2 0 1 8
B U L L E T I N
of
INFORMATION
A Joint Program of the FEDERATION OF STATE MEDICAL
BOARDS OF THE UNITED STATES, INC.,
and the NATIONAL BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS
®
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page #
QUICK FACTS
(You must become familiar with this bulletin in its entirety.)
4
▫ Eligibility for the USMLE Examinations
4
▫ Applying and Scheduling
5
▫ Examination Day and Testing
6
▫ Scoring and Score Reporting
7
▫ Irregular Behavior
8
OVERVIEW
9
▫ Purpose and Mission of the USMLE
9
▫ Examination Committees
9
▫ Ownership and Copyright of Examination Materials
9
▫ The USMLE: Purpose, Test Format, and Test Lengths
9
ELIGIBILITY FOR THE USMLE
11
▫ Who is Eligible to Take the USMLE?
11
▫ Change in Eligibility Status
12
▫ Graduates From Unaccredited Medical Schools in the US or Canada
12
▫ Sequence of Steps
12
▫ Number of Attempts and Time Limits
12
▫ Retaking Failed Examinations
12
▫ Retaking Previously Passed Steps
13
▫ Previously Licensed Physicians
13
APPLYING FOR THE TEST AND SCHEDULING YOUR TEST DATE
14
▫ Application Materials
14
▫ Examinees With Disabilities Requesting Test Accommodations
14
▫ Examinees Who Require Additional Break Time
14
▫ Personal Item Exceptions (PIE)
14
▫ Obtaining an Eligibility Period and Scheduling Your Test Date
15
EXAMINATION DAY AND TESTING
16
▫ Testing Regulations and Rules of Conduct
16
▫ Personal Belongings – What You Can Bring Into the Testing Room
17
▫ Admission to the Test
17
▫ Break Time
19
▫ Starting and Completing the Test
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SCORING AND SCORE REPORTING
21
▫ Examination Results and Scoring
21
▫ Score Reporting
21
▫ Score Rechecks
22
▫ Score Validity
22
▫ Anomalous Performance
23
IRREGULAR BEHAVIOR
24
▫ Irregular Behavior Defined
24
▫ Examples of Irregular Behavior
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▫ Irregular Behavior – Investigation Process
25
COMMUNICATING WITH THE USMLE PROGRAM
26
▫ Application and Registration Inquiries
26
▫ Scheduling and Test Center Inquiries
26
▫ Test Administration Inquiries
27
▫ Security Concerns
27
▫ General Inquiries
27
APPENDIX
(list of definitions of abbreviations)
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www.usmle.org
2
2018 Bulletin of Information
IMPORTANT
You must become familiar with the information referenced in this Bulletin if you are an applicant with an eligibility
period in 2018. If your eligibility period extends into 2019 and you test in 2019, you must become familiar with and
will be subject to the policies and procedures detailed in the 2019 Bulletin of Information (BOI). If changes in the
USMLE program occur after the release of this BOI, they will be effective when posted on the
USMLE website
. You
are responsible for checking the
USMLE website
for updates and changes to the USMLE policies and procedures.
IMPORTANT
If you are a student or graduate of a medical school outside the US or Canada with an eligibility period in 2018, in
addition to becoming familiar with this BOI, you must also be familiar with the contents of the 2018 Information
Booklet published by the ECFMG. If your eligibility period extends into 2019 and you test in 2019, you must become
familiar with and will be subject to the policies and procedures detailed in the ECFMG 2019 Information Booklet. The
ECFMG Information Booklet is available on the
ECFMG website
. Students and graduates of medical schools outside
the US and Canada are responsible for monitoring the
ECFMG website
to ensure they understand current ECFMG
policies and procedures, including any changes.
Copyright © 2017 by the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc. (FSMB) and the National
Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®). All rights reserved.
The United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) is a joint program of the FSMB and the NBME.
www.usmle.org
3
2018 Bulletin of Information