title: United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 Scores Predict Neuroradiology Fellowship Success.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many neuroradiology programs use United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores to assess fellowship candidates. The authors hypothesized that because they are taken several years before fellowship, USMLE scores would correlate poorly with success in fellowship training as measured by faculty evaluations.
  
  
  METHODS
  USMLE scores from 10 years of neuroradiology fellows (n = 73) were compared with their cumulative mean E*Value scores from their fellowship years and their best-to-worst rankings within their fellowship years. If available, subspecialty certification scores were also factored as an outcome. Linear correlation and regression analyses were performed adjusting for gender, medical school site, and practice setting after fellowship.
  
  
  RESULTS
  USMLE Step 1, 2, and 3 scores were available for 69, 64, and 56 fellows, respectively. Fellowship E*Value scores and rankings showed statistically significant (P < .05) correlations with all USMLE scores, but most strongly for Step 1 scores and E*Value grade (r = 0.443) and rank (r = 0.370). The mean USMLE Step 1 score of the top-ranked fellows (234.5) was significantly higher than that of the bottom-ranked fellows (217.7). The correlations of E*Value score and rank with USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores remained after adjusting for gender and American versus foreign medical school, but the medical school site attended also was an independent predictor of fellowship evaluations. Subspecialty certification scores did not show correlations but were underpowered (n = 28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores correlated significantly with success in neuroradiology fellowship, measured by faculty assessments of the six core competencies. Using the scores as a means of assessing candidates for positions is justified.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Ilyssa J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Yousem
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Nafi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aygun
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: dyousem1@jhu.edu.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yousem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002568:Certification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008007:Licensure, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009462:Neurology / Q000193:education*; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Fellowship; USMLE; evaluation; neuroradiology