What is the test good for?

What is it like?

How is this test administered in Romania?

How much does the test cost?

How do I register for the test?

When do I get the official scores?

How can I prepare for the test?

What is the test good for?

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States.

What is it like?

The USMLE assesses a physician’s ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles that are important in health and disease and that constitute the basis of safe and effective patient care.
The USMLE means actually three exams, called STEPS. Each of the three steps complements the others; no step can stand alone in the assessment of readiness for medical licensure.

Step 1 has approximately 350 multiple-choice test items, divided into seven 60-minute blocks, administered in one eight-hour testing session.
Step 2 CK has approximately 370 multiple-choice test items, divided into eight 60-minute blocks, administered in one nine-hour testing session.
Step 2 CS has 12 patient cases. You will have 15 minutes for each patient encounter and 10 minutes to record the patient note. If you do not use the entire 15 minutes for the patient encounter, the remaining time will be added to the time you have to record the patient note. The testing session is approximately eight hours.
Step 3 has approximately 480 multiple-choice test items, divided into blocks of 35 to 50 items. You will have 45 to 60 minutes to complete each of these blocks. Step 3 is a two-day examination containing computer simulations.

For further information about the Examination Content please visit the website address www.usmle.org.

How is this test administered in Romania?

According to the information released by the Prometric representatives who administer the computer-based USMLE test, at the moment there are no testing centers for the Step 1 in Romania.

Please access the Prometric website http://www.prometric.com and select United States Medical Licensing Exam: Step 1 from the drop-down list of Academic, Professional, Government, and Corporate tests for details on testing locations around the world.

Step 2 CS is administered at five regional Clinical Skills Evaluation Centers in the United States.
Step 3 is given at testing centers in the United States and its territories.

How much does the test cost?

According to the information posted at www.usmle.org in 2008:

• The examination fee for Step 1 is $855 ($695 exam fee plus $160 International Test Delivery Surcharge).

• The examination fee for Step 2CK is $875 ($695 exam fee plus $180 International Test Delivery Surcharge).

• The examination fee for Step 2CS is $1,200.

According to the information posted at www.fsmb.org, the fee for Step 3 is $670 with a few exceptions: Iowa $720, South Dakota $820, and Vermont $705.

Note: variation in fees may occur, so please check regularly the official website for the latest information!

How do I register for the test?

First you must meet the eligibility requirements, so please check the relevant section in the USMLE Bulletin of Information and on the official websites www.usmle.org and www.ecfmg.org. Then you can apply for Step 1 and Step 2. Application materials will include fee information and a deadline for submitting applications. You must use current application materials to apply.

Applying for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and 2 CS
Students and graduates of medical schools outside the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada should apply for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 2 CS by following the instructions at the ECFMG website (www.ecfmg.org).

Please read closely the USMLE registration bulletin, follow the application instructions, complete your application, and submit it to the ECFMG.

Applying for Step 3
To request information on Step 3 eligibility requirements and application procedures, follow the instructions posted on the website of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB - www.fsmb.org), or contact the FSMB or the medical licensing authority to which you wish to apply.

IMPORTANT:
Applicants to ECFMG Certification are required to read both the ECFMG Information Booklet and the USMLE Bulletin of Information.
Applicants are encouraged to access the ECFMG Information Booklet, USMLE Bulletin of Information, and application materials on the ECFMG website www.ecfmg.org.

The Fulbright Commission is not involved in the administration of standardized tests. Therefore, please contact ECFMG Services or Prometric Test Center for up-to-date information as well as for any problems you may experience concerning registration, receipt of the admission ticket, etc.

When do I get the official scores?

According to the official website www.usmle.org it takes three to four weeks to process and score Steps 1 and 2, and four to six weeks for Step 3.

How can I prepare for the test?

The best preparation for the USMLE is a general, thorough review of the content reflected in the examination specifications in Tables in the USMLE registration bulletin. You should also review further information on examination content and test format, available at the USMLE website www.usmle.org.

According to the information available in the ECFMG information booklet, there are no test preparation courses affiliated with or sanctioned by the USMLE program. Information on such courses is NOT available from the ECFMG, FSMB, USMLE Secretariat, or medical licensing authorities.

You can prepare for the test using the printed materials available at the Fulbright Educational Advising Center during public hours. The Center currently stocks the following titles:

• NMS: Review for USMLE - Step 1 (2nd edition, 3rd edition),

• NMS: Review for USMLE - Step 2 (2nd edition, 3rd edition).

• “Getting into a Residency - A Guide for Medical Students” (4th edition) is also available at the Center.

The preparation materials can only be checked out for study in the reading room and cannot be photocopied. To check out materials in the reading room, you need a valid ID.