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The following is a summary of “Effect of USMLE Score Cutoffs on Recruitment of Underrepresented Applicants in the Urology Match,” published in the February 2024 issue of Urology by Kaldany et al.
This study aims to evaluate the impact of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) score cutoffs on recruiting applicants from underrepresented backgrounds in medicine (URM) within the Urology Residency Match Program.
De-identified data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) system spanning 2018 to 2022 was analyzed. This dataset included all applicants to the institution’s urology residency program. Self-reported demographic information such as race/ethnicity, age, sex/gender, and USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores were examined. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and ANOVA, assessed associations between race/ethnicity, sociodemographic factors, and academic metrics. Applicants were categorized based on USMLE Step 1 cutoff scores, and the distribution of applicants by race/ethnicity was analyzed using Gaussian nonlinear regression.
Over the five years, 1,258 applicants applied to the program, with 872 males (69.3%) and 386 females (30.7%). The majority of applicants identified as White (43.5%), followed by Asian (28.3%), Hispanic/Latino (11.7%), and Black (7.0%). There was a notable association between race/ethnicity and USMLE scores, with median USMLE Step 1 scores varying across different racial/ethnic groups (White: 242, Asian: 242, Hispanic/Latino: 237, Black: 232; P<0.001). Additionally, as the cutoff score increased, the percentage of URM applicants declined.
The utilization of USMLE score cutoffs disproportionately impacts URM applicants. Shifting towards pass/fail scoring systems may foster holistic review processes, potentially enhancing the representation of URM applicants receiving interview offers within urology residency programs.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0090429524000098
