FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE USMLE
Complied by: Elizabeth Encarnacion-Villarico, MD
How do I apply for USMLE?
Step 1 and Step 2 application materials are available for students and graduates of LCME- and AOAaccredited medical schools from the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®) website. Step
1 and Step 2 application materials are also available for students and graduates of medical schools
outside the United States and Canada from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
(ECFMG®).
Step 1 and Step 2 applications must be submitted to the NBME if you are a student or graduate of a medical school in the
United States and Canada, or to the ECFMG if you are a student or graduate of a medical school outside the United States
and Canada. You must complete current, official USMLE applications and submit them to the ECFMG or NBME in
accordance with the application instructions.
To request information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for Step 3, you should contact the medical
licensing authority with which you intend to apply for Step 3 or the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB).
Application procedures for Step 3 vary among jurisdictions. Therefore, you are advised to begin inquiries well in advance of
the dates on which you expect to take the examination. Depending on the licensing board, application materials are available
from the FSMB or medical licensing authority. See also USMLE Bulletin:Applying for the Test and Scheduling Your Test Date
What do I have to do to take computer-delivered USMLE (Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3)?
Thomson Prometric, a division of The Thomson Corporation, provides scheduling and test centers for
USMLE. Computer-delivered USMLE is delivered at Prometric test centers, Step 1 and Step 2 CK at
Prometric test centers in the United States and around the world, and Step 3 at Prometric test centers
only in the US and its territories. To take computer-delivered USMLE, you must do the following:
1. Access application materials from the appropriate registration entity. (See also How do I apply for USMLE?)
2. Complete your application materials and submit them to the registration entity.
3. Obtain a Scheduling Permit verifying your eligibility and authorizing you to schedule the examination.
4. Follow the instructions on your Scheduling Permit to schedule your test date at a Prometric test center. Center
locations are available at www.prometric.com
5. Bring your Scheduling Permit and identification as described on your Scheduling Permit to the Prometric test center
on the scheduled date and time and take the examination. See also USMLE Bulletin: Applying for the Test and
Scheduling Your Test Date and Testing.
I just took a computer-delivered Step. When will I get my scores?
USMLE Step scores are made available to you by your registration entity - for Step 1 and Step 2,
either NBME orECFMG; for Step 3, FSMB. You must contact your registration entity if you have
questions about obtaining your scores.
Scores ready for release are released on a weekly basis on Wednesdays. Generally these will include examinees tested
three to four weeks before the release date. However, there are many factors that may delay an individual score release.
Usually these will be quickly resolved and the score released in the next weekly cycle. If you have not received your score
within eight weeks of your test date, please contact your registration entity to determine the status of your score report.
Please note that during 2009, no new scores for computer-delivered Step examinations will be released during the week of
July 1 and during the week of December 27.
What are the passing scores for the three Steps?
The USMLE program recommends a minimum passing score for each Step. Currently, the passing
scores as set by the USMLE program are 185 for Step 1, 184 for Step 2 CK and 187 for Step 3 on the
3-digit scale, or 75 on the 2-digit scale. Each of these corresponds to answering 60-70% of the items
correctly. Performance standards for USMLE are based on a specified level of proficiency. As a result,
no predetermined percentage of examinees will pass or fail the examination. The passing scores are
reviewed periodically and may be adjusted without notice prior to score reporting. See Minimum
Passing Scores on USMLE Step Examinations and USMLE Bulletin:Scoring and Score Reporting.
How do I prepare for the test? Is there a review book on USMLE?
Tutorials that illustrate the USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 multiple-choice question and Step 3
computer-based case simulation (Primum® CCS) software, sample multiple-choice test questions for
each Step, sample Step 3 Primum cases, and orientation materials for Step 2 CS are available at this
website:
 Step 1
 Step 2
 Step 3
All applicants can download sample test and orientation materials from the USMLE website. FSMB applicants will also
receive these materials on a CD from their registration entity. Once registered, ECFMG applicants can request a CD using
the appropriate form, available on the ECFMG website. NBME applicants can request that a CD be sent to them, by sending
an e-mail to webmail@nbme.org. The materials on the CD and on the website are identical.
Click here for frequently asked questions about the sample test materials. If you cannot find the answer to your question, you
may either send your inquiry to USMLEtech@nbme.org or call (215) 590-9700 between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM Monday
through Friday, eastern time. See USMLE Bulletin: Preparing for the Test.
Do the Steps have to be taken at particular points during my medical education and career?
You must pass Step 1 and Step 2 before you are eligible to take Step 3. In LCME-accredited medical
schools, although Step 1 and Step 2 can be taken in any order, most students will take Step 1 at the end
of their second year and Step 2 in their fourth year; Step 3 is usually taken during the first or second
year of postgraduate training. Students and graduates of medical schools outside the United States and
Canada should contact the ECFMG for information on ECFMG Certification and Step 1 and Step 2
eligibility. Most medical licensing authorities require completion of USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3 within a
seven-year period, which begins when you pass your first Step. Check the FSMB website for further
information on such requirements.
Is there a limit on the number of times Steps can be taken?
Any limits are established by the individual medical licensing boards, and they can vary from three to
six times, while a few states have no limit. Once again, you should check this with the FSMB or the
individual licensing authority in the state where you intend to apply for licensure. See
USMLE Bulletin: Time Limit and Number of Attempts Allowed to Complete All Steps
Can I retake a Step that I passed to raise my score?
If you pass a Step, you are not allowed to retake it, except to comply with the time limit of a medical
licensing authority for the completion of all Steps or a requirement imposed by another authority
recognized by the USMLE program. See USMLE Bulletin: Time Limit and Number of Attempts
Allowed to Complete All Steps.
am a graduate of a medical school outside the United States and Canada. How can I get information on
what is required to enter graduate medical education and/or practice medicine in the United States?
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) provides such information.
Through its program of certification, ECFMG assesses the readiness of graduates of medical schools
outside the United States and Canada to enter residency or fellowship programs in the United States.
The ECFMG® Certification Fact Sheet provides an overview of ECFMG Certification and preliminary
information on entry into US programs of graduate medical education. For detailed information on
these topics, including eligibility to take the USMLE, refer to the ECFMG Information Booklet. Both
publications are available on the ECFMG website. Students and graduates of medical schools outside
the United States and Canada can also contact ECFMG for information.
How can I request a transcript of my USMLE scores?
To obtain your USMLE transcript or have it sent to a third party, you must contact the ECFMG, FSMB,
or NBME. Which entity you contact depends on which Steps you have taken and where you want your
transcript sent. Contact the FSMB if you want a transcript sent to a medical licensing authority at any
time. If you have not registered for or taken Step 3 and you want a transcript sent to a third party other
than a medical licensing authority, the request should be sent to the same entity that registered you for
Step 1 and/or Step 2, the ECFMG or the NBME. Once you register for or take Step 3, all requests for
USMLE transcripts must be sent to the FSMB. See USMLE Bulletin:Official Transcripts and Providing
Scores to Third Parties.
What is ERAS?
ERAS®, the Electronic Residency Application Service, is sponsored by the Association of American
Medical Colleges (AAMC) and was developed to transmit residency applications via the Internet,
including electronic transmittal of USMLE transcripts to residency programs which participate in
ERAS.
Information on electronic transmittal of USMLE transcripts through ERAS is available for students and graduates of
accredited medical schools in the United States and Canada from the medical schools.
ERAS is available to students and graduates of medical schools outside the United States and Canada through ECFMG;
instructions are included at www.ecfmg.org.
REFERENCE:
http://www.usmle.org/General_Information/general_information_FAQs.html
How can I apply for the USMLE?
If you are a student residing within the United States seeking to take either Steps 1 or 2 of the USMLE, please
visit the NBME Web site to obtain current application materials. If you reside elsewhere, visit the ECFMG Web
site to obtain application materials.
Step 3 applicants must contact the medical authority to which they will apply in order to obtain
information about applications. Additional information for Step 3 applicants can be obtained by
contacting the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB).
How long will it take to score my exam?
Test scores must be secure and accurate; therefore, it can take anywhere from three to six weeks to receive a
score. Testing authorities must evaluate any issues at testing centers around the country to ensure that no
violations have occurred. It is crucial to maintain the integrity of the examination. Students who have completed
Steps 1 and 2 CK can expect test results within three to four weeks after the testing date. Students who have
taken Step 3 can expect test results within four to six weeks of the testing date.
What is the retake policy if I fail the exam?
Any students who fail all or part of a Step must submit a new application and pay the full testing fee. Students
are allowed to take Steps 1, 2 CK, and 3 up to four times in a 12-month period. Step 2 CS may be taken up to
three times in a 12-month period. Students who pass the exam are not allowed to retake it to attempt a higher
score.
What scores do I need to pass the USMLE?
Each step of the USMLE has a minimum passing score. Step 1 has a minimum passing score of 185, Step 2 CK is
184, and Step 3 is 187 on the three-digit scale or 75 on the two-digit scale. Each minimum passing score is the
equivalent of answering approximately 60%-70% of the test question correctly.
Do I have to take the steps in any particular order?
Students must pass Steps 1 and 2 before becoming eligible for Step 3. Generally, Steps 1 and 2 can be taken in
any order. Most students will take Step 1 near the end of their second year of school, Step 2 near the end of
their fourth year, and Step 3 during postgraduate training. All steps must be completed within a seven-year
period.
Reference:
http://www.usmleadvice.com/usmle_faq.htm