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USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) is a medical licensing exam to practise medicine in the United States of America. If you want to practise as a medical doctor in the US, you should have this licence. This exam assesses the important skills for safe as well as effective patient care, and shows a common standard of assessment of medical licensure.
Here, in this blog, we will help you know about USMLE, before you apply and/or undertake the exam, such as, eligibility criteria, registration process, fees and more.
What is USMLE?
USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) simply refers to the medical exam required to gain a medical licence within the United States. The exam is conducted, sponsored and regulated by two non-profit organisations, one is – the FSMB (Federation of State Medical Boards) and the other one is - National Board of Medical Examiners i.e. NBME.
This exam was designed to provide a single national level examination to be used by all states/provinces medical boards for the medical licensure of physicians of western medicine. 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 practise in.
USMLE assesses doctors’ capability to apply medical skills and knowledge, concepts and principles, understanding and evaluates their patient-centred medical skills. The examination is classified into three multiple-choice tests – Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge and Step 3 – which are covered in more info or detail in the USMLE.
Who Needs This USMLE?
All practising medical doctors in an unsupervised setting, for example, outside of postgraduate training, within the United States of America, need this USMLE. This is because a valid medical licence to practise medicine as a doctor is mandatory. The USMLE is an important requirement for being granted a medical licence in the United States.
This requirement is also same for graduates who already have qualified in the United States or internationally and at the same time ensures that those who trained outside of the United States are assessed against the same standards as US medical university students as well as graduates.
Eligibility - Let’s discuss the eligibility for the USMLE examination. You must meet the below mentioned requirements, at the time of your application and the exam day.
Clinical Knowledge: Step 1 & Step 2
You must be in one of the following categories:
A graduate of a United States or Canadian medical school program or medical student leading to the MD (doctor of medicine) degree that is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education aka LCME.
A medical graduate or medical student of a United States medical school leading to the DO degree that is accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation aka COCA.
A graduate of a medical school or medical student outside of the United States and Canada that are listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools as meeting the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates i.e. ECFMG eligibility requirements and the student meets other eligibility criteria for the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.
Step 3 - Medical graduates to be eligible for Step 3 must have already successfully completed the above Step 1 & Step 2 of the USMLE, prior to submitting their application.
Medical graduates must also hold one of the following:
Need MD or the DO degree from a United States or Canadian medical school, which is accredited by the LCME or COCA. The equivalent of the MD or DO degree from a medical school outside of the United States of America and Canada which is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools as meeting the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates eligibility requirements.
Medical graduates must also have Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates Certification if they qualified outside of the United States and Canada. USMLE website provides further information on eligibility requirements, and attempts as well as time limit for the examination.
Duration of the USMLE
The length of the examination varies across the different steps, but the length or duration of the examination is given here.
Step 1 – 8 Hours Approx
Step 2 – (Clinical Knowledge) – 9 Hours Approx
Step 3
Day First - 7 Hours Approx
Day Second – 9 Hours Approx
What To Do After USMLE?
After completing USMLE Step 1 and Step2 – Clinical knowledge and the Step 3, you will be able to apply for the licence to practise as a medical doctor in the United States of America. The exam also permits you to practise in an unsupervised medical setting that is outside of PG training
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