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% of questions to pass step2ck



 
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Limbico
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PostPosted : Wed Jun 07, 2006    Post subject:

% of questions to pass step2ck

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what is the % of correct questions to pass and to get more than 90???
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root
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Joined: 12 Feb 2005
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posting in usmle forum about USMLE Step 2 CK

PostPosted : Wed Jun 07, 2006    Post subject:

Re: % of questions to pass step2ck

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Limbico wrote:
what is the % of correct questions to pass and to get more than 90???


It depends. The american system uses a complicated math. There are different sets of question papers, each of these question sets are graded accordingly based on American students performance.

To explain it little better, consider there are two sets of usmle papers. In one, a good American medical student gets 90% right and in another set, similar ly qualified American medical student gets 70% correct. The USMLE makes the gradation to say ->

90% in first set is equal to 85% in USMLE score and 70% in second set is equal to 85% in USMLE score, effectively grading similarly qualified American students with the same marks. Multiple question sets are used so that question leaking ratio remains low.

For an international student, this math is more complicated. For example, if only 10% of American students score more than 90, then USMLE will allow only 10% of International student to have same marks. It doesnot matter , if the International students have cumulatively higher percentage of answers correct.

So for an international student, there is no way to really know much percentage of answers should be correct. In the years when American students will have lesser number of questions correct, then an IMG with more correct answers will score higher. But the same IMG with the same performance will score lower if American medical students will get more answers right.

This has been done so that if more brilliant IMGs wish to come to US in a single year doesnot rob American students off the residency oppurtunities.

[Please note: this is my understanding of the USMLE gradation and not the official USMLE scoring technique. The matter remains highly confidential with them.]
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