Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

School of Medicine
SOM OP 30.01, Grading Policy
Appendix A

Clerkship NBME Grading Tables

2016-2017

Background
The methods for assigning final grades in clerkships for MSIII students underwent significant revision for the
2010-2011 academic year. Clerkship NBME grading was altered to set new cutoff levels for qualification for
final grades of Honors, High Pass and Fail (unchanged). Specifically, the cutoff points for these three grades
were set at the 80th, 70th and 5th percentiles, respectively. Furthermore, due to the existence of period
trends in clerkship NBME scores, with students generally performing at a higher level in later periods, it was
decided that quarter-specific data would be used to define percentile rankings rather than using annual data.

Methods
Percentile data are obtained from annual reports from the NBME for each of the six clerkship subject exams.
For each new academic year, the last three years of complete annual data were collected, thus for academic
year 2016-2017, the data utilized are from 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. Percentile data from each
quarter for these three years were collected and averaged to obtain the mean percentile score for each
quarter within each clerkship. The scores corresponding to the percentile nearest (but above) the 80th, 70th
and 5th percentile were identified and tabulated (see tables 1-6). In order to assign percentile scores for all
students, complete percentile ranging tables were generated and are shown in tables 7-12. As shown in the
tables, data from quarter 1 will be used to assign percentiles in periods 1 and 2, data from quarter 2 will be
used for period 3, data from quarter 3 will be used for periods 4 and 5 while data from quarter 4 will be used
for period 6.
For 2015-2016, the NBME changed the method for reporting scores for clinical subject exams, replacing the
normalized raw score reported previously with an equated percent correct score. This score is explained by
the NBME as follows: [The equated percent correct score] is calculated as the percentage of items in the
total content domain that would be answered correctly based on an examinees proficiency level. The new
score cannot simply be converted to the old score and thus a new set of grading tables was created for 20152016 and will continue as prescribed above for successive years unless changed by the Educational Policy
Committee.

Off cycle students

The Office of Student Affairs will ensure that percentile rankings for students who are off cycle will be
assigned according to the specific period they are completing, rather than the actual period within the annual
academic calendar. It should be noted that this system could result in students obtaining the same numerical
score on a clerkship NBME during the same period being eligible for different final grades.

Remediation
Any student who fails a clerkship NBME is expected to retake that NBME as remediation. In the past,
successful remediation has required simply achieving a score that ranks at the 5th percentile or above. This
expectation will remain the same, except that the scale used for determining this value will be the scale used
in period 6, irrespective of when the remediation exam is taken.

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 1
July 5, 2016

Tables Updated: July 5, 2016

2016-2017
Grade Category
Honors
80th %ile
HP
70-79th %ile
PA50
50-69th %ile
Pass
5-49th %ile

Table 1A: Family Medicine Core

Period 1/2
Period 3
79
80
76
77
72
73
55
59

Period 4/5
81
79
75
60

Period 6
83
81
77
60

Table 1B: Family Medicine Core + Chronic Care + MSK

Grade Category
Period 1/2
Period 3
Period 4/5
Honors
80th %ile
78
80
81
HP
70-79th %ile
76
77
79
PA50
50-69th %ile
72
74
75
Pass
5-49th %ile
57
60
61

Period 6
82
80
76
62

Grade Category
Honors
80th %ile
HP
70-79th %ile
PA50
50-69th %ile
Pass
5-49th %ile

Table 2: Internal Medicine

Period 1/2
Period 3
79
80
77
78
72
73
55
55

Period 4/5
81
79
74
58

Period 6
82
79
75
58

Grade Category
Honors
80th %ile
HP
70-79th %ile
PA50
50-69th %ile
Pass
5-49th %ile

Table 3: Obstetrics & Gynecology

Period 1/2
Period 3
82
83
80
81
75
76
59
60

Period 4/5
84
82
78
61

Period 6
84
82
78
62

Grade Category
Honors
80th %ile
HP
70-79th %ile
PA50
50-69th %ile
Pass
5-49th %ile

Table 4: Pediatrics
Period 1/2
Period 3
81
82
79
79
74
75
57
58

Period 4/5
83
81
76
61

Period 6
84
82
77
60

Grade Category
Honors
80th %ile
HP
70-79th %ile
PA50
50-69th %ile
Pass
5-49th %ile

Table 5: Psychiatry
Period 1/2
Period 3
83
84
81
82
77
77
62
62

Period 4/5
84
82
78
63

Period 6
85
83
79
64

Grade Category
Honors
80th %ile
HP
70-79th %ile
PA50
50-69th %ile
Pass
5-49th %ile

Table 6: Surgery
Period 1/2
Period 3
77
80
75
77
70
72
55
56

Period 4/5
81
78
74
57

Period 6
81
79
74
59

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 2
July 5, 2016

Table 7A: Family Medicine Core 2016-2017

Score
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54 or below

P 1-2
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
98
97
95
93
91
89
87
84
80
77
72
68
63
58
53
48
43
39
34
31
27
24
20
16
14
12
10
8
6
5
4
3
2

P3
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
95
93
91
88
84
81
77
73
70
65
60
54
49
45
40
35
30
26
24
20
16
14
11
9
7
5
4
3
3
2
1
1

P4-5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
98
97
96
94
91
88
85
81
78
73
68
64
59
53
47
43
38
33
29
26
22
19
16
13
10
9
7
6
4
4
2
2
2
1
1

P6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
96
94
91
89
85
81
76
72
67
62
58
52
48
43
38
32
27
23
20
17
15
13
10
8
7
6
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
1

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 3
July 5, 2016

Table 7B: Family Medicine Core, Chronic Care + MSK 2016-2017

Score
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54 or below

P 1-2
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
98
97
96
94
93
91
89
86
83
79
74
71
67
64
60
54
48
44
41
37
32
28
26
22
20
17
14
12
9
7
7
5
5
3

P3
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
97
94
93
90
88
85
82
78
75
70
66
61
59
54
47
42
36
34
30
24
20
18
15
13
11
9
8
6
4
3
3
2
1

P4-5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
97
96
95
92
89
88
84
80
76
72
67
61
57
51
48
45
39
33
30
27
24
20
15
14
11
9
8
7
6
4
4
3
3
3
2

P6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
96
94
92
91
87
84
81
78
74
69
64
59
53
48
44
41
36
30
27
23
21
19
15
12
11
10
9
6
5
5
4
3
2
2
1
1

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 4
July 5, 2016

Table 8: Internal Medicine 2016-2017

Score
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54 or below

P 1-2
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
98
97
96
95
93
91
89
86
83
80
76
72
69
65
61
56
52
48
43
39
35
32
28
24
22
19
16
14
12
10
8
7
6
5
4

P3
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
97
95
94
92
90
87
84
81
78
73
69
66
62
58
53
49
45
41
38
34
30
26
23
20
18
16
13
11
9
8
7
5
5
3

P4-5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
96
94
92
90
87
84
80
76
73
67
64
60
56
52
47
43
38
35
31
28
24
21
18
15
13
11
9
8
6
5
4
3
2
2

P6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
98
96
95
93
91
88
85
82
79
75
71
66
61
57
53
49
44
40
36
32
29
25
22
18
16
13
12
10
8
7
6
5
4
3
3
2

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 5
July 5, 2016

Table 9: Obstetrics & Gynecology 2016-2017

Score
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54 or below

P 1-2
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
95
93
91
88
85
81
77
73
69
64
60
55
50
46
42
38
34
30
26
22
19
17
15
12
10
9
7
6
5
4
3
3
2
2

P3
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
98
97
95
93
91
88
85
81
77
73
69
64
60
55
51
46
42
37
34
30
26
23
20
17
15
12
10
9
8
6
5
4
3
3
3
2
2

P4-5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
96
94
92
89
86
82
78
73
68
64
59
54
49
44
40
36
31
28
24
21
18
15
13
11
9
7
6
5
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1

P6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
95
94
92
89
85
82
78
73
69
64
59
54
49
44
39
35
30
27
23
20
18
15
12
10
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 6
July 5, 2016

Table 10: Pediatrics 2016-2017

Score
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54 or below

P 1-2
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
98
97
95
93
91
89
86
83
80
76
73
69
65
60
56
52
48
44
40
36
33
29
26
23
19
17
14
12
9
8
7
5
5
4
3
2

P3
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
98
97
95
94
92
90
87
84
81
78
74
71
66
62
58
54
49
46
41
37
33
30
27
23
20
17
15
13
11
9
8
6
5
4
3
2
2

P4-5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
96
95
93
90
87
84
80
77
73
69
64
60
55
51
46
42
38
34
30
27
24
20
17
14
12
10
9
7
5
4
4
3
2
2
1
1

P6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
98
98
96
95
93
91
88
84
81
77
74
69
65
61
57
52
48
44
39
36
31
27
24
21
19
16
14
11
10
8
6
5
5
4
3
2
2
1
1

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 7
July 5, 2016

Table 11: Psychiatry 2016-2017

Score
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54 or below

P 1-2
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
95
93
91
88
85
81
77
71
67
62
58
52
48
43
39
34
30
26
23
20
17
14
12
10
8
7
6
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1

P3
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
96
94
93
89
86
83
79
75
69
64
60
55
50
45
41
37
32
28
25
21
18
16
13
11
9
8
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1

P4-5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
96
93
91
88
84
81
76
72
66
61
56
51
46
42
37
33
29
25
21
18
15
12
11
9
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1

P6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
98
98
96
95
93
90
87
83
79
74
69
64
59
53
49
44
40
35
31
27
23
20
17
14
12
10
8
7
5
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
0

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 8
July 5, 2016

Table 12: Surgery 2016-2017

Score
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54 or below

P 1-2
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
99
98
97
96
95
93
91
89
86
83
80
76
72
68
63
59
55
50
46
42
38
34
30
26
24
20
18
15
13
11
9
7
6
4

P3
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
98
97
95
94
91
88
86
83
79
75
72
68
64
59
54
51
47
41
37
34
30
26
23
20
18
15
13
11
9
7
6
5
4
3

P4-5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
97
95
94
91
89
86
82
79
75
70
67
62
58
53
48
44
40
35
32
28
24
21
18
16
13
11
10
8
7
5
5
4
3
2

P6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
98
97
96
94
92
90
87
83
80
77
73
68
64
59
55
51
45
41
38
33
29
26
22
19
16
13
11
10
8
7
5
4
4
3
2
2

SOM OP 30.01.A
Page 9
July 5, 2016