Can NBME scores distinguish students who choose a practice-based clerkship?

The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examination Part II scores of students taking a two- to three-month community practice-based third-year family practice clerkship were compared with the scores of comparison students who had been matched on the basis of NBME Part I results. No significant differences between groups were seen for the total score or the scores in medicine or surgery. Significantly higher scores were seen for the clerkship students in the public health section. Significantly lower scores were obtained by this group on the psychiatry section, probably since many of the clerkship students did not take the regular psychiatry clerkship prior to taking the NBME Part II examination. No significant changes were seen in the scores for medicine or surgery. The results for ob/gyn and pediatrics were inconsistent. Taking this community practice-based clerkship appears to provide an equivalent amount of cognitive information.