Using Osteopathic Medical School Institutional Data to Establish the Correlation Between Academic Performance and First-Time Board Pass Rates to Develop Academic Interventions for Students at Risk of First Board Failure

Q: How was correlation between academic factors and first-time board outcomes assessed?

Correlation was assessed using Spearman correlation, reported as significant at p<0.01 (and p<0.05 for one pathway).

Q: Which course performance patterns were linked to higher risk of first-time COMLEX failure?

Students in the lowest quartile of several courses were at increased risk of failing COMLEX Level 1, and lowest-quartile performance in neuroanatomy and gastrointestinal correlated with first-time failure of COMLEX Level 2.

Sep 4, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda

The rapid growth of osteopathic medical schools has intensified competition and increased the need for targeted academic support that improves students’ first-attempt success on COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2. A correlation analysis examined ACOM Class of 2024 pre-matriculation metrics and course performance, linking variables with first-time board pass rates. Spearman analysis identified lowest-quartile risk patterns in specific courses, informing structured interventions for students at risk of first board failure.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Materials And Methods

Received 08/28/2024 Review began 09/29/2024 Review ended 10/22/2024 Published 10/25/2024 © Copyright 2024 Chosie. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 4.0. , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.72354 Open Access Original Article Published via Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine Research Using Osteopathic Medical School Institutional Data to Establish the Correlation Between Academic Performance and First-Time Board Pass Rates to Develop Academic Interventions for Students at Risk of First Board Failure Kim Chosie 1 1. Academic Support Services, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, USA Corresponding author: Kim Chosie, [kchosie@acom.edu](kchosie@acom.edu) Abstract The rapid increase in the number of osteopathic medical schools creates a highly competitive medical school environment as each osteopathic medical school seeks to enroll top-performing students. This results in osteopathic colleges ' need to be innovative in the academic support interventions they provide to help increase their student’s chances of successfully passing their Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX) level 1 and 2 board exams on their first attempt. A correlation analysis was performed of the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (ACOM) class of 2024’s (188 students) pre-matriculation metrics, including Grade Point Average(GPA), Science Grade Point Average (SGPA), and Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), performance in each course, and on two specific exams to determine if causality or correlation existed between these variables and first-time Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX) level 1 and level 2 pass rates. Using the Spearman correlation (significant at the p<0 .01 level) reveals that, if a student was in the lowest quartile in any of the following courses, they were at risk of failing COMLEX level 1 : medical biochemistry (00 . 156), neuroanatomy (00 . 168), cardiology (00 .275), renal (00 . 176), respiratory (00 .235), or gastrointestinal (00 .209) . The lowest quartile performance inneuroanatomy (00 .228) and gastrointestinal (00 . 154-significant at the p<0 .05 level) correlates to a firsttime failure of COMLEX level 2 . Specific Interventions have been developed for students in the lowest quartile of the courses identified in the findings of the institutional data analysis to better prepare them to pass the COMLEX level 1 and level 2 board exams. Categories: Medical Education, Quality Improvement Keywords: academic, alabama college of osteopathic medicine, board preparation program, comlex, institutional data, medical school Introduction Over the past 15 years, the number of osteopathic medical schools has increased threefold, resulting in heightened competition as institutions vie for top-performing students [1] . Consequently, many colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) face challenges in maintaining a consistent number of high-achieving students in each matriculating class [2] . This competitive landscape has necessitated the development of innovative academic support interventions to ensure that students remain competitive in the residency matching process, a critical milestone in their medical careers. One of the most significant determinants of a student 's success in the residency matching process is their performance on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA), particularly level 1 and level 2 . First-time pass rates on these exams are pivotal in determining whether a student will successfully match into a residency program [3] . Therefore, ensuring students are adequately prepared for these high-stakes exams has become a top priority for medical schools. In response to these challenges

FAQs

How was correlation between academic factors and first-time board outcomes assessed?

Correlation was assessed using Spearman correlation, reported as significant at p<0.01 (and p<0.05 for one pathway).

Which course performance patterns were linked to higher risk of first-time COMLEX failure?

Students in the lowest quartile of several courses were at increased risk of failing COMLEX Level 1, and lowest-quartile performance in neuroanatomy and gastrointestinal correlated with first-time failure of COMLEX Level 2.

Sep 4, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda