Medical EducationORIGINAL ARTICLE

Relationships Between Scores on the COMLEX-USA Level 2-Performance Evaluation and Selected School-Based Performance Measures

Helen H. Baker, PhD, MBA; Michael K. Cope, PhD; Michael D. Adelman, DO, JD; Stephanie Schuler; Robert W. Foster, DO; and John R. Gimpel, DO, MEd
Notes and Affiliations
Notes and Affiliations

Published: May 1, 2006

J Osteopath Med; 106(5): 290-295
Abstract

The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination USA Level 2 Performance Evaluation (COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE) is a national multistation performance examination designed to examine students’ osteopathic clinical skills. The current study examines the relationship between achievement levels on the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE and selected school-related variables for the class of 2005 at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, WVa (N=70). Significant (P<.01) correlations between the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE summary performance and selected academic achievement measures include: weighted Physical Diagnosis grade, 0.41; weighted year 1 and year 2 Osteopathic Principles and Practice grade, 0.37: overall year 2 grade point average, 0.42; the objective structured clinical evaluation (OSCE) Physical Examination score, 0.40; and the OSCE Total Station score, 0.33. While further research is needed, the current study found modest but notable relationships between school-generated academic variables and performance on the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, and therefore supports the validity of the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE examination for assessing the clinical skills of future osteopathic physicians.

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