Last week, the NBME released a statement shining some new light on how the USMLE Step 1 pass/fail change is rolling out. In particular, they spoke to the Comprehensive Basic Science Exam (CBSE) and Comprehensive Basic Science Self Assessment (CBSSA) are transitioning to pass/fail reporting.
Dr. Stephens breaks down the coming changes, reviews how the CBSEs and CBSSAs will help you assess your probability of passing the USMLE Step 1, how your performance insights will be shared, and more.
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What’s Changing on the CBSEs and CBSSAs:
We’ve included the official update below for reference, and to save you time, here’s the Cliff Notes version: Come mid to late February 2022, CBSEs and CBSSAs will no longer report a three-digit score. Instead, they will report the overall percentage correct as well as provide an estimated probability of passing the USMLE Step 1. With this change, they will continue to give breakdown of performance by content area as they have on the numerical score reports.
How This Impacts Your USMLE Step 1 Studies:
While we await formal word from the NBME regarding whether the passing benchmark for the USMLE Step 1 (which currently is designated with the passing score of 194) is going to be raised, the good news is that the core piece of these assessments is still in tact.
Whether you’re studying on your own or working with a tutor, you will still be able to look at your performance breakdown by content area to get a clearer understanding of where your strengths and weaknesses lie. With that knowledge, you can study smarter not harder, and tailor your continued efforts to the areas that need refinement the most.
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Read the Official Update:
Upcoming Score Report Changes for the Comprehensive Basic Science Examination and Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment
