Document Detail


Dropping the shelf examination: does it affect student performance on the United States Medical Licensure Examination Step 2?
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  16026190     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: Does use of the pediatric shelf examination affect students' performance on the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step 2 pediatric subtest? METHODS: The National Board of Medical Examiners Pediatrics Subject Examination (NBMEPSE) was used as the pediatric clerkship final examination at Brown Medical School through the 1996-97 academic year. The NBMEPSE was dropped in July 1997. Students' mean scores for the pediatric subtest of the USMLE Step 2 were compared for the years before and after the NBMEPSE was dropped. Performance on the internal medicine subtest of the USMLE Step 2 examination was used as a control because the National Board of Medical Examiners Internal Medicine Subject Examination (NBMEIMSE) remained the final examination in the internal-medicine clerkship. RESULTS: USMLE Step 2 scores trended upward from 1993 to 2003. From 1993 to 1997, Brown medical students performed above the US/Canadian mean on both the USMLE Step 2 pediatrics and internal medicine subtests as well as on the overall examination. Students performed at or just below the mean on both the USMLE Step 2 pediatrics and internal medicine subtests from 1998 to 2001. CONCLUSIONS: Dropping the shelf examination coincided with a decrease in performance on the USMLE Step 2 pediatric subtest in comparison with the US/Canadian mean. Similar decreases in performance in overall and USMLE Step 2 internal medicine subtest scores also occurred. Numerous confounding variables make it difficult to determine the effect of the shelf exam on Step 2 performance.
Authors:
Randy M Rockney; Robin G Allister
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association     Volume:  5     ISSN:  1530-1567     ISO Abbreviation:  Ambul Pediatr     Publication Date:    2005 Jul-Aug
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2005-07-19     Completed Date:  2005-08-18     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101089367     Medline TA:  Ambul Pediatr     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  240-3     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA. randal_rockney@brown.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Canada
Clinical Clerkship / standards*
Curriculum
Educational Measurement*
Humans
Internal Medicine / education*,  standards
Licensure, Medical*
Pediatrics / education*,  standards
Rhode Island
Schools, Medical
Specialty Boards*
United States

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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