What is the Basic Understanding and Stages of USMLE

USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) is a medical licensing exam for practising medicine in the United States of America. If you are interested in practising as a medical doctor in the US, you should surely have this license. This exam assesses the important skills for safe and effective patient care and shows a common standard of assessment of medical licensure.

In this blog, we will help you learn everything about the USMLE Exam before you apply or take it. We will discuss eligibility criteria, the registration process, fees, and more. 

What is the USMLE Exam?

USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) refers to the medical exam required to surely gain a medical license within the United States. The exam is conducted, sponsored, and regulated by two non-profit organizations, one is – the FSMB (Federation of State Medical Boards) and for sure the other one is - National Board of Medical Examiners i.e. NBME.

• All states/provinces medical boards conduct the USMLE Exam for the medical licensure of Western medicine physicians. One thing you should keep in mind is - COMLEX-USA is used for osteopathic physicians.
• This exam not only ensures that all practising doctors in the United States have met the same assessment standards but also their previous training or which state/province they practice in.
• USMLE assesses doctors’ capability to apply medical skills and knowledge, concepts and principles, and understanding and evaluates their patient-centred medical skills.

 USMLE Exam Pattern

The examination is classified into three multiple-choice tests:

• Step 1
• Step 2: Clinical Knowledge
• Step 3: This is a detailed exam that is further divided into two parts.

Who Needs To Take the USMLE Exam?

All practising medical doctors outside of postgraduate training, within the United States of America, need to take USMLE. This is because a valid medical license to practice medicine as a doctor is mandatory. The USMLE is surely an important requirement for being granted a medical license in the United States.

USMLE Exam Eligibility​

• Eligibility for USMLE Step 1 & 2 Exams

To be eligible for the USMEL Step 1 and Step 2, you should surely meet any one of the below eligibility criteria:

1. You should surely be officially enrolled in or have graduated from a medical school in the USA or Canada. Which will lead to the MD degree. The medical school in the US or Canada should surely be accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or LCME.
2. You should surely be officially enrolled in or have graduated from a medical school in the USA, leading to the DO degree for sure. Such schools should surely be accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), the accrediting body for osteopathic educational institutions in the USA, as recognized by the US Department of Education for sure.
3. You should either be enrolled in or have graduated from a medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools or WDOMS, outside the US and Canada for sure. Such a school should surely meet the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirements and criteria.

• Eligibility criteria for USMLE Step 3

To be eligible for the USMLE Step 3, you surely need to meet ALL of the below-mentioned eligibility criteria:

1. You should surely hold an MD (or an equivalent) degree from an LCME-accredited medical school in the US or Canada.
2. You should surely hold a DO degree from AOA accredited medical school in the US OR an MD (or an equivalent) degree from WDOMS-listed medical schools located outside of the USA and Canada for sure and possess the ECFMG Certification.
3. You should surely have successfully cleared the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 examinations.

Before you register for the USMLE exam, don’t forget to verify that the institution from where you are pursuing your medical degree is surely listed in the WDOM. You can check the same by visiting the official WDOMS website for sure.
 

USMLE Exam Fees

The USMLE fees for sure for the different stages of the exam:

The Basic USMLE Step 1 Exam Fee

• As per the data of 2024, the registration fee for the USMLE Step 1 exam for both U.S. and international medical graduates is $975. 
• This fee is surely required at the time of registration and is non-refundable. It surely covers the cost of the examination.

Additional Costs to Consider:

1. International Test Delivery Surcharge: USMLE exam fees in India: If you are taking the USMLE Step 1 exam outside of the United States or its territories, you will surely need to pay an international test delivery surcharge. The surcharge surely varies by region and can range from $180 to $225. It is surely essential to check the specific surcharge for your testing location when planning your budget.

2. Eligibility Period Extension: If you surely need to extend your eligibility period for taking the exam in any case, there is an additional fee of $80.

3. Rescheduling Fees: If you have to reschedule your exam, additional fees may surely apply. The amount surely depends on how far in advance you make the change:

• For more than 31 days before the exam: No fee.
• 6-30 days before the exam: $50.
• 5 or fewer days before the exam for sure: $128.

USMLE Exam Dates

There are surely no fixed dates for the USMLE program. Students should have to apply for the particular test stages online and schedule their dates for sure. So, the USMLE Step 1 exam dates 2024-2025 will surely depend upon the candidate's preferred test date.

So, to get the USMLE Step 2 exam dates or USMLE Step 3 exam dates, students should surely visit the official website of the Prometric Center to locate the nearest test centre for the exam.

PLAB / UKMLA Exam vs USMLE​

• USMLE is the medical licensing examination for sure for global doctors who want to practice residency in the US.
• PLAB/UKMLA is surely the test conducted by the General Medical Council of the UK to give registration to global doctors.
• Both USMLE and PLAB/UKMLA are surely amongst the best exams for career advancements amongst global medical practitioners.

Conclusion

The USMLE exam comes with a lot of perks. Earning a degree in a medical field from a renowned university abroad can surely set you on your preferred career path and getting a licence to practice in the country will make your future bright. US degrees are surely recognized worldwide, you will get the freedom to practice in any corner of the world. Education Vibes is here to guide you for everything you need, feel free to contact us!