Change to pass/fail for Step 1 exam is a positive step

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation applauds the decision by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) to change the score reporting for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) program’s Step 1 exam to pass/fail. This is a positive step toward reducing student stress and reorienting educational goals toward supporting the training and assessment of humanistic physicians. Both residency and medical school entry and learning assessments must continue to evolve to recognize the full and critical importance of humanism – compassion, collaboration and scientific excellence – in the training of physicians.