title: Preparing to take the USMLE Step 1: a survey on medical students' self-reported study habits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The USA Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 is a computerised multiple-choice examination that tests the basic biomedical sciences. It is administered after the second year in a traditional four-year MD programme. Most Step 1 scores fall between 140 and 260, with a mean (SD) of 227 (22). Step 1 scores are an important selection criterion for residency choice. Little is known about which study habits are associated with a higher score.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify which self-reported study habits correlate with a higher Step 1 score.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey regarding Step 1 study habits was sent to third year medical students at Tulane University School of Medicine every year between 2009 and 2011. The survey was sent approximately 3 months after the examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  256 out of 475 students (54%) responded. The mean (SD) Step 1 score was 229.5 (22.1). Students who estimated studying more than 8-11 h per day had higher scores (p<0.05), but there was no added benefit with additional study time. Those who reported studying <40 days achieved higher scores (p<0.05). Those who estimated completing >2000 practice questions also obtained higher scores (p<0.01). Students who reported studying in a group, spending the majority of study time on practice questions or taking >40 preparation days did not achieve higher scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain self-reported study habits may correlate with a higher Step 1 score compared with others. Given the importance of achieving a high Step 1 score on residency choice, it is important to further identify which characteristics may lead to a higher score.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
authors.forename: Andre D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
authors.forename: Monisha K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jason H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Maley
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evron
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gyftopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: BASIC SCIENCES; EDUCATION & TRAINING (see Medical Education & Training); MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING