Thread: TAKING the STEP

While in 5th we had to send in our paperwork to ECFMG and the school has to verify that we are indeed students. I filled out my paperwork about halfway through the semester and the school took about 4 weeks to verify everything. I think overall the registration took about 8 weeks so I guess it's possible to take the Step while in 5th.

As far as will the school let you, I have no idea. Personally if you play your cards right you can utilize 5th semester to study for your step and take it right after 5th.

isn't Ross's passing score from the comp a 64? (which is an equivalent to a pass or a 185 on the step) why would you rush taking the step if you haven't passed the comp?

Between now and March which is when I want to take it, all I'm doing is studying. So I'll be more than prepared. Plus I got a 63 on this COMP so I'm not worried about passing the STEP one bit after I prep for it.

matt what is a 99% on the step? 240 or 260?

im not matt but 99% varies each time the step is taken since its a percentile... it can be as low as 235 or even high as 245-250. i know people that have gotten 99's and it does vary each time

hindu sounds about right, it varies

Actually the two digit score is not a percentile. I've read up entensively on this and my eyes cross everytime because it's a Mystery. Basically once you hit 230 your double diit score becomes 99. So technically you can make a 335 and have a 99 and someone who took the test beside you can make a 260 and also have a 99. It's bizarre. But over and over again I have read from the USMLE writers that the double digit score is not a percentile.

There is a lecturer (for Kaplan) who also explained it in biostats and he said most people carry the misconception that the double digit score is a percentile..he then went on to explain the system at which time my eyes glazed over again.

it's also a mystery on what percentage you must get or how many questions correct to pass...

Actually the two digit score is not a percentile. I've read up entensively on this and my eyes cross everytime because it's a Mystery. Basically once you hit 230 your double diit score becomes 99.

It varies, depending on the year. In 2006, a 239 was the beginning of the 99-range.

Very few residency programs look at the two-digit score. In fact, when you rotate with American medical students, all of them use only their 3-digit score. I've met AMG residents who have no idea what I'm talking about when I tell them I got a 95 on Step 1. The two-digit score is a relic from an era when the laws in various states used two different systems to determine eligibility for licensure.

So technically you can make a 335 and have a 99 and someone who took the test beside you can make a 260 and also have a 99. It's bizarre. But over and over again I have read from the USMLE writers that the double digit score is not a percentile.

The two digit score is based roughly on how your performance compares to a standardized sample of American second year students who took the exam during the same period as you. It is neither a percentage nor a percentile and it's totally useless because you can't use it to determine percentile. The three digit score has a better correlation to the number of questions you answered correctly on the exam and can be used to determine percentile:

If someone got a 230 on Step 1, given a mean of 218 and standard deviation of 23, you can use (230-218)/23 to get the z-score of 0.52. Stick that in a z-score table and you get 19.85.

50+19.85 = 69.85

All this means that someone who got a 230 on Step 1 is around the 70th percentile - and did better than ~70% of second year students in American schools.

Hope this helps.