Use of the National Board of Medical Examiners^® Comprehensive Basic Science Exam: survey results of US medical schools

Figures & data

Figure 1 Grading methods for the basic science courses broken down by schools that did and did not administer the NBME CBSE (n = 48).

Abbreviations: NBME, National Board of Medical Examiners^®; CBSE, Comprehensive Basic Science Exam.

Table 1 Breakdown of intervention strategies used by schools that utilized the NBME CBSE to identify students performing below expectations (A), n = 28, and specific responses provided for the intervention strategy “Other” (B), n = 11

A
Forms of intervention for students identified as performing below expectations on the NBME CBSE	Number of schools using strategy(ies)
Strategies for studying and/or test taking only	10
Strategies for studying and/or test taking + exam preparation course	5
Strategies for studying and/or test taking + exam preparation course + online coursework	1
Strategies for studying and/or test taking + exam preparation course + online coursework + additional coursework provided by faculty	1
Strategies for studying and/or test taking + exam preparation course + online coursework + additional coursework provided by faculty + other	1
Strategies for studying and/or test taking + exam preparation course + additional coursework provided by faculty + other	1
Strategies for studying and/or test taking + exam preparation course + other	2
Strategies for studying and/or test taking + other	5
Other only	2
B
Specific comments provided for response option “other”
Meeting with advisor for medical education to ID challenges and suggest/employ solutions
Counseling and guidance on USMLE preparation
Tutoring by students
Tutoring
Practice tests with a minimum score before they are allowed to take Step 1
Individual student coaches help struggling student devise Step 1 study plan
Practice exams
Students with a USMLE equivalent of 180 on CBSE are not allowed to progress into clinical curriculum. They retake the CBSE after 6 weeks of additional study and individualized assistance
Review of current Step 1 study plan and suggested changes based on CBSE performance
Peer-assisted learning
Specific counseling on organization and USMLE World use

Abbreviations: NBME, National Board of Medical Examiners^®; CBSE, Comprehensive Basic Science Exam; USMLE, United States Medical Licensing Examination^®.

Table 2 Semester of Administration of the NBME CBSE for schools that administer the exam two and four times

Timing of NBME CBSE administration for schools that offered the exam two times (n = 6)
Year 1		Year 2
August–December	January–June	August–December	January–June
			2
			2
			2
	1		1
	1		1
			1#
Timing of NBME CBSE administration for schools that offered the exam four times (n = 4)
Year 1		Year 2
August–December	January–June	August–December	January–June
			4
		1	3
1	1	1	1
1	1	1	1

Notes: n, number of respondents to question.

# Reported only one time for NBME CBSE administration although stated administering NBME CBSE two times.

Abbreviation: NBME, National Board of Medical Examiners^®; CBSE, Comprehensive Basic Science Exam.

Figure 2 Number of times the NBME CBSE is administered to an entering class broken down by the number of years a school has been administering the NBME CBSE (n = 36).

Note: “Other” = depends on student performance on first administration.
Abbreviations: NBME, National Board of Medical Examiners^®; CBSE, Comprehensive Basic Science Exam.

Figure 3 Number of times the NBME CBSE is administered broken down by the number of students in each graduating class (n = 53).

Note: “Other” = school responded “yes” to administering the NBME CBSE but did not provide the number of times the exam is administered or the number of students graduating in each class.
Abbreviations: NBME, National Board of Medical Examiners^®; CBSE, Comprehensive Basic Science Exam.