The impact of postgraduate training and timing on USMLE Step 3 performance.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the extent to which differences in clinical experience, gained in postgraduate training programs, affect performance on Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).


METHODS
Subjects in the study were 36,805 U.S. and Canadian medical school graduates who took USMLE Step 3 for the first time between November 1999 and December 2002. Regression analyses examined the relation between length and type of postgraduate training and Step 3 score after controlling for prior performance on previous USMLE examinations.


RESULTS
Results indicate that postgraduate training in programs that provide exposure to a broad range of patient problems, and continued training in such areas, improves performance on Step 3.


CONCLUSIONS
Study data reaffirm the validity of the USMLE Step 3 examination, and the information found in the pattern of results across specialties may be useful to residents and program directors.
Sawhill
Amy J
AJ
National Board of Medical Examiners, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. asawhill@nbme.org
Dillon
Gerard F
GF
Ripkey
Douglas R
DR
Hawkins
Richard E
RE
Swanson
David B
DB
D002170:Canada; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States