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Received Step 1 score today 265(90)!

4K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  Desos 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

This is my first post on this forum and it's really just a quick question. I got my Step 1 score today, 3-digit is 265 (which is what I was aiming for) but my 2-digit score is only a 90... According to the USMLE conversion table though on usmle.org I was under the impression anything greater than a 229 corresponded to a 99... can anyone shed some light on this?
 
#2 ·
The conversion table you are referring to is for scores that were released before September 30th 2011.

Since that date, the NBME has changed the two digit correlation, you can read about that here http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-news/8878-no-more-2-digit-score-scale-usmle-steps.html and here http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-step-1-forum/22505-why-2-digit-scores-relatively-lower.html and here http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...w-two-digit-three-digit-scores-step-2-ck.html and several other threads.

The two digit score won't be considered by residency programs when they rank candidates, they will be looking at three digit scores only.

The best way to tackle this issue, is you completely forget about the two digit score, you have 265, period. Which is an awesome score by the way ;)

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#10 ·
Low 2-digit score does NOT mean easy exam



The 2-digit exam does NOT indicate the level of difficulty of the exam; it is determined by the student's performance on the exam. The 3-digit score is adjusted based on the level of difficulty of the exam taken so that regardless of how easy or hard it was, a 220 on an 'easy' exam is still a 220 on a 'hard' exam, etc.

From what people have been reporting as their 3 and 2-digit scores, I have figured it out to be as follows:

188 = 75 (pass)
Each increase of 5 points on the 3-digit scale = 1 point increase on the 2-digit scale.

Previously it used to be each increase of 1 point on the 3-digit scale = 1 point increase on the 2-digit scale

So for our friend here who got a 223/82 (exactly the same as someone I know who had the test in April making it highly unlikely that both had an 'easy test') [(223-188) / 5 ] + 75 = 7 + 75 = 82

For my exam I got a 265/90, which still works with this calculation: [(265-188)/5] + 75 = 15.4 + 75 = 90.4

The conclusion is still the same, don't bother worrying about the 2-digit score. It won't be reported to the residency programs anymore, only to state boards who I don't think care very much about the score as long as it is a pass.
 
#11 ·
Hi Medstudent23,

This formula works for me too and my step 1 score.

May be more people should post their step 1 score to confirm this formula which Medstudent has proposed and it may be beneficial to those who have not yet passed the test to set their right targets
 
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