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If it is your forever dream to go to the USA and practice medicine, then the first step that you should take is clear the USMLE. USMLE is a three-step examination process that is common for all students irrespective of where and how they have trained themselves in the field of medicine. It assesses the applicants on the same standards of how well they interpret and demonstrate their medicinal skills in patient care. To clear the USMLE with a good score, you need to have a proper schedule and plan sketched out well before you appear for the Exam. A Residency program in the USA can help you start with the preparations and set you on the path to complete it successfully.

USMLE 

USMLE is the short form for the United States Medical Licensing Examination. This is the fundamental and mandatory ground that is expected to be completed by all medical aspirants if they want to gain medical licensure in the US. It is the Exam that is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards and the National Board of Medical Examiners (FSMB and NBME). The Exam is split into three steps that assess the student’s ability to make use of the medical concepts learned and apply them diligently in the practice of medicine. It checks and evaluates the practitioner’s fundamental and patient-centered skills for the effective use and support of safe patient care methods. 

USMLE History

The Exam was designed and drafted in the 1980s but was introduced only between 1992-94. It came as a single platform for assessing the medical standards of the students replacing two other widely accepted medical licensing examinations. They were the NBME part examination program and the Federation Licensing Examination – FLEX program. It is now the critical criterion that has to be fulfilled by any aspirant who wants to get a medical license and practice in the US.

USMLE Steps Overview

When you choose to do a Residency program in the USA, you get to have the advantage of parallelly preparing for USMLE clearance. The examination has three steps that have to be completed, and all three exams are computer-based.

Step 1: Spread over a day; this step has seven sets of 40 multiple-choice questions that sum up to approximately 280. They assess the student’s knowledge of basic science concepts and their application in medical practice.

Step 2: Spread over a day; the second step has eight sets of 40 multiple-choice questions that sum up to approximately 316 questions. They assess the student’s knowledge of clinical science concepts and their application in medical practice.

Step 3: Spread over two days; this step has six sets of multiple choice questions that sum up to approximately 413 questions, along with 13 simulation tests. They assess the student’s knowledge of biomedical and clinical science concepts and their application in patient care, patient management, ambulance care, etc.

The United States Medical Licensing Examination’s Steps 1 and 2 can be completed in any order. However, one must complete both steps to qualify for Step 3 of the examination. 

USMLE Steps – 2023

Step 1Step 1 of USMLE can be easily cleared when you opt to do a Residency program in the USA with Texila American University. It assesses and evaluates the comprehension of primary and fundamental scientific principles that include the topics of anatomy, behavioral science, pharmacology, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, and pathology. It also has additional concepts that need to be well-versed in, like genetics, immunology, and nutritional science.

Eligibility Criteria:

• The student must have enrolled or graduated from a medical school in the US or Canada. Students outside of the US and Canada must have completed the study in a medical school that is listed under the World Directory of Medical schools and must fulfill all other requirements as set out by the ECFMG.

• The candidate must fulfill the eligibility requirements that are set out at the time of application and at the time of taking the Exam. 

• A candidate who has been dismissed from Med school or has withdrawn himself from the school during the time of application or while taking the test is not eligible to be assessed. 

Step 2

The second step in the USMLE preparation evaluates the candidate based on skill, knowledge, and understanding of clinical science and its application in patient health management. It monitors the efficiency of the student to offer care to patients in supervised environments that are challenging and spontaneous. It also checks the student’s ability to emphasize health promotion and disease prevention. The test includes an optional tutorial that can help you recall learned concepts for a duration of 15 minutes.

Eligibility Criteria:

The student must have enrolled or graduated from a medical school in the US or Canada. Students outside of the US and Canada must have completed the study in a medical school that is listed under the World Directory of Medical schools and must fulfill all other requirements as set out by the ECFMG.

The candidate must fulfill the eligibility requirements that are set out at the time of application and at the time of taking the Exam. 

A candidate who has been dismissed from Med school or has withdrawn himself from the school during the time of application or while taking the test is not eligible to be assessed.

Step 3

This is the final examination that is spread over two days of time and checks how well the student can apply medicinal, biomedical, clinical, and fundamental concepts in an unsupervised environment. It assesses if the student can offer independent primary medical care and scores based on patient management under ambulatory circumstances. Along with the test with approximately 413 multiple-choice questions, they must complete thirteen real-life case simulations to clear the Exam.

Eligibility Criteria:

The applicant must be MD-eligible or have equivalent qualifications from a medical school in the US or Canada. Students who possess such a degree from a medical school outside the US and Canada must have the school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools and meet all requirements suggested by the ECFMG.

When you do a Residency program in the USA, you will be able to clear Step 1 and Step 2 more easily as they prepare you for the USMLE clearance. To be eligible for Step 3, you must successfully complete both Steps 1 and 2.

The candidate must be ECFMG certified and meet all eligibility requirements at the time of application and appearance of the examination.

Retakes and Reattempts – USMLE 2023

A candidate can retake the test three times within one year. Any further attempts must have a time gap of 12 months from the first attempt or six months from the most recent effort. Once cleared, any Step cannot be attempted for higher marks. A candidate who has made six or more attempts of the same step will not be permitted to retake the Exam. Additionally, it should be mentioned that the committee checks how many shots a candidate takes to clear each stage. This is why removing the step with the least number of attempts is recommended by preparing yourself well in advance.

USMLE Application 2023

1. A candidate can access the ECFMG website and pay an application fee of $985 to apply for Step 1.
2. The candidate can access the ECFMG website and pay an application fee of $985 for Step 2 CK.
3. The candidate can access the ECFMG website and pay an application fee of $1600 for Step 2 CS.
4. The candidate can access the FSMB website and pay an application fee of $895 for Step 3.

Conclusion

The USMLE clearance is for medical aspirants with the passion and perseverance to achieve big in the medical field. Being a part of the Residency Program in the USA from a reputed institution like the Texila American University implies that you get on the path to success. As US degrees have global recognition, you will get the opportunity to set your career path in every angle and crevice of the world. The board offers many study materials and practice sessions to help you pass the Exam seamlessly. Make the best use of them and rock society with flying colors.

Blog Summary

USMLE is the ground requirement for gaining a license to practice medicine in the United States of America. When you choose to do a Residency program in the USA, you must first clear the USMLE examination that assesses if you possess the skills and knowledge required for effective patient care. This assessment is an essential requirement for obtaining medical licensure in the US. In proper definition, USMLE examines the ability of a student to use the knowledge and concepts to demonstrate and perform basic patient-centered skills. It acts as the gateway for acquiring medical licensure in the US.

What is USMLE?

The USMLE: United States Medical Licensing Examination is the essential requirement that is mandatory to gain a medical license in the US. It is known to be sponsored by the FSMB (Federation of State Medical Boards) and NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners). Both are non-profit organizations that design USMLE as the sole national examination for assessing the licensure of allopathic physicians. This method is practiced to ensure that all medical aspirants undergo the same assessment standards irrespective of their practicing state and training.

Who attempts the USMLE?

For an aspirant to gain medical licensure in the US, the first and foremost step is the USMLE clearance. If you are an aspirant for a Residency program in the USA, then you should attempt a USMLE. All physicians currently practicing within the US require a USMLE clearance unless otherwise a postgraduate trainee. The examination is a common platform for medical aspirants; whether qualified in the US or other parts of the world, the assessing standards are the same for all. Wherever trained, the assessment checks if the candidate has the same standards as a UD medical school graduate. 

Eligibility Criteria

Criterion 1

You must fulfill any one of the following categories:

• You must be a medical student, a US graduate, or a Canadian Med School graduate who leads to the MD degree accredited by the LCME – Liaison Committee of Medical Education.
• For consideration, applicants must be medical students or US graduates that lead the DO degree accredited by the COCA – Commission of Osteopathic College Accreditation. 
• It is necessary for you to be a medical student or a graduate of the US or Canadian med school. The presence in the World Directory of Medical Schools is required for the medical school and also fulfills the requirements set out by the ECFMG – Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

Any candidate dismissed or withdrawn from medical school will not be eligible to undertake the USMLE.

Criterion 2

After successfully completing criterion 1, you must hold at least one of the following listed:

• Either an MD or DO degree from the US or Canada Medical school as accredited by the COCA or LCME
• Any equivalent of the MD degree from a recognized med school outside the US and Canada that is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, meeting the ECFMG eligibility requirements. You are also expected to hold an ECFMG certification if you are a graduate outside of the US and Canada.

USMLE Exam Overview:

There are three sections to the United States Medical Licensing Examination categories. Each category is explained in detail below:

Exam 1

• Duration: A total of seven examinations are divided into 60-minute blocks each. The exams are spread over an entire day, approximately summing up to eight hours, including break timings. 
• The Number of Questions: Multiple choice questions that sum to approximately 280 questions.
• Assessment criteria: The efficiency in applying the basic to important medical concepts in actual clinical scenarios. The assessment checks if the candidate has knowledge of the underlying mechanisms and principles of health, medications, diseases, and how to treat them.

Exam 2

• Duration: A total of eight examinations are divided into 60-minute blocks each. The exams are spread over an entire day, approximately summing up to nine hours, including break timings.
• The Number of questions: Multiple choice questions that sum to approximately 318 questions.
• Assessment criteria: The understanding and application of medical knowledge and skills of clinical science that are deemed essential for patient care while focusing on disease prevention and health promotion.

Exam 3

This examination is divided into two parts: FIP (Foundations of Independent Practice) and ACM (Advanced Clinical Medicine). The tests are taken over two days of the time that assess the candidate’s capability to apply biomedical and clinical science while focusing on patient care in ambulatory settings.

FIP (Day 1):

• Duration: A total of six examinations are divided into 60-minute blocks each. The exams are spread over an entire day, approximately summing up to seven hours, including break timings.
• The Number of questions: Multiple choice questions that sum to approximately 232 questions.
• Assessment criteria: The knowledge of basic scientific and medical concepts essential for effective patient care.

ACM (Day 2):

• Duration: A total of six examinations that are divided into 45-minute blocks each and a total of thirteen stimulation blocks of 10–20-minute time each. The exams are spread over an entire day, approximately summing up to nine hours, including break timings.
• The Number of questions: Multiple choice questions that sum to approximately 180 questions and thirteen CSS – Computer-based Case Simulations.
• Assessment criteria: The capability of the candidature to apply the concepts of health and disease management for efficient care of patients.

USMLE Registration

Candidates who wish to take the USMLE examination must register before doing so. Exams one and two can be completed in any order. However, to take up exam three, one must have completed both the pre-exams beforehand. The USMLE authorities also recommend that you complete the exams within seven years from the first exam that you undertake. All the examinations are computer-based and are taken up at Prometric centers administered by the authorities of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. The third exam is only distributed in the United States and its corresponding territories. The Residency Program in the USA aids you in getting registered and clearing the USMLE.

• Graduates from medical schools in the US and Canada that the COCA or LCME accredits can apply through the NBME Licensing examination services.
• Graduates from medical schools ‘[that are located outside the US and Canada can apply for the same through the ECFMG application website.

Medical students or graduates who have completed the first two examinations can register through the FSMB website.