title: Correlation of the NBME advanced clinical examination in EM and the national EM M4 exams.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since 2011 two online, validated exams for fourth-year emergency medicine (EM) students have been available (National EM M4 Exams). In 2013 the National Board of Medical Examiners offered the Advanced Clinical Examination in Emergency Medicine (EM-ACE). All of these exams are now in widespread use; however, there are no data on how they correlate. This study evaluated the correlation between the EM-ACE exam and the National EM M4 Exams.
  
  
  METHODS
  From May 2013 to April 2014 the EM-ACE and one version of the EM M4 exam were administered sequentially to fourth-year EM students at five U.S. medical schools. Data collected included institution, gross and scaled scores and version of the EM M4 exam. We performed Pearson's correlation and random effects linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  305 students took the EM-ACE and versions 1 (V1) or 2 (V2) of the EM M4 exams (281 and 24, respectively) [corrected].The mean percent correct for the exams were as follows: EM-ACE 74.9 (SD-9.82), V1 83.0 (SD-6.39), V2 78.5 (SD-7.70) [corrected]. Pearson's correlation coefficient for the V1/EM-ACE was 0.53 (0.43 scaled) and for the V2/EM-ACE was 0.58 (0.41 scaled) [corrected]. The coefficient of determination for V1/ EM-ACE was 0.73 and for V2/EM-ACE 0.71 (0.65 and .49 for scaled scores) [ERRATUM]. The R-squared values were 0.28 and 0.30 (0.18 and 0.13 scaled), respectively [corrected]. There was significant cluster effect by institution.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was moderate positive correlation of student scores on the EM-ACE exam and the National EM M4 Exams.
authors: University of Arizona, Department of Emergency Medicine, Tucson, Arizona.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Hiller
authors: Harvard University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Emily S
authors: ES
authors: Miller
authors: Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors: Luan
authors: L
authors: Lawson
authors: Temple University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Wald
authors: Northeastern Ohio Medical University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Rootstown, Ohio.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Beeson
authors: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Roanoke, Virginia.
authors: Corey
authors: C
authors: Heitz
authors: University of Florida Health Sciences Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Morrissey
authors: University of Michigan School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: House
authors: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Dayton, Ohio.
authors: Stacey
authors: S
authors: Poznanski
mesh_terms: D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States