Medical licensure examination scores: relationship to obstetrics and gynecology examination scores

OBJECTIVE: We studied the correlations between both Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) and the National Board of Medical Examiners Obstetrics and Gynecology Examination (NBME-OB/GYN). METHODS: From July 1994 until June 2001, all third-year medical students at Texas Tech University Health Center at Amarillo were studied. The scores from the first attempts for the three examinations were obtained. We investigated for correlations between the examination scores and the score extremes. RESULTS: A total of 258 students were evaluated. The mean USMLE Step 1 score was 203.7; mean score for Step 2 was 205.0. The NBME-OB/GYN final examination was 86.0. We found linear correlations between the NBME-OB/GYN and the USMLE Step 1 ( r = .463, P < .001) and USMLE Step 2 ( r = .595, P < .001), as well as between the USMLE Steps 1 and 2 ( r = .666 P < .001). Students failing the USMLE Step 1 were more likely to fail their USMLE Step 2 (relative risk [RR] 9.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1, 41.0]) and/or the NBME-OB/GYN (RR 3.3 [95% CI 1.03, 10.8]). Students scoring in the lowest 25th percentile of the NBME-OB/GYN were more likely to fail the USMLE Step 2. CONCLUSION: Both USMLE Steps 1 and 2 correlated with the NBME-OB/GYN scores, as well as with each other. Students failing either the USMLE Step 1 or NBME-OB/GYN were more likely to fail the USMLE Step 2. The use of this information could predict students at risk for low scores on future examinations.