The USMLE exam is a right of passage for all medical students, including MD, DO, and IMGs seeking residency placement in the United States. Recently, the USMLE posted the following message, alluding to a brewing cheating scandal that had been unveiled after months of investigation involving a test center in Nepal, where hundreds of test-takers produced scores of 270+.
If any of you have taken the USMLE, COMLEX, or even the MCAT, you know what its like to take a standardized exam at a high-security test center. The purpose of the borderline invasive security measures taken (including metal detectors, inspecting pockets, not allowing chewing gum, and raising of the sleeves and ankles on clothing) is to ensure exam integrity and fidelity.
Somehow, word had gotten out that there were potential security breaches at a testing centers in Jordan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal which resulted in an investigation, and ultimately, the revoking of over 800 scores.
Now, if you have studied for and taken one of the USMLE exams, you know how gut wrenching this situation can be if you had earned a high score honestly. However, the USMLE had performed an in depth analysis prior to determining who would get their score revoked and used the following data points to evaluate for suspicious behavior:
- Rapid response times (15-20 seconds) to question items that take on average 90 seconds to complete, with 100% accuracy
- Consistently obtaining correct answers on questions with significantly reduced average correct response rates
- Abnormally increased volume of students testing at particular testing sites prior to revision of the exam in 2021/22, due to test-takers wanting to sit for exams that had exam items which had been shared and discussed through Telegram/Whatsapp group chats.
- Examinees from Nepali medical schools scoring significantly higher than those from ANY other country – including the United States.
Our Take
Since the statistical probability that you would have three or more candidates in the same year, scoring in the 99th percentile worldwide, belonging to a small geographical area is extremely low, we are happy that the USMLE is working towards seeking justice and protecting those that work tirelessly and honestly for their scores.
For those that had their scores revoked, they will be give the opportunity to retest. Admittedly, taking the test a year or more after initially prepping for it sounds brutal, but it still is an opportunity to. be recognized honestly for your achievement without abandoning the American licensing and employment systems altogether for those interested in it.
For those of us in US MD/DO schools, this means we are hopefully restoring faith in the system for its credibility in evaluating our medical/clinical competence fairly. We hope no one who earned their score fairly was adversly affected by this scandal.
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