Cole Bird BS , Kerilyn N. Godbe MD , Niaman Nazir MD, MPH , Sterling Braun MD , Rebecca Farmer MD, PhD , Richard Korentager MD
{"title":"倾斜天平:量化USMLE第1步合格/不合格评分对综合整形手术匹配应用解释的影响","authors":"Cole Bird BS , Kerilyn N. Godbe MD , Niaman Nazir MD, MPH , Sterling Braun MD , Rebecca Farmer MD, PhD , Richard Korentager MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jsurg.2025.103625","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The United States Medical Licensing Exam® (USMLE®) Step 1 exam implemented pass/fail scoring to \"create a more holistic residency application selection process.” We aimed to assess whether this transition favored holistic review or redirected emphasis to other metrics.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Quantifiable data from 330 Plastic Surgery Common Applications (PSCAs) submitted to a single academic center were collected. Applicants were stratified into 2 groups based on numeric or pass/fail Step 1 score. Logistic regression was performed for each group to assess the odds of matching based on quantifiable application components.</div></div><div><h3>Setting</h3><div>2023-2024 Match cycle.</div></div><div><h3>Participants</h3><div>330 integrated plastic surgery applicants.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 137 applications reported numeric Step 1 scores, while 193 reported pass/fail scores. For applicants with a numeric Step 1 score, the factors most predictive of matching were Step 2 score >265 (OR 159 [95% CI, 6.6-999], Step 1 Score between 240 and 250 (OR 21.8 [95% CI, 4.8-98.6]), and being a U.S. citizen (OR 21.1 [95% CI, 3.9-116]). Letter of recommendation numeric strength (OR 11.0 [95% CI, 2.7-45.6]) was also a significant match predictor, followed by more than 16 podium presentations (OR 10.8 [95% CI, 2.6-45.5]). In comparison, for students with pass/fail Step 1 scores, there were only 3 significant factors that predicted a successful match: strength of recommendation letters (OR 3.7 [95% CI, 1.8-7.6]), Alpha Omega Alpha society membership (OR 3.2 [95% CI, 1.3-7.7]), and graduation from a U.S News and World Report top 40 medical school in research (OR 3.0 [95% CI, 1.5-6.1]).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>For applicants with a numeric Step 1 score, Step 1 and 2 scores remained the most critical match factors. In comparison, letter of recommendation strength and graduation from a top 40 medical school were most important for applicants with pass/fail scoring, indicating a shift toward other application metrics following the scoring change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Surgical Education","volume":"82 9","pages":"Article 103625"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Tipping the Scales: Quantifying the Impact of USMLE Step 1 Pass/Fail Scoring on Application Interpretation in the Integrated Plastic Surgery Match\",\"authors\":\"Cole Bird BS , Kerilyn N. Godbe MD , Niaman Nazir MD, MPH , Sterling Braun MD , Rebecca Farmer MD, PhD , Richard Korentager MD\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.jsurg.2025.103625\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The United States Medical Licensing Exam® (USMLE®) Step 1 exam implemented pass/fail scoring to \\\"create a more holistic residency application selection process.” We aimed to assess whether this transition favored holistic review or redirected emphasis to other metrics.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Quantifiable data from 330 Plastic Surgery Common Applications (PSCAs) submitted to a single academic center were collected. Applicants were stratified into 2 groups based on numeric or pass/fail Step 1 score. Logistic regression was performed for each group to assess the odds of matching based on quantifiable application components.</div></div><div><h3>Setting</h3><div>2023-2024 Match cycle.</div></div><div><h3>Participants</h3><div>330 integrated plastic surgery applicants.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 137 applications reported numeric Step 1 scores, while 193 reported pass/fail scores. For applicants with a numeric Step 1 score, the factors most predictive of matching were Step 2 score >265 (OR 159 [95% CI, 6.6-999], Step 1 Score between 240 and 250 (OR 21.8 [95% CI, 4.8-98.6]), and being a U.S. citizen (OR 21.1 [95% CI, 3.9-116]). Letter of recommendation numeric strength (OR 11.0 [95% CI, 2.7-45.6]) was also a significant match predictor, followed by more than 16 podium presentations (OR 10.8 [95% CI, 2.6-45.5]). In comparison, for students with pass/fail Step 1 scores, there were only 3 significant factors that predicted a successful match: strength of recommendation letters (OR 3.7 [95% CI, 1.8-7.6]), Alpha Omega Alpha society membership (OR 3.2 [95% CI, 1.3-7.7]), and graduation from a U.S News and World Report top 40 medical school in research (OR 3.0 [95% CI, 1.5-6.1]).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>For applicants with a numeric Step 1 score, Step 1 and 2 scores remained the most critical match factors. In comparison, letter of recommendation strength and graduation from a top 40 medical school were most important for applicants with pass/fail scoring, indicating a shift toward other application metrics following the scoring change.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":50033,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Journal of Surgical Education\",\"volume\":\"82 9\",\"pages\":\"Article 103625\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":2.1000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-07-21\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Journal of Surgical Education\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1931720425002065\",\"RegionNum\":3,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Surgical Education","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1931720425002065","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Tipping the Scales: Quantifying the Impact of USMLE Step 1 Pass/Fail Scoring on Application Interpretation in the Integrated Plastic Surgery Match
Objective
The United States Medical Licensing Exam® (USMLE®) Step 1 exam implemented pass/fail scoring to "create a more holistic residency application selection process.” We aimed to assess whether this transition favored holistic review or redirected emphasis to other metrics.
Design
Quantifiable data from 330 Plastic Surgery Common Applications (PSCAs) submitted to a single academic center were collected. Applicants were stratified into 2 groups based on numeric or pass/fail Step 1 score. Logistic regression was performed for each group to assess the odds of matching based on quantifiable application components.
Setting
2023-2024 Match cycle.
Participants
330 integrated plastic surgery applicants.
Results
A total of 137 applications reported numeric Step 1 scores, while 193 reported pass/fail scores. For applicants with a numeric Step 1 score, the factors most predictive of matching were Step 2 score >265 (OR 159 [95% CI, 6.6-999], Step 1 Score between 240 and 250 (OR 21.8 [95% CI, 4.8-98.6]), and being a U.S. citizen (OR 21.1 [95% CI, 3.9-116]). Letter of recommendation numeric strength (OR 11.0 [95% CI, 2.7-45.6]) was also a significant match predictor, followed by more than 16 podium presentations (OR 10.8 [95% CI, 2.6-45.5]). In comparison, for students with pass/fail Step 1 scores, there were only 3 significant factors that predicted a successful match: strength of recommendation letters (OR 3.7 [95% CI, 1.8-7.6]), Alpha Omega Alpha society membership (OR 3.2 [95% CI, 1.3-7.7]), and graduation from a U.S News and World Report top 40 medical school in research (OR 3.0 [95% CI, 1.5-6.1]).
Conclusion
For applicants with a numeric Step 1 score, Step 1 and 2 scores remained the most critical match factors. In comparison, letter of recommendation strength and graduation from a top 40 medical school were most important for applicants with pass/fail scoring, indicating a shift toward other application metrics following the scoring change.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Surgical Education (JSE) is dedicated to advancing the field of surgical education through original research. The journal publishes research articles in all surgical disciplines on topics relative to the education of surgical students, residents, and fellows, as well as practicing surgeons. Our readers look to JSE for timely, innovative research findings from the international surgical education community. As the official journal of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS), JSE publishes the proceedings of the annual APDS meeting held during Surgery Education Week.