Premedical special master’s programs increase USMLE STEP1 scores and improve residency placements

<div><p>The effectiveness of Special Master’s Programs (SMPs) in benefiting a potential medical student’s career beyond admission into an MD-program is largely unknown. This study aims to evaluate the role of SMPs, if any, in affecting the performance and outcomes of students during their medical school career. This study analyzed anonymous surveys of students and residents from the University of Toledo. The data analysis is used to evaluate a student’s academic performance before, during and after medical school. Measured metrics included: MCAT Scores, undergraduate GPA, USMLE STEP 1 scores, participation in research, number of research publications, and residency placement. Of 500 people surveyed 164 medical students or residents responded. Based on their responses, the respondents were divided into traditional (non-SMP) and SMP groups. As anticipated, MCAT scores (SMP: 29.82 vs. traditional 31.10) are significantly (p<0.05) different between the two groups. Interestingly, there is no significant difference in USMLE STEP 1 scores (SMP: 232.7 vs. traditional: 233.8) and when normalized relative to MCAT scores, USMLE STEP 1 scores for SMP-students are significantly (p<0.05) higher than their traditional counterparts (p<0.05). Additionally, SMP-students did not outperform the traditional students with regards to research publications. But, they did demonstrate a significant (p<0.05) proclivity towards surgical residencies when compared to the traditional students. Overall, our results highlight that SMPs potentiate USMLE STEP 1 performance and competitive residency-placements for its students.</p></div

Comparative analysis of USMLE STEP 1 scores relative to undergraduate GPAs of SMP students.

<p>SMP students are categorized into 5 groups based on undergraduate GPA scores (Group 1 = 2.70–3.00, Group 2 = 3.00–3.33, Group 3 = 3.34–3.66, Group 4 = 3.67–4.00) and comparative analysis was performed using One-way ANOVA with Tukey Kramer Post-hoc analysis.</p

Premedical special master’s programs increase USMLE STEP1 scores and improve residency placements - Fig 2

<p><b>USMLE STEP 1 Scores Based on MCAT Groupings for Traditional (A) Students and SMP-students (B).</b> Students were categorized into 5 groups based on MCAT scores (Group 1 = 26 and below; Group 2 = 27–29; Group 3 = 30–32; Group 4 = 33–35; Group 5 = 36 and above) and then further divided into SMP and Traditional students and comparative analysis was performed using One-way ANOVA with Tukey Kramer Post-hoc analysis. * = p<0.05 vs. traditional group 1; ✝ = p<0.05vs. traditional group 2.</p

Comparative analysis of residency distribution between SMP and traditional students.

<p>72 of the total 130 respondents reported being in a residency program. 25 were SMP-students and 47 were traditional students. Residency programs were classified into two categories: surgical subspecialties and non-surgical subspecialties. The surgical subspecialty category is comprised of orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, general surgery, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine. The non-surgical subspecialty category is comprised of family medicine, pediatrics, pathology, internal medicine, psychiatry, radiology, neurology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation. Of the SMP respondents 17 (68%) were accepted into surgical subspecialties whereas 8 (32%) were accepted into non-surgical subspecialties. Of the traditional respondents 18 (38.3%) were accepted into surgical subspecialties and 29 (61.7%) were accepted into non-surgical subspecialties. Chi-squared analysis revealed this difference in distribution to be significant (p<0.02).</p

The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence-7

ASMD ID in the search results). The mutation position is highlighted in red. The splice site strength scores are shown in blue along with the flanking intronic sequences. The putative local RNA secondary structure ("fold") is shown along with its minimum free energy (mfe) value. Note how the mutation disrupts the base-pairing in the stem of the fold, substantially reducing the strength of the fold.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/1/3</p><p>BMC Research Notes 2008;1():3-3.</p><p>Published online 26 Feb 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2518265.</p><p></p

The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence-6

T a count of the splicing effects, not the mutations in that category.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/1/3</p><p>BMC Research Notes 2008;1():3-3.</p><p>Published online 26 Feb 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2518265.</p><p></p

The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence-4

Ensus value (CV) method. Donor and acceptor sites are considered separately. The vertical dashed lines indicate the median values. The sample of 193,995 human splice sites was obtained from the Exon-Intron Database's dEID file, version hs35p1, and was confined to the purged sample of 11,316 non-redundant human genes referred to in the Methods section.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/1/3</p><p>BMC Research Notes 2008;1():3-3.</p><p>Published online 26 Feb 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2518265.</p><p></p

The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence-5

links to further views of the data. The colored boxes next to the SE values code the accuracy of the data. Explanations for accuracy levels and for fields marked with the blue and white question mark icon are available on the glossary page on the web site.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/1/3</p><p>BMC Research Notes 2008;1():3-3.</p><p>Published online 26 Feb 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2518265.</p><p></p

The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence-1

T a count of the splicing effects, not the mutations in that category.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "The Alternative Splicing Mutation Database: a hub for investigations of alternative splicing using mutational evidence"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/1/3</p><p>BMC Research Notes 2008;1():3-3.</p><p>Published online 26 Feb 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2518265.</p><p></p