Data used in a major review of the system for reporting scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) are presented and discussed. The data demonstrated the value of the current score-reporting system and led to retention of the 15-point MCAT score scale in 1991. (Author/MSE)

The Clinical Skills Assessment Examination was constructed to test the clinical skills of foreign medical graduates. A pilot test of 635 foreign graduates, including 35 United States citizens, and 123 graduates of U.S. medical schools found 28 percent of foreign graduates deficient in clinical skills, consistent with previous research. (MSE)

Major changes in the content and format, standard-setting procedures, and score reporting policies in the National Board of Medical Examiners' comprehensive Part I examination are described. The phase-in of the United States Medical Licensing Examination and implications for score use are also discussed. (Author/MSE)

The school of medicine of the University of Missouri--Kansas City developed the Quarterly Profile Examination, a schoolwide, longitudinal comprehensive examination of knowledge acquisition and retention, to satisfy internal and external requirements for assessment. The system is seen as effective in fostering problem-based and independent learning…

The discussion of score reporting methods to be used in new versions of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examination defines selected aspects of score reporting, outlines the use of scores, and examines the potential for misuse by medical schools and in resident selection. An NBME opinion poll is reported. (Author/MSE)

A study investigating possible sex bias, concerning both student and standardized-patient genders, in an objective structured clinical examination found that neither men nor women were afforded an advantage by patient or test location. However, women's scores on tests administered by females were higher than corresponding men's scores. (MSE)

A study investigated test-taking patterns and pass rates on the National Board of Medical Examiners test (NBME) and Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS), including trends in pass rates, proportion of candidates taking each test, and proportions of repeaters for each test. (MSE)

A study investigated the performance of 6 successive medical school classes on 80 standardized-patient case examinations, looking for effects of student or standardized-patient gender on scores. Results showed no interaction of any practical consequence. Cases with gender-related concern (e.g., breast problems) also did not differentiate between…

A study investigated whether the more efficiently graded extended-matching questions were equivalent to short-answer questions in evaluating medical students' (n=98) ability to elicit physical findings and generate diagnoses and treatment plans, using standardized-patient examinations. The differences found in the two question types did not favor…

Standardized tests have been introduced to promote more uniform measurements of cognitive abilities and science achievement. With faculty redirecting their efforts to conform to the design and content of standardized tests, tests like the National Board of Medical Examiners examinations, have begun to direct the content of medical education. (MLW)

A study assessed the feasibility of sequential testing of medical students using standardized patients. Sequential testing passes students who score well on the first segment of the test thus eliminating additional student-standardized patient encounters. Subjects were six classes of Southern Illinois University students (n=404). Results strongly…

The appropriateness of using Steps 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to make individual academic decisions and the appropriateness of determining course grades with scores from the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) subject tests are examined. Underlying philosophical and psychometric assumptions are…

It is proposed that, despite the fact that no large body of data from the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is available, predictive validity of National Board of Medical Examiners test scores supports use of USMLE scores for screening potential new medical residents. (Author/MSE)

A survey of 12 constituencies (totaling 2,288 respondents) concerning the National Board of Medical Examiners' (NBME) comprehensive Part I and Part II examinations revealed support for more even distribution of fail rates across examinations, support for a fixed standard, and favorable reaction to setting standards based on review of examination…

Performance of senior medical students on an objectively scored examination of clinical competence based on standardized-patient cases was used to assess the predictive validity of the two most commonly used admission measures. The measures were found useful for selecting students successful in both clinical and basic science settings. (Author/MSE)