title: Are study strategies related to medical licensing exam performance?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between study strategies and performance on a high stakes medical licensing exam entitled the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1.
  
  
  METHODS
  The action research project included seventy nine student participants at the Texas A & M Health Science Center College of Medicine during their pre-clinical education. Data collection included pre-matriculation and matriculation academic performance data, standardized exam data, and the Learning and Study Strategies Instrument. Multiple regression analyses were conducted. For both models, the dependent variable was the Step 1 score, and the independent variables included Medical College Admission Test, Undergraduate Grade Point Average, Year 1 Average, Year 2 Average, Customized National Board of Medical Examiners Average, Comprehensive Basic Science Exam score, and Learning and Study Strategy Instrument sub-scores. Model 2 added Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment average.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concentration (Model 1 - β = .264; Model 2 - β = .254) was the only study strategy correlated with Step 1 performance. The other statistically significant predictors were Customized National Board of Medical Examiners Average (β = .315) and Year 2 Average (β = .280) in Model 1 and Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment Average (β = .338) in Model 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There does appear to be a relationship between the study strategy concentration and Step 1 licensing exam performance. Teaching students to practice and utilize certain techniques to improve concentration skills when preparing for and taking exams may help improve licensing exam scores.
authors.affiliation: Office of Medical Education, Department of Internal Medicine, Texas A & M University, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Office of Medical Education, Department of Internal Medicine, Texas A & M University, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.affiliation: Office of Medical Education, Texas A & M University, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Office of Medical Education, Department of Internal Medicine, Texas A & M University, Health Science Center, College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058013:Test Taking Skills / Q000379:methods*; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States
keywords: Study strategie; academic performance; medical licensing exam