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Annual Report on USMLE to Medical Licensing Authorities in the U.S. | 2017
for the patient note. A countdown clock will be visible in the upper right hand corner of the patient
note program screen, showing how much time remains. An announcement will be made when two
minutes remain for writing the note. The countdown clock will change to red when 30 seconds
remain. At the end of 25 minutes, the note will automatically submit and examinees will not be able
to continue writing.
Step 2 CS communication skills cases (posted May 2017)
Beginning May 21, 2017, USMLE Step 2 CS examinees may see a case in which the primary task is
to assist the standardized patient with making decisions and/or with disease or problem
management. For these cases, a physical examination will not be required, and the data
interpretation section of the patient note will not need to be completed.
2018 schedule for reporting Step 2 CS results is available (posted April 2017)
The 2018 schedule provides guidelines regarding when a result for a Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) exam
date will be reported. The schedule is available at
http://www.usmle.org/step-2-cs/#reporting
.
Enhanced security policies at CSEC test centers (posted March 2017)
Enhanced security policies will take effect in all Clinical Skills Evaluation Collaboration (CSEC) test
centers beginning April 4, 2017. The enhanced security procedures are being conducted to inspect
for electronic devices. The USMLE Step 2 CS is administered at CSEC test centers in Atlanta,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, and Philadelphia. Under the enhanced procedures:
•
All examinees will be required to remove eyeglasses for close visual inspection
by the test
center administrators. These inspections will be brief and will be done at check-in and upon
return from breaks.
•
Jewelry, except for wedding and
engagement rings, is prohibited.
•
Hair accessories are subject to inspection. Examinees wearing ornate clips, combs, barrettes,
headbands, and other hair accessories may be asked to store such items in their locker.
Understanding your USMLE score report (posted March 2017)
A short video designed to help examinees interpret the USMLE score report, and understand
decisions and actions that can be taken based on exam performance, is now available
at:
http://www.usmle.org/transcripts/
. The video is part of an effort to address frequently asked
questions from examinees and others about the USMLE examination process. Additional videos will
be forthcoming.
USMLE takes action against individuals found to have engaged in Irregular Behavior (posted November 2016)
The USMLE Committee for Individualized Review (CIR) meets periodically throughout the year to
review cases involving allegations of irregular behavior by applicants and/or examinees. At its recent
meetings, the CIR considered multiple cases involving the following:
•
falsifying information, including the creation of falsified score reports
•
seeking to obtain unauthorized access to examination materials (including the solicitation of
exam content via online web forums)
•
communicating about specific test items, cases, and/or answers with other examinees
(including the sharing of examination content via online web forums and file sharing
websites)
•
applying for and/or attempting to take an
examination when ineligible
•
accessing unauthorized items, equipment, or materials while on an unauthorized break
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Annual Report on USMLE to Medical Licensing Authorities in the U.S. | 2017
•
making notes on test day on something other than the writing materials provided by test
center staff
•
failure to follow test center instructions, including typing past the ‘End Patient Note’
announcement in Step 2 Clinical
Skills
Actions taken by the CIR at its recent meetings included:
•
annotating individual USMLE records with a finding of irregular behavior
•
barring access to USMLE for periods up to 5 years
•
reporting the finding of irregular behavior to the disciplinary data bank (Physician Data
Center at the Federation of State Medical Boards)
•
State medical boards routinely query this data bank as part of their licensing processes
•
cancelling the examinee’s score because the validity of a passing level score is in question
As evidenced by the sanctions listed above, a finding of irregular behavior carries significant
potential impact. USMLE applicants and examinees are reminded to read the
USMLE Bulletin of
Information carefully, follow the rules of conduct during testing, and refrain from any pre- or post-
examination conduct deemed to be irregular behavior. Applicants and examinees are also
encouraged to watch the USMLE Security Video.
The USMLE is committed to maintaining the integrity of its examination so that state medical
boards may continue to rely upon it as an integral part of their decision-making process for
licensure. Applicants and examinees are advised to observe all USMLE policies and procedures to
avoid the potentially significant implications arising from a finding of irregular behavior. USMLE
encourages you to provide information about cheating and other activity of which you are aware
that may compromise the security and integrity of USMLE. Please use the contact form on the
USMLE website to report such information.
Enhanced security policies at Prometric test centers (posted October 2016)
Beginning October 15, 2016, Prometric center administrators will conduct inspections of all
eyeglasses, jewelry, and other accessories. The purpose of the enhanced security procedures is to
inspect for electronic devices. Under the enhanced procedures:
•
All examinees will be required to remove eyeglasses for close visual inspection
by the test
center administrators. These inspections will be brief and will be done at check-in and upon
return from breaks.
•
Jewelry, except for wedding and engagement rings, is prohibited.
•
Hair accessories are subject to inspection. Examinees wearing ornate clips, combs, barrettes,
headbands, and other hair accessories may be prohibited from wearing them in the testing
room and asked to store such items in their locker.
Images in Step 2 Clinical Skills examination (posted March 2016)
Beginning May 22, 2016, USMLE Step 2 CS examinees may see a case in which the standardized
patient provides a digital image (for example, a photograph, x-ray, MRI, or CT) on a tablet
computer. Examinees will be able to enlarge the image. During the pre-session orientation,
examinees will have an opportunity to view a sample image on a tablet, and to practice enlarging the
image. Not all examinations will include a case with an image. Examinees will see a maximum of one
case with an image per examination.