USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores correlate with family medicine clinical and examination scores.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We sought to validate the family medicine shelf examination by determining whether correlations exist between the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) family medicine final examination (FMF) scores and the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 scores. We also evaluated for correlations between the family medicine clinical evaluation scores (CES), final clerkship grades, and all of these examinations. METHODS The above scores (first attempts only) of 258 third-year medical students at Texas Tech University at Amarillo from July 1994 to June 2001 were obtained. Linear regression models were made between scores. Low CES and examination or family medicine clerkship failures were statistically compared. RESULT The average scores were USMLE Step 1: 203.7, USMLE Step 2: 203.8, FMF: 83.3, and CES: 90.1. Positive linear correlations were seen between the Step 1 scores and both the FMF scores and CES. Positive linear correlations between the Step 2 scores and both the FMF scores and the CES were seen. Students failing the USMLE Step 1 were more likely to fail the FMF as well as the family medicine clerkship. Students with a CES less than the 10th percentile were more likely to fail the FMF as well as the family medicine clerkship. CONCLUSIONS USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores correlate linearly with both the FMF and CES of the third-year family medicine clerkship. Students failing their USMLE Step 1 examination or having a low CES are at risk for failure of the FMF as well as the family medicine clerkship.