title: Correlation Between United States Medical Licensing Examination and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Scores for Applicants to a Dually Approved Emergency Medicine Residency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is important for emergency medicine (EM) residency programs to be able to correlate the United States (US) Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) scores of applicants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the correlation between USMLE and COMLEX scores for EM residency applicants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospectively, from 2006 through 2013, USMLE and COMLEX examination scores for applicants to our 4-year, 56-member, dually approved EM residency were analyzed. Using the COMLEX score as the outcome variable and USMLE score as the predictor, multiple linear regression models, stratified by test step, were created.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 556 students representing 25 discrete medical schools included. Pair 1 consisted of applicants submitting COMLEX Level-1 and USMLE Step-1 scores (n = 486). Pair 2 were those with COMLEX Level-2 and USMLE Step-2 scores (n = 356). For Pair 1, mean, standard deviation, and median scores on the COMLEX were 551, 69, and 548, respectively; for the USMLE, scores were 216, 16, and 217, respectively. Results for Pair 2 on COMLEX were 566, 80, and 562, respectively; USMLE results were 228, 18, and 229, respectively. A strong correlation was observed for Pair 1 (r = 0.78; p < 0.001). A 1-point increase in USMLE Step-1 is associated with a 3.55-point increase in the COMLEX Level-1 score (β = 3.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.30-3.80; p < 0.001). A similar strong correlation was observed for Pair 2 (r = 0.72; p < 0.001), where a 1-point increase in USMLE Step-2 is associated with a 3.29-point increase in the COMLEX Level-2 score (β = 3.29; 95% CI 2.96-3.62; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A strong positive correlation between Steps 1 and 2 of the USMLE and COMLEX was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Kathleen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yenser
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Kevin R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Gavin C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Terrence E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Goyke
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Shawn M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Worrilow
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Andre J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Burckhart
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Adam L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Leonetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Isamu E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Dusza
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Bryan G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010021:Osteopathic Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States
keywords: ACGME; COMLEX; USMLE; application; residency