Students at Covista Medical Schools Match or Exceed U.S. MD Peers on USMLE Step 1 First-Time Pass Rates Across MCAT Ranges

New analysis finds that students at Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) and American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) pass USMLE Step 1 on their first attempt at rates comparable to—and in most MCAT score bands higher than—U.S. MD students with similar MCAT scores.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Newly analyzed data from Covista (NYSE: CVSA) institutions Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) and American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) shows that students’ MCAT scores alone do not determine their likelihood of success in medical school. Strong academic support, student services and outcomes-focused curricula can help students achieve success across MCAT score ranges.

Analysis of internal and third-party data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) found that students at RUSM and AUC passed the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Step 1 on their first attempt at rates equal to or higher than U.S. MD students who entered medical school with comparable MCAT scores.

"An MCAT score measures where a student stands on one day — not who they can become as a physician," said Dr. Heidi Chumley, chief operating officer of medical and veterinary at Covista. "When capable, motivated students are given a rigorous curriculum and genuine, individualized support, they succeed. The fact that our students achieve first-time Step 1 pass rates comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, those of U.S. MD students across most MCAT score bands demonstrates what is possible when potential is matched with opportunity."

Passing USMLE Step 1 on the first attempt is a critical milestone in medical training. When students are compared within the same MCAT score band, RUSM and AUC first-time pass rates were comparable to or, in some cases, higher than U.S. MD rates in most ranges.¹

Student MCAT Range	U.S. MD First-Time Pass %	Ross Med (RUSM) First-Time Pass %	AUC First-Time Pass %
472-485	58%	80%	64%
486-489	56%	79%	78%
490-493	65%	79%	79%
494-497	69%	88%	81%
498-501	76%	89%	88%
502-505	84%	88%	82%
506-509	90%	90%	89%
510-513	94%	83%	90%
514-517	97%	100%	100%
518-528	99%	100%	100%

See Methodology below.

The advantage in favor of RUSM and AUC is widest in the lower and middle MCAT bands, where the schools enroll capable and motivated students that their programs are designed to foster, and first-time pass rates for all groups converge near the top of the scale in the highest MCAT bands.

Covista attributes the outcomes to rigorous medical sciences curricula paired with structured, built-in academic support. Both institutions broaden access to medical education, welcoming students across a wider range of MCAT scores, and offering multiple pathways into MD programs. At RUSM, every student is automatically enrolled in the Pathways to Step 1, which provides personalized advising, tutoring and group USMLE question reviews, reinforced by the school's Academy for Teaching and Learning and its Road to Success study-skills series. At AUC, academic support includes a multi-format tutoring program spanning one-on-one peer tutoring, small-group collaborative sessions and large-group course review.

At both schools, students must complete the Medical Sciences curriculum and pass a school-approved comprehensive examination before they are eligible to sit for USMLE Step 1. Students who feel they could benefit from more structured studying or who fail the comprehensive exam also have the opportunity to participate in structured remediation programs to help prepare them to pass the comprehensive exam and sit for the USMLE Step 1. AUC and RUSM offer students custom-built courses that combine individualized learning plans, performance-based interventions, faculty coaching, academic success advising, and intensive board-style assessment to ensure students demonstrate readiness before progressing to the USMLE Step 1 examination.

“The healthcare workforce shortage requires us to take a more holistic look at the education landscape, and a true assessment of the many talented, motivated people who want to become physicians,” said Scott Liles, president of medical and veterinary and chief strategy and performance officer for Covista. “This data proves something that our institutions have long known: that when capable students are cultivated rather than filtered by a single MCAT score, they meet or exceed their potential and become the physicians our communities need."

The findings carry added weight for the physician workforce. Covista’s Care Capacity Monitor, a survey fielded with Gallup, found that nearly 702,000 healthcare jobs are posted every month with only 306,000 unemployed clinicians to fill them. Expanding the physician pipeline, including international medical graduates, is part of the solution.

RUSM and AUC graduates go on to compete for and secure U.S. residency positions. RUSM reported a 96% first-time residency attainment rate for its 2025–2026 graduates, and AUC reported over a 98% first-time residency attainment rate for the same period.²

¹ Comparison using university and AAMC data. Data is based on students who matriculated between 2021-2023 and sat for the USMLE Step 1 as of August 2026. Not all matriculants sat for the USMLE Step 1 exam. Students must successfully matriculate, complete the Medical Sciences curriculum and pass a school approved Medical Sciences Comprehensive Exam to sit for the USMLE Step 1 exam.

² First-time residency attainment rate is the percent of students attaining a 2026-27 residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2025-26 who were active applicants in the 2026 NRMP match or who attained a residency position outside the NRMP match.

Methodology

Comparison using university and AAMC data. Data is based on students who matriculated between 2021–2023 and sat for the USMLE Step 1. Not all matriculants sat for the USMLE Step 1 exam. Students must successfully matriculate, complete the Medical Sciences curriculum, and pass a school-approved Medical Sciences Comprehensive Exam to sit for the USMLE Step 1 exam. Comparisons are made within matching MCAT score bands and reflect first-time pass rates only. AAMC source: https://www.aamc.org/media/77326/download

About Covista

Covista (NYSE: CVSA) is America's largest healthcare educator, serving 100,000 students and supported by a community of 400,000 alumni across five accredited institutions. Through personalized, tech-enabled education powered by 10,000 faculty and colleagues, Covista expands access to healthcare careers and addresses the U.S. healthcare workforce shortage at scale. Covista is the parent company of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University. For more information, visit covista.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

About Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM)

Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), a Covista (NYSE: CVSA) institution, expands access and opportunity to students on the path to becoming skilled physicians determined to make an impact in global communities. RUSM has graduated more than 16,000 alumni who practice in the U.S. and Canada. Located in Barbados, RUSM is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions. Visit medical.rossu.edu for more information, and follow on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC)

American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC), a Covista (NYSE: CVSA) institution, is committed to training tomorrow’s physicians, whose service to their communities and patients is enhanced by international learning experiences, a diverse learning community, and an emphasis on social accountability and engagement. With campuses located in Sint Maarten and the United Kingdom, AUC has more than 9,000 alumni and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine. Visit aucmed.edu for more information and follow on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.