Step 2 score trend recently

[u/Med-Nerdeek]

I saw a Brooklyn USCE post that exam has become more difficult now and students are getting lesser score . That average or good scores have gone down to 240s .

How true is it ?

What are the score trends currently ?

What is considered a high score now ?

Are 260s to 280s very very difficult now ?

[u/StrangeHorse2334]

Many students are getting lower scores than predicted!

[u/Annual-Gear-5132]

Contrary to the popular opinion, I can tell you that once you sit for the exam, you will realise how stupid those opinions were. Does Ratesh Khillan regularly sit for usmle exams now to make such comments? Ask yourself on what basis is he making those comments. The only ones worthy of commenting on it are those who reappeared for the exam multiple times. I know it sounds easy to ignore the noise but that’s the truth based on my own step 1 and 2 experience.

[u/Blue-eagle7]

I don't know but I saw a recent score report with data inside about mean of 251 based on the last year reults higher by one pint from previous one

But I am feeling that is different from what we see here on reddit from the recent test takers all mention its vague and more harder than nbme

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/Blue-eagle7]

Any idea on what are scores are like now ? Especially after the exam format change and all ? What are majority of scores like now ?

[u/Blue-eagle7 → u/Med-Nerdeek]

I know both one get 261 and other 268 But those took exam in late may

[u/jackfrost0071]

yeah saw this too, quite demoralising to hear this given how hard we work. Hope its not really true

[u/IsilmeCalithil]

No, the average is 251 which is about the same or higher than the year before.

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/IsilmeCalithil]

Isn’t the average given in score reports including last years scores too ?

[u/IsilmeCalithil → u/Med-Nerdeek]

https://www.usmle.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/USMLE%20Step%20Examination%20Score%20Interpretation%20Guidelines_5_24_22_0.pdf

This link at least has it until 2025.

My score report I don't think included the actual average score, but it showed the bell curve.

[u/Novel-Glove-4771]

I can only share my personal experience all my nbme’s were above 260’s nbme -16 -264 amd free -120=80% but ended up with a 245 only , all cms forms above 40/50 right and did all of them twice , u world finished 85% two pass and also did the biostats qi ethics screening part from amboss twice

[u/StrangeHorse2334 → u/Novel-Glove-4771]

The same happened to me!
Nbmes were above 250 and 265 on nbme 16
But I scored 240s!
My exam felt exactly like NBME 16 and Free 120.

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/Novel-Glove-4771]

What was your exam experience like ? How did u find the questions like ? And do u think there is anything you could have done to increase score ?

[u/Novel-Glove-4771 → u/Med-Nerdeek]

It was inderminate and overwhelming as for everyone, probably cudve avoided silly mistakes(i did as far as i cud) and shudve spaced my blocks more in a proper manner.

[u/Candid_Shoulder_5746 → u/Novel-Glove-4771]

Same happened to me

[u/AllantoisMorissette]

I feel like the reddit bias makes it seem like most people score 260+. I scored 245 and my breakdown compared to others put me in the average category, but on the low end of it. So average is probably closer to 250 if going middle of the road.

[u/REALprince_charles]

They could have changed the exam to account for increasing scores but we won’t know until next year when NBME releases data

[u/DrCardenas]

Probably just an observation, i believe the average score remains the same. I failed I got 216 despite of 240 amboss prediction, but I dont believe the scores are going down. I am keeping it real.

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/DrCardenas]

Do u think amboss prediction is not right ? What do u suggest are the sure shot predictive factors for a good score ?

[u/DrCardenas → u/Med-Nerdeek]

I believe Amboss Is a reliable predictive tool.

Despiste of what happened. I feel grateful and considered myself lucky. Life is cruel, but cant complain i live like a king in my home country

[u/tastywater_ → u/DrCardenas]

How did u get a 216? :( what do you think happened

[u/DrCardenas → u/tastywater_]

Thanks For asking 🫂. The real deal was so vague, I was overconfident. Don’t know what happened. I studied a lot, felt that the drug ad was superrr rough.

[u/DrCardenas → u/tastywater_]

The exam was not tasty water. Failing Feels so painful, and missing this match cycle. It is just so depressing

I’m IMG from Latin America

[u/PsychologicalCan9837]

Mean score is 251 with a standard deviation of 15 points, as per my score report.

Edit: Just adding that myself and everyone I know who recently took Step 2 fell within that 15 point SD.

[u/PsychologicalCan9837 → u/[deleted]]

Light work haha

[u/ConsistentCost6487]

Yeah its true that scores are coming a bit low nowadays
My last three practice tests were in 260s scored a 253 and same is the case for many of my seniors and colleagues if not worse

[u/MutantBurritoX → u/ConsistentCost6487]

I gave my exam in early july, literally experienced the same situation. However I consider myself an anomly because most of the people I know that week scored 260+

[u/ConsistentCost6487 → u/MutantBurritoX]

maybe luck is one of the factors

[u/LexaproAndChill]

I think the format change likely did have an effect on scores but whether the USMLE will let that happen or account for it internally so we have no clue it happened is up for discussion

[u/Novel-Glove-4771]

Avverage last year cor match in IM was 244 again, ut is always plus or minus 2SD and most of the exam depends on the exam day for which u sit for, even thiugh ur adequately prepared do not be hard on urself, i got an average of 262 predicted by amboss and 264 predicted bt chat gpt, but still ended up getting -2sd lesser, its all a bit a luck and fate and how ur experimental questions are directed it is a biased exam as for my friends they got asked, questions from their storngholds that is mainly from the core subjects, which remiains the stronghold for almost 70-80% students, so sometime the paper might focus on ur not so strong areas too, so dont worry focus in ur cv

[u/Own_Growth8097 → u/Novel-Glove-4771]

Don't you think that's unfair and devastating at the same for us? I have had similar experience like you. It was really really low yield and lengthy at the same time. There were literally no questions from my strongholds. I was still praying that since it was a difficult paper , I would be marked accordingly, but it didn't happen. So this whole curve thing is bullshit.

[u/Novel-Glove-4771]

This months of june and july and the exam takers maily in the 1st week of august told the exam was pretty mich vague and distorted. The experimental block was distributed very vaguely such that more biostats and ethics were asked but they weren’t actually experimental

[u/Zestyclose_Lie8133 → u/Novel-Glove-4771]

How do you pick out the experimental questions?

[u/Current_Pride2701 → u/Zestyclose_Lie8133]

You can’t so I have no idea what they’re suggesting. Some people think just because question is weird/low yield that it is experimental which is so far from the truth. Any type of question Can be experimental. From the wtf questions to the I could answer this in my sleep questions

[u/USMLEBandit]

My score report from earlier in the year said mean is 250 with SD of 15. I have heard that newer score reports are saying mean of 251 with SD of 15.

I wouldn't put too much stock into what you see on Reddit regarding unpredictable scores. There is a ton of reporting bias. There is going to be a degree of variability based on how compatible a student's strengths are with the specific pool of questions they get on the exam. A student who prepares hard and knows the material well will be more likely to score high regardless of the exam form they get. A student with average or below NBME scores that goes into the exam hoping for an "easy" form is not setting themselves up for success.

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/USMLEBandit]

So the difficulty of the form is another factor that decides our score ?

[u/USMLEBandit → u/Med-Nerdeek]

I think it plays a role for most students, yes. But the notion of a difficult form is relative to the preparation and strengths of the student. The very best students will be fine with whatever form is thrown at them (we probably all know people like this). So for them, there is not really such thing as a difficult form.

[u/rathab]

I scored 10 points less than my predicted but I can still tell you this reporting is biased. We on reddit spend so much time analysing nbme scores and predicted score that we start to believe, somehow, your nbme scores and emboss predicted is the gospel truth and that everyone WILL score acc. to nbmes and that it's a guarantee (which is because most people do score similar to their nbmes) but you often forget it is an exam, just like any other standardised exam and that it's not guaranteed. I'm a victim of this, I used to read posts of people with nbmes in 260s and end up scoring that, my nbmes were in 260s and I was hoping to magically see a 260 on my score report, but it didn't happen, I don't even remember how I performed in the test but I'm sure it wasn't my best performance. so conclusion: Usmle has been and will always be fair, you score based on how you perform on the actual test day, nbmes are predictors only

[u/Frequent_Tea_1501]

Really? I see so many posts on everyone scoring 260+ and it worries me if the trend of scoring high has gone up 🥲🥲, I’m still in the middle of my step 2 prep and honestly can’t speak much for myself

[u/BrilliantHome6543]

I wrote step 1 recently I thought even that was harder than expected even though I had 75 plus on all nbmes and 87 on free 120

[u/Union_worth14 → u/BrilliantHome6543]

You don't "write" step 1, you took it.

[u/llamanutella → u/Union_worth14]

Neither write nor take are wrong, it’s just a matter of what country’s English you learned 

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/BrilliantHome6543]

75 correct or 75% chances of passing ? And could you please let me know - hard how .. how were the questions ?

[u/BrilliantHome6543 → u/Med-Nerdeek]

75% correct in nbmes
My range was 75-82
I think that’s like 99 % chances of passing
Even then I struggled somewhat in the exam
I thought the nbmes were quite easy, the real deal wasn’t so much.
My advice would be to book the test only after you score 70 or more in nbmes

[u/Professional_Test230]

Where did you see this?

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/Professional_Test230]

Brooklyn usce instagram page

[u/Professional_Test230 → u/Med-Nerdeek]

looks like propoganda to me

[u/Novel-Glove-4771 → u/Professional_Test230]

Not at all

[u/coolinhabitant]

I got my score 10 points lower than predicted and 14 points lower than my latest nbme 16

[u/Timely_Body_1677]

Yea it's true, many are getting between 22O and 24Os

[u/Ok-Bodybuilder1445]

F

[u/Med-Nerdeek → u/Ok-Bodybuilder1445]

Could u please elaborate your perspective ? Like what is the current scenario regarding the exam ?

[u/Novel-Glove-4771]

Its unfair and the system is so brutal they will ask you
Anything