RELATIONSHIPS OF READING, MCAT, AND USMLE STEP 1 TEST RESULTS FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS

Students (N = 730) took the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (current forms G or H) during orientation to medical school. Stepwise regression analyses showed the Nelson-Denny Reading Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Rate were significant predictors of MCAT (taken prior to admission to medical school) verbal reasoning. Reading Vocabulary was a significant predictor of USMLE Step 1 score (taken at the end of the second year of medical school). Pearson correlation analyses demonstrated significant positive relationships among the various subtests of the three instruments. The significant positive relationships between reading test performance and the MCAT and USMLE for medical students have been shown across regions of the country and two decades of time. An extremely modest investment of financial and time resources in a reading test can yield disproportionate dividends for medical programs.