A Field Guide to USMLE Step 1 Apologists

In discussing whether USMLE Step 1 results should be reported pass/fail, I’ve gotten to take part in some lively debates. I’ve heard from many who – for one reason or another – want to maintain the status quo. The “save the scored Step 1” is a varied coalition. But you know what’s weird? I never […]

What’s the antipyretic for Application Fever?

We have a problem with Application Fever. The question is, what do we do about it? The nature of the problem Although I’ve written about this before (here and here), let me set out three points as a foundation. 1. Medical students are applying to more and more residency programs. Yes, you read the y-axis […]

Another MCQ Test on the USMLE

One of the most fun things about the USMLE pass/fail debate is that it’s accessible to everyone. Some controversies in medicine are discussed only by the initiated few – but if we’re talking USMLE, everyone can participate. Simultaneously, one of the most frustrating things about the USMLE pass/fail debate is that everyone’s an expert. See, […]

Step 1 Mania: The Case for #USMLEPassFail

Last week, I gave a Grand Rounds presentation at my institution on #USMLEPassFail. Many of you have asked me to share the slides or video, so I made a podcast and uploaded it to The Sheriff of Sodium’s brand new YouTube channel. Check out the lecture here! A couple of things: I managed to get […]

What can the NFL Draft teach us about residency selection?

The NFL Draft will take place April 25-27, 2019. Being selected to play football at the highest echelon of the sport is obviously very different than matching into a residency program. And yet, amidst the breathless analysis, hot takes, and bold predictions by talking heads on ESPN, I can’t help thinking about residency selection. See, […]

Stonewalled: A brief update on InCUS, the NBME, and financial COI

Last month, the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) co-sponsored the Invitational Conference on USMLE Scoring (InCUS) to determine the future of Step 1 scoring. Should results be reported as a three-digit score, or pass/fail? However, as I’ve discussed before, “Step 1 Mania” fuels a number of highly profitable sideline businesses for the NBME – […]

What’s on USMLE Step 1?

Recently, I was on The Accad and Koka Report to share my opinions on USMLE Step 1 scoring policy. (If you’re interested, you can listen to the episode on the show website or iTunes.) Most of the topics we discussed were ones I’ve already dissected on this site. But there was an interesting moment in […]