the above post is obviously by a med student. If this program scored in the 100th percentile, is this the average from all their residents or is their cumulative average higher than any other program in the country? Not to be cynical, but I think it's pretty unusual and downright freaky for 10 residents from the same program to score a 100th percentile on the OITE. I suppose it could happen. I have to think you're talking about the program as a whole compared to all other programs in the country...i.e. Mount Carmel's mean OITE score was the highest in the country.

Let's say that it did happen. Who in their right mind would want to go to this program? Heck if you score a 95th percentile you'd bring down their average and look like a moron.

Two problems with thia post.

The OITE is scored in January (per the form that accompanies the test mailed to attendings and fellows taking the test indicating when you need to return it in order for it to be included in the "one and only scoring")

There is no such thing as 100th percentile on a test. That would mean that 100% of all observed scores are below this number and therefore that score was not observed.

Maybe they were talking about the pass rate for something going from 99% to 100%

I hear they take it as a "take home" test....

1) OITE results are back, at least for residents who took the test

2) 99th percentile (or 100th percentile) is a percentile for the cumulative program average, not an average of individual percentile rankings. Many years our program was in the 90 something percentile, but several of individual residents had percentile rankings down in the 50's to 70's range.

3) Even if someone took that test as a take home test, I doubt anyone even COULD score perfectly. There are so many questions where the correct response depends on who wrote the question.

4) The test really shouldn't affect rank lists. Many programs like to brag about whether they were 90 this or 90 that, but as long as the program isn't dragging the bottom, it shouldn't matter. As for individual scores, it certainly is nice to score well, but as long as you are above 50th percentile and put a reasonable effort in to board preparation, you shouldn't haggle over nubers or even care all that much.

1) OITE results are back, at least for residents who took the test

2) 99th percentile (or 100th percentile) is a percentile for the cumulative program average, not an average of individual percentile rankings. Many years our program was in the 90 something percentile, but several of individual residents had percentile rankings down in the 50's to 70's range.

3) Even if someone took that test as a take home test, I doubt anyone even COULD score perfectly. There are so many questions where the correct response depends on who wrote the question.

4) The test really shouldn't affect rank lists. Many programs like to brag about whether they were 90 this or 90 that, but as long as the program isn't dragging the bottom, it shouldn't matter. As for individual scores, it certainly is nice to score well, but as long as you are above 50th percentile and put a reasonable effort in to board preparation, you shouldn't haggle over nubers or even care all that much.

Earthdawg - dlad to see someone has some common sense about this.

My post was only for a congrats, thats all - the program did pretty well overall. You can get a 100th percentile, which means the group as a whole, like earthdawg said. The test is scaled so that the raw score (percent) crosses over to the percentile (compared to the other residents). Im sure that not everyone there did high 90's, but then again, I have no idea how the other programs nationwide did I guess (to compare). The residents I talked to when I was rotating at children's were both in the low to mid 90s and it seemed from them that the other guys in their program were happy with their scores individually.

I agree that this shouldnt decide your match list, but in my opinion, it is nice to know that when you match to a program, there is a good idea of where the educational part of the program (as compared to the grunt workload) is before you match there. I dont want to fear failing the specialty boards when the time comes.

As a chief resident, I can honestly say, I've heard so many programs and residents within programs claim a 90+%ile rating.
The problem is...where are all the 10, 20,30, 40 and even 50%-ile programs?

Just take whatever you hear with a grain of salt and move on.
Personally, although I do care how the program does, only my score affects me...since it is how I compare to other residents at my level of training, YIT 4&5 (PGY5/6).

-Hulk

You may have not hear about the 20-30-40-50th percentiles programs because who in the hell is going to brag about that. I rotated at a program this year who was 62 percentile ( i had to specifically ask what there score was...obviously they weren't offering that information). So they do exist. I can't imagine the AAOS is going to take all programs and make them all 80th-100th percentile.

With that being said...you are right. it is not the "be all, end all". It's one more piece of information (among many) that I will use for the match.

From what I have heard the only real concern is if you are below the 30th percentile; then you chance of passing boards is statistically less. Above that the pass rate does not vary by much.