Usage of the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Test in Psychiatry by U.S. and Canadian clerkships.
OBJECTIVE
The authors explored psychiatry clerkship usage of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Subject Test.


METHODS
U.S. and Canadian psychiatry clerkship directors (N=150) were sent an 18-item questionnaire surveying evaluation and remediation practices.


RESULTS
Of 111 questionnaires (74%) returned, 76 (69%) reported using the NBME Subject Test. As part of the overall grade, the test was granted a mean weight of 31% and a median weight of 25%. Of 72 clerkship directors who use the test for grading, 42% convert the percentile score and 38% convert the subject score. Of 60 clerkship directors who use the test for passing, 72% convert the raw score (mean=58.3, median=58), and 28% convert the percentile score (mean=12.2(th), median=11(th) percentile).


CONCLUSIONS
Most psychiatry clerkship directors use the NBME Subject Test, but no predominant method exists for weighing the test or converting it into a grade.
Levine
Ruth E
RE
University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Psychiatry, 301 University Blvd., Route 0193, Galveston, TX 77555-0193, USA. rlevine@utmb.edu
Carlson
David L
DL
Rosenthal
Renate H
RH
Clegg
Kathleen A
KA
Crosby
Ross D
RD
D002170:Canada; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners / Q000193:education*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D013044:Specialty Boards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States