago, AMGs had 3-ds, and when IMGs atarted coming they made another scale - 2-ds; and once they put everything together they left both scores (obviousely, you can't say which is "more correct"), so in application for residency you also might find something like "submit both numbers".
as for "different 99s"....it will be pure speculation until we go through next year match...so, buckle up
and have a safe ride
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| LifeInTheFastLane
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Thats not quite the truth: the origin of the 2 digit score has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the arrival of imgs to US, etc.
2 digit score is a scaled score created for some state medical boards since that is the only score they understand. NOt all boards use it - but some do.
Once again, score scalind has nothing to do with how IMGs are scoring. If you notice, your score reports will have a mean and standard deviation (in terms of the 3 digit score)...and if you read carefully, they have edxplicitly mentioned that the mean and SD presented here are solely calculated from scores of AMGs from LCME accredited schools.
Once again, the 2 digit score is not a percentile - it is simply a scaled score where the top number is a 99. If you are interested in finding a percentile - to find out where you stand among the multitudes of exam takers, or just for the heck of it - use the 3 digit score and the given MEan and SD. Calculate z-scores and you will know - (considering the large number of exam takers, you can assume the score distributions to be normal - though ideally I suspect that a lot of skewness exists in the tail-distributions, but given a large n, the CLT applies). Or simpler, especially if you hate math: know the 68-95.5-99.7% rule. If your score is within mean+/- 1 sd - you are below the 68%tile, if it is between mean +/- 1 SD and mean +/- 2SD, its between 68th-95.5 %tile (you can intrapolate depending on your exact score) and if its above mean+/- 2d, you are above the 95th percentile and so on...
Happy head banging with all this math. 
And please forgive the explicit use of stat; unfortunately, I happen to be a too strong believer in the philosophy of statistics and the laws of numbers.
Edited by LifeInTheFastLane on 04/29/07 - 12:22 PM
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| LifeInTheFastLane
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And when again they change the passing score on the step 2 CK, you will notice a similar "re-scaling" of the 2 digit score in terms of the 3 digit one...and a lot of people posting on how the exam has got tougher...
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| babydoc4usmle
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well let me disagree on that, because 68-95.5-99.7% rule applyes to what % falls WITHIN +/- 1-2-3 SD
so, having on hand Mean 217 and SD 23, with score 240, you fall on 84th percentile, not on 68, but you are in 68% of those who did score within 1SD (-/+)
and off course, 2-ds is NOT percentile, no one argues with that
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| LifeInTheFastLane
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hey..am talking of the whole range...not just above mean + 1sd...but +/-..you see i mean the middle-range percentiles...
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| coolmavs
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Thanks for the input guys! Seems like the final consensus is that nobody will know what this new cut-off for 99 will imply, unless we are thru with this year's match which will put to test this new scaling. Also, as babydoc has said, it is time to buckle up and ENJOY the ride!
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| coolmavs
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Also guys, a question for those of you who have been or are studying the process of residency interview process.
Is it true that your score plays a part only upto the point of securing you an interview? After that what happens is based on your interview performance? Also, if we were to go according to the previous 99 standards, did a person with 244 and 99 rank behind a person with 250 and 99 with exactly similar credentials, while selecting candidates for interviews, esp when you are an IMG?
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