Foreign medical graduates educational commission for foreign medical graduates

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)

About USMLE | 

Registration and Test Delivery Entities

 | 

Applying for Examination

 | 

Scheduling the Examination

 |

Preparing for Examination

 | 

Taking the Examination

 | 

USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior

 | 

Examination Results

 |

Reexamination and Reapplication

About USMLE

The USMLE is a three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States. The USMLE provides a common

system to evaluate applicants for medical licensure. The USMLE is sponsored by the 

Federation of State Medical

Boards (FSMB)

 and the 

National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)

. The USMLE is governed by a committee

consisting of representatives of FSMB, NBME, ECFMG, and the American public. If you apply for examination, you are

required to read the 

USMLE Bulletin of Information

 for detailed information on the USMLE.

Last updated: September 7, 2017

Copyright © 2017 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.

Page 28

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The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)

About USMLE

 | Registration and Test Delivery Entities | 

Applying for Examination

 | 

Scheduling the Examination

 |

Preparing for Examination

 | 

Taking the Examination

 | 

USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior

 | 

Examination Results

 |

Reexamination and Reapplication

Registration and Test Delivery Entities

Step 1 and Step 2

ECFMG serves as the registration entity for international medical students/graduates taking Step 1 and Step 2 (CK

and CS). This means that ECFMG processes your exam application and payment, verifies your eligibility, and notifies

you of the outcome of your application. The NBME serves as the registration entity for students/graduates of U.S. and

Canadian medical school programs accredited by the 

Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)

 and U.S.

medical schools accredited by the 

American Osteopathic Association (AOA)

.

For eligible international medical students/graduates applying for Step 1/Step 2 CK, ECFMG forwards registration

information to NBME, and NBME issues the exam scheduling permits. ECFMG sends an e-mail notification to these

applicants when their scheduling permits are available. Scheduling and test centers for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK

are provided by 

Prometric

. Prometric serves as the test delivery entity for all examinees taking Step 1/Step 2 CK. Step

1 and Step 2 CK are delivered at Prometric test centers worldwide.

For eligible international medical students/graduates applying for Step 2 CS, ECFMG issues the exam scheduling

permits and sends an e-mail notification to applicants when the scheduling permits are available. The Clinical Skills

Evaluation Collaboration (CSEC), a collaboration of ECFMG and NBME, is responsible for delivery of the Step 2 CS

exam. Step 2 CS is delivered to all examinees at regional CSEC Centers in the United States.

For all applicants, NBME is responsible for determining the results of USMLE exams and for issuing the score reports.

ECFMG sends an e-mail notification to international medical students/graduates when their Step 1, Step 2 CK, and

Step 2 CS score reports are available.

Step 3

The FSMB serves as the registration entity for all Step 3 applicants. To be eligible for Step 3, international medical

graduates must have passed Step 1 and Step 2 (CK and CS) and must be certified by ECFMG, among other

requirements. See Eligibility for the USMLE in the 

USMLE Bulletin of Information

. If you have not met all eligibility

requirements, your application for Step 3 will not be accepted. For detailed information and application procedures for

Step 3, contact the 

FSMB

. Scheduling and test centers for Step 3 are provided by 

Prometric

, which serves as the test

delivery entity for all Step 3 examinees. USMLE Step 3 is delivered at Prometric test centers in the United States.

For all applicants, NBME is responsible for determining the results of USMLE exams and for issuing the score reports.

FSMB notifies examinees when their Step 3 score reports are available.

Last updated: September 7, 2017

Copyright © 2017 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.

Page 29

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The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)

About USMLE

 | 

Registration and Test Delivery Entities

 | Applying for Examination | 

Scheduling the Examination

 |

Preparing for Examination

 | 

Taking the Examination

 | 

USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior

 | 

Examination Results

 |

Reexamination and Reapplication

Applying for Examination

Before applying to ECFMG for examination, international medical students/graduates must:

submit an Application for ECFMG Certification. See 

Application for ECFMG Certification

.

read the applicable editions of the 

ECFMG Information Booklet

 and the 

USMLE Bulletin of Information

.

To apply for USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, and/or Step 2 CS, use ECFMG's 

Interactive Web Applications (IWA)

. A

complete application consists of the on-line part, which you complete using IWA; the Certification of Identification Form

(Form 186) or Certification Statement (Form 183), which you obtain through IWA; and any other required documents.

You should read the detailed 

overview

 and 

instructions

 that accompany the application for examination in IWA before

you begin working on the application; these resources will help you plan the timing of your application and outline any

necessary items (such as photographs and official signatures) that require advance planning.

Important Note: You should also consider deadlines imposed by the 

National Resident Matching Program

(NRMP)

 and graduate medical education (GME) programs. It is solely the responsibility of the applicant to

complete the required exams in time to meet deadlines imposed by the NRMP and/or GME programs.

Since the number of applicants seeking to complete these exams may exceed the spaces available in time

to meet those deadlines, there is no guarantee that sufficient spaces will be available for all applicants to

meet deadlines imposed by the NRMP and/or GME programs. ECFMG assumes no liability of any kind if

an applicant does not complete the exams in time to have results available to meet NRMP and/or GME

program deadlines. See 

Examination Results

 for information on scoring turnaround times.

Exam Fees

For all exams, there is an examination fee. For Step 1 or Step 2 CK, there is an additional international test delivery

surcharge, if you choose a testing region other than the United States/Canada. You must pay all applicable fees at the

time you apply for examination. For the current exam fees and international test delivery surcharges, see the 

Fees

page on the ECFMG website.

Eligibility Periods

When you apply for Step 1 or Step 2 CK, you must select a three-month eligibility period, such as

January-February-March, February-March-April, etc., during which you would like to take the exam. The eligibility

period you are assigned will be listed on your scheduling permit. You must take the exam during the eligibility period

assigned to you.

If you are unable to take Step 1/Step 2 CK during the three-month eligibility period assigned to you, you may request a

one-time, contiguous eligibility period extension (EPEx) using ECFMG’s IWA. Refer to the 

EPEx Overview

 in IWA for

more information and instructions.

If you do not take Step 1/Step 2 CK during your original or extended eligibility period or if you are unable to

extend your eligibility period, you must reapply by submitting a new application and fee(s), if you wish to take

the exam.

When you apply for Step 2 CS, you are assigned a 12-month eligibility period that begins on the date that the

processing of your application is completed. Your eligibility period will be listed on your scheduling permit.

Once your Step 2 CS eligibility period has been assigned, it cannot be changed or extended. You can schedule a

testing appointment for any available date in your eligibility period, and reschedule a testing appointment within your

eligibility period. See 

Scheduling the Examination

 for more information. If you do not take Step 2 CS during your

assigned eligibility period, you must reapply by submitting a new application and examination fee, if you wish

to take the exam.

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