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Education| Volume 52, ISSUE 2, P216-222, February 2017

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Correlation Between United States Medical Licensing Examination and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Scores for Applicants to a Dually Approved Emergency Medicine Residency

Published:November 15, 2016DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.06.060
Correlation Between United States Medical Licensing Examination and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Scores for Applicants to a Dually Approved Emergency Medicine Residency
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      Abstract

      Background

      It is important for emergency medicine (EM) residency programs to be able to correlate the United States (US) Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) scores of applicants.

      Objective

      We sought to determine the correlation between USMLE and COMLEX scores for EM residency applicants.

      Methods

      Retrospectively, from 2006 through 2013, USMLE and COMLEX examination scores for applicants to our 4-year, 56-member, dually approved EM residency were analyzed. Using the COMLEX score as the outcome variable and USMLE score as the predictor, multiple linear regression models, stratified by test step, were created.

      Results

      There were 556 students representing 25 discrete medical schools included. Pair 1 consisted of applicants submitting COMLEX Level-1 and USMLE Step-1 scores (n = 486). Pair 2 were those with COMLEX Level-2 and USMLE Step-2 scores (n = 356). For Pair 1, mean, standard deviation, and median scores on the COMLEX were 551, 69, and 548, respectively; for the USMLE, scores were 216, 16, and 217, respectively. Results for Pair 2 on COMLEX were 566, 80, and 562, respectively; USMLE results were 228, 18, and 229, respectively. A strong correlation was observed for Pair 1 (r = 0.78; p < 0.001). A 1-point increase in USMLE Step-1 is associated with a 3.55-point increase in the COMLEX Level-1 score (β = 3.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.30–3.80; p < 0.001). A similar strong correlation was observed for Pair 2 (r = 0.72; p < 0.001), where a 1-point increase in USMLE Step-2 is associated with a 3.29-point increase in the COMLEX Level-2 score (β = 3.29; 95% CI 2.96–3.62; p < 0.001).

      Conclusions

      A strong positive correlation between Steps 1 and 2 of the USMLE and COMLEX was found.

      Keywords

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      Article info

      Publication history

      Published online: November 15, 2016
      Accepted: June 2, 2016
      Received in revised form: November 19, 2015
      Received: September 22, 2015

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.06.060

      Copyright

      © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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