Educational Videos Versus Question Banks: Maximizing Medical Student Performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 Exam

Objective The aim of this research was to determine if medical students' use of the active study strategy of working practice questions is associated with improved performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 exam when compared to students who used the passive study strategy of watching educational videos. Methods The study used a correlational design. Participants were students from two cohorts in a United States medical school (N=164 and N=163) who completed their first two years and took the USMLE Step 1 exam. Data collected retrospectively included the number of practice questions completed, educational videos watched, Step 1 exam scores, average scores on in-class exams, and scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Results The number of videos watched was negatively and significantly correlated with the Step 1 score for cohort 2022 (r=-0.294, a=0.01) and cohort 2023 (r=-0.175, a=0.05). The number of practice questions worked was positively and significantly correlated with the Step 1 score for cohort 2022 (r=0.176, a=0.05) and cohort 2023 (r=0.143 though not significant). The number of practice questions was a significant positive predictor of Step 1 score for cohort 2022 (13=0.141, p=0.017) and cohort 2023 (13=0.133, p=0.015). Videos were significant negative predictors for cohort 2023 (13=-0.118, p=0.034). Conclusions Answering practice questions appears to be a more effective study method than passively watching videos. Though other studies have supported the use of active learning methods, this study is unique in finding a negative correlation between test scores and the number of educational videos watched. Medical students should be urged to make the most effective use of study time by incorporating working practice questions and limiting watching educational videos.