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The Effect of an End-of-Clerkship Review Session on NBME Psychiatry Subject Exam Scores

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Abstract

Objective

The NBME Psychiatry Subject Examination (PSE) is used throughout North America to test MS—III end-of-clerkship knowledge; yet, literature on PSE preparatory methods remains sparse. This study assesses the effect of a curriculum intervention on NBME PSE scores.

Methods

An optional 1.5-hour review session and accompanying fill-in-the- blank handout was offered to 62 MS—III students 3 days before their exam. Students who did not attend the session were e-mailed the handout with completed answers. The primary outcome measure was a change in scores, with students in the previous year serving as the control group.

Results

The average raw PSE score of students offered the review session was 84.53, versus 77.15 for matched controls (p <0.0001). The effect size for the intervention was 0.89.

Conclusion

This study may suggest that offering a comprehensive review session to third-year medical students 3 days before their NBME PSE significantly improves their scores.

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Correspondence to Shawn S. Sidhu M.D..

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Sidhu, S.S., Chandra, R.M., Wang, L. et al. The Effect of an End-of-Clerkship Review Session on NBME Psychiatry Subject Exam Scores. Acad Psychiatry 36, 226–228 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.10120166

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.10120166

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