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USMLE - United States Medical Licensing Examination

The USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) is a series of mandatory exams that all doctors must pass in order to receive a license to practice medicine anywhere in the United States. The multi-step USMLE is the primary instrument used by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) to assess a student, resident or physician's ability to apply the knowledge, concepts and principles that he or she learns during medical school. Often referred to as The Steps or The Boards, each USMLE exam level is specifically designed to measure the individual's patient-centered knowledge and skills that are required for safe and effective patient care.

Under the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), each state has adopted the USMLE licensing procedure but also set standards for doctors to practice medicine in that state. In general, the timeline for students in American medical schools to complete the USMLE steps are listed below:

  • USMLE Step 1 at the end of the second year of medical school.
  • USMLE Step 2 during the fourth year of medical school. Step 2 is further divided into two separate exams:
    1. USMLE Step 2 CK - A 9-hour written exam designed to assess clinical knowledge.
    2. USMLE Step 2 CS - A 12 Standardized Patients exam designed to assess clinical skills.
  • USMLE Step 3 at the end of the first year of residency.

However, more competitive programs today may require medical students to record a passing score for the USMLE 1, USMLE 2 CS and USMLE 2 CK prior to submitting their application for residency.

The USMLE Step 1 and the USMLE Step 2 CK can be taken at any Prometric test center worldwide. However, the Step 2 CS and the Step 3 can only be taken in the USA. Students who graduate from medical schools outside the US and Canada, regardless of his or her professional title, are required to pass the three USMLE steps to obtain a license to practice in the US. A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) may elect to complete the USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 under the approval of the NBME prior to taking their final Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX).

For additional information about preparing for the USMLE, COMLEX or Revalida (the final exam for doctors practicing in countries such as Puerto Rico, American Samoa or the Philippines), contact PASS Program South at (904) 209-3140. We offer 4-week, 6-week and 8-week test preparation review courses designed to empower doctors with the knowledge that will change their medical future and the patients they touch. Since the principles of our Physician Achievement Concept Courses at all Steps are built around the major concepts of Physiology, students and doctors at all levels are welcome to attend. Master it. Don't memorize it.