| Are United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1 and 2 scores valid measures for postgraduate medical residency selection decisions? | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 21099388 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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PURPOSE: United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores are frequently used by residency program directors when evaluating applicants. The objectives of this report are to study the chain of reasoning and evidence that underlies the use of USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores for postgraduate medical resident selection decisions and to evaluate the validity argument about the utility of USMLE scores for this purpose. METHOD: This is a research synthesis using the critical review approach. The study first describes the chain of reasoning that underlies a validity argument about using test scores for a specific purpose. It continues by summarizing correlations of USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores and reliable measures of clinical skill acquisition drawn from nine studies involving 393 medical learners from 2005 to 2010. The integrity of the validity argument about using USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores for postgraduate residency selection decisions is tested. RESULTS: The research synthesis shows that USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores are not correlated with reliable measures of medical students', residents', and fellows' clinical skill acquisition. CONCLUSIONS: The validity argument about using USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores for postgraduate residency selection decisions is neither structured, coherent, nor evidence based. The USMLE score validity argument breaks down on grounds of extrapolation and decision/interpretation because the scores are not associated with measures of clinical skill acquisition among advanced medical students, residents, and subspecialty fellows. Continued use of USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores for postgraduate medical residency selection decisions is discouraged. |
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Authors:
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William C McGaghie; Elaine R Cohen; Diane B Wayne |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges Volume: 86 ISSN: 1938-808X ISO Abbreviation: Acad Med Publication Date: 2011 Jan |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-12-30 Completed Date: 2011-03-22 Revised Date: 2011-08-16 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8904605 Medline TA: Acad Med Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 48-52 Citation Subset: AIM; IM |
Affiliation:
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Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education and Faculty Development, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611-3008, USA. wcmc@northwestern.edu |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Education, Medical, Continuing
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methods* Educational Measurement Humans Internship and Residency / methods* Licensure, Medical* Retrospective Studies Students, Medical* United States |
| Grant Support | |
ID/Acronym/Agency:
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UL1 RR025741/RR/NCRR NIH HHS |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
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Acad Med. 2011 Jul;86(7):793; author reply 794
[PMID:
21715987
]
Acad Med. 2011 Jul;86(7):793-4; author reply 794 [PMID: 21715986 ] |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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