Health Professions Scholarship Program: are the armed forces getting quality osteopathic physicians?
To compare the medical knowledge and reasoning of osteopathic medical students in the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) with corresponding civilian students, we analyzed their performance on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) levels 1 and 2. The results from this study showed no significant difference between that HPSP medical students (COMLEX-USA level 1, N = 37; COMLEX-USA level 2, N = 34) and civilian students (COMLEX-USA level 1, N = 507; COMLEX-USA level 2, N = 492) on COMLEX-USA level 1 (p = 0.24) and COMLEX-USA level 2 (p = 0.50). Moreover, no significant difference was observed between Air Force (COMLEX-USA level 1, N = 8; COMLEX-USA level 2, N = 6), Army (COMLEX-USA level 1, N = 13; COMLEX-USA level 2, N = 13), and Navy (COMLEX-USA level 1, N = 16; COMLEX-USA level 2, N = 15) HPSP students for COMLEX-USA level 1 (p = 0.42) and COMLEX-USA level 2 (p = 0.75). Therefore, we conclude that, upon graduation from medical school, the medical knowledge and reasoning of HPSP osteopathic graduates as determined by COMLEX-USA are equivalent to those of their civilian counterparts.
Forester
Joseph P
JP
Department of Anatomy, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Health Sciences, 1750 Independence Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64106, USA.
McWhorter
David L
DL
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010021:Osteopathic Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States