Table 2 Comparison of USLME Step 1 disciplines scoring ≤ − 0.20 standard deviations (SD) below the national mean and areas of curricular insufficiency identified by students using the closed-ended scale “yes, no, not sure”-, and their response to the open-ended question to students’ performance on Step 1 examination
USMLE Step 1 Discipline (Students’ Performance (− 0.20 SD) | Insufficiency of Disciplines Identified by closed-ended questions (percent of Students Responding “No” to closed-ended questions) | Insufficiency identified by the open-ended question (percent of students identifying area as insufficient) |
|---|---|---|
Behavioral Sciences (− 0.20) | Biostatistics and Epidemiology (56%) | Behavioral sciences (28%) |
Biochemistry (− 0.30) | Biochemistry (71%) | Biochemistry (59%) |
Genetics (− 0.38) | Genetics (42%) | |
Gross Anatomy and Embryology (−0.43) | Embryology (49%) | Gross Anatomy and Embryology (35%) |
Histology and Cell Biology (−0.20) | Molecular Biology (30%)/Cell Biology (47%) | |
Pathology (−0.20) | ||
Pharmacology (−0.23) | Pharmacology (41%) | Pharmacology (32%) |
Physiology (−0.25) | Physiology (21%) | |