Medical Education US

Does anybody know people who did really bad on MCAT but did well on USMLEs?

I doubt you will get a response to this question as most people probably don't talk to each other about test scores, especially if they were low.

However, I would guess there is some correlation between MCAT and USMLE scores, but not absolute correlation. Scores would likely be similar because some characteristics like test taking skills and test anxiety would be the same - some people are very good or very bad with these characteristics. However, the tests definitely test different types of knowledge (from what I recall). USMLE (especially step 1) seemed to be more fact based while MCAT was more concept based and tested problem solving abilities.

I personally did much better on MCAT than on USMLE, but my USMLE scores got better with each step - as I believe Step 2 and Step 3 start to become more concept based and less fact based.

So, if you have a good memory for specific facts, you'll do well on Step 1. If you are good at understanding general concepts and applying them, I think you'd do well on MCAT, and Step 3.

Of course, this is all mainly speculation based on my own experience and may not generalize - and the tests likely have changed considerable since I took them (I took the MCAT over 10 years ago).

After doing a quick search at pubmed, I found the following articles that I'll post in my news:

USMLE Performances in a Predominantly Asian and Pacific Islander Population of Medical Students in a Problem-based Learning Curriculum

and there is no abstract for:

Acad Med 2002 Oct;77(10 Suppl):S13-6
Title: Undergraduate institutional MCAT scores as predictors of USMLE step 1 performance.
Authors: Basco WT Jr, Way DP, Gilbert GE, Hudson A.

and

Evaluating the predictive validity of MCAT scores across diverse applicant groups

and

Prediction of students' USMLE step 2 performances based on premedical credentials related to verbal skills

and another related interesting article

The relationship between parental income and academic performance of medical students

That should be enough to get the basic idea - you can always go to pubmed.com and do your own search with keywords MCAT and USMLE as I did.

FYI: I think the MCAT that I took was the first year they had the newer format (biological sciences, physical sciences, and verbal section + an essay).

Umm.....MCAT =before Med school, USMLE = almost done with med school....I would have to say that if someone did poor on thier MCAT they are likely to take it over or they can forget about even getting that far into med school to have to take USMLE part I......hope this person takes another prep course and takes the MCAT over!