As of January 1, 2010 the minimum passing for USMLE Step 1 will increase from 185 to 188

At its December 2009 meeting, the Step 1 Committee conducted such a review for USMLE Step 1. During the meeting, the Step 1 Committee considered information from multiple sources, including: 1) results of content-based standard setting exercises conducted with three independent groups of physicians in 2009; 2) results of surveys of various groups (e.g., state licensing representatives, medical school faculty, samples of examinees) concerning the appropriateness of current pass/fail standards for Step examinations; 3) trends in examinee performance; and 4) score precision and its effect on the pass/fail decision.

As a result of its review, the Step 1 Committee decided to raise the three-digit score recommended to pass Step 1 from 185 to 188. The new minimum passing score will be applied to Step 1 examinations for which the first day of testing is on or after January 1, 2010.