TDNet Discover

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on medical education by comparing USMLE Step 1 first attempt pass rates of examinees from US/Canadian schools in Doctor of Medicine (MD) programs from 2020-2022 to prior years’ pass first attempt pass rates (2017-2019). Additionally, the effectiveness of the modality of anatomy instruction was explored by comparing pass rates pre- and post-COVID-19. The setting for this study is the testing centers around the world from 2017-2022. Using statistical analysis, results from the 2020-2022 first attempt pass rates were compared to the first attempt pass rate from 2017-2019. At a predetermined alpha level of .05, the results of the independent sample t-test indicated no significant difference (t (4) = .447, p = .339, effect size = .427 SD) in first attempt pass rates for examinees from 2017-2019 (M = 96.33, SD = 2.517) and pass rates for examinees from 2019-2022 (M = 95.67, SD = 2.52). The magnitude of the difference in the means (mean difference = .66667, 95% Cl: -3.47221 to 4.80555) was not significant, and the null hypotheses were accepted. These findings indicate that medical education adapted sufficiently to the disruption of in-person teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future recommendations for research included analysis of USMLE Step 1 raw performance data, a follow-up study identical to this one every three years for the next six years, and comparison of other high-stakes medical examinations pass rates during the same period (2017-2022).