QUICK FACTS: Examination Day and Testing
DO
DON’T
Review the USMLE Rules of Conduct prior to taking
your examination
Follow all test center staff instructions on the
day of your examination
Remember to bring a copy of your scheduling
permit (electronic or paper) and required
identification (see below); you will not be
permitted to test without them
Arrive 30 minutes prior to your testing
appointment (computer-based examinations); for
Step 2 CS, arrive at the time listed on your
confirmation notice
Confirm that your headphones are working, either
before the examination begins or during the
tutorial (computer-based examinations)
Use personal items only when on an authorized
break; you are not permitted to access your locker
during unauthorized breaks (computer-based
examinations)
Be sure to complete all sections of the
examination
Please see pages 16-20 for more information regarding examination day rules and regulations.
Identification Required on Exam Day
You must present valid (unexpired) identification with:
Your photo
Your name as it appears on your permit
Your signature
Your name, as it appears on your scheduling permit, must
match the name on your identification exactly. If the name
listed is not correct, contact your registration entity
immediately.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
Passport
Driver’s license with photograph
National Identity Card
Other dated, government-issued identification
Security Procedures on Exam Day
During check-in, you will:
be scanned with a handheld or walk-through metal
detector (computer-based examinations)
be asked to empty and turn your pockets inside out
place your personal belongings in bins that are
inaccessible for the duration of the examination (Step
2 CS)
have your photo identification checked
be fingerprinted using biometric technology
(computer-based examinations; not available at all
locations)
write your unique CIN as shown on your scheduling
permit on one of the laminated note boards provided
(computer-based examinations)
You will be asked to repeat much of this process each time you
return to the testing room after a break.
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2018 Bulletin of Information
Feel compelled to test if you are ill, under unusual
stress or unprepared for the examination
Bring family and friends to the center
instead,arrange
to meet them after the
examination ends
Bring unauthorized items to the testing room: for
computer-based examinations, only soft-foam
earplugs are allowed; for Step 2 CS, only your
white lab coat and stethoscope are allowed
Write on laminated note boards prior to entering
your Candidate Identification Number (CIN) and
starting your test session (computer-based
examinations) or write on anything other than the
laminated note boards
Work past the announcements instructing you to
stop
Access your locker or use your cell phone on
an unauthorized break
QUICK FACTS: Scoring and Score Reporting
WHAT HAPPENS WHILE YOU WAIT FOR YOUR SCORES?
STEPS 1, 2 CK, AND 3
STEP 2 CS
After testing, the examination data are delivered
electronically to the NBME
Examinee responses are converted into a raw
score (the sum of the points earned from correct
responses)
The raw score is converted into a three-digit score
Analyses are performed to detect aberrant
examinee response behavior. Candidates who are
identified by these analyses may be asked to
provide an explanation of their testing behaviors
Final quality assurance procedures are performed
to verify that the correct set of score reports is
produced
Score reports are then posted to the registration
entity’s (NBME, ECFMG, or FSMB) secure website
and made available to examinees
Examinee test dates are batched into scoring
cohorts that
are usually eight weeks long
Each day, after testing ends, the testing center
performs quality control measures on the
examination data before the information is
delivered to the NBME
Standardized Patient rating scales are converted to
scores and patient notes are assigned to specially
trained Patient Note raters
When the test administration period for the cohort
ends, the performance from the entire cohort is
used to generate the data needed to ensure score
comparability (across sites and administrations)
and to report outcomes
The results go through a final quality control
process involving computation of statistical quality
control measures
Once results are verified and approved for release,
the scores are made available as shown in
the
Step 2 CS Score Reporting
Schedule
How Long Does it Take to Get Results?
Results for computer-based examinations (Steps 1, 2 CK, and 3)
are typically available within three to four weeks after your test
date. However, delays are possible for various reasons. In
selecting your test date and inquiring about results, you should
allow at least eight weeks to receive notification that your score
report is available. For more specific information about potential
scoring delays, please visit the Announcements section of
the
USMLE website
.
For Step 2 CS, refer to the
Step 2 CS Score Reporting Schedule
.
When your score is available, follow the instructions in the e-mail
notification for accessing your USMLE score report. The report will
remain available for approximately 120 days from the date of the
e-mail notification. After 120 days, your scores will be provided
to you only in the form of an official USMLE transcript, which is
available for a fee.
How to Receive/Send Transcripts
To obtain your USMLE transcript or have it sent to a third party,
you must contact your registration entity; there is a fee for this
service.
Please visit the
USMLE website
to determine which registration
entity to contact to request your transcript and the fees
associated with the service.
Your USMLE transcript includes: biographical information,
complete examination history, and, if applicable, information
regarding findings of irregular behavior and actions reported to
the
FSMB Physician Data Center
.
NOTE: The
USMLE does not provide scores or outcomes by telephone, e-mail, or fax to anyone. The
scoring process is not expedited or accelerated for any individual or group.
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2018 Bulletin of Information