USMLE Step 3 Registration Information

USMLE step 3 is used for medical licensing purposes by state medical authorities. Step 3 assesses whether one can apply the medical knowledge and understanding of biomedical and clinical science considered essential for the unsupervised practice of medicine, with emphasis on patient management in ambulatory settings.

Am I eligible to take USMLE Step 3?
Depending on the state in which you want to be licensed, state medical licensing authorities require zero, one, two or three years of post-graduate medical education in an approved residency before you can sit for the USMLE step 3. Taking the USMLE step 3 does not automatically make you eligible for state licensing and most states require additional postgraduate training in addition to Step 3 eligibility requirements for issuing a state license. You should contact the jurisdiction where you intend to take Step 3 or the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) for eligibility requirements, application deadlines, fees, test center locations, and other important information on Step 3. To be eligible to sit for USMLE Step 3, you must have passing scores for Step 1 and Step 2 before you are eligible for Step 3.

What are the deadlines for taking Step 3 in 1998?
The deadlines below have been established for licensing authorities for whom the FSMB handles
application requests.

Tentative Dates for 1999 USMLE Step 3 Exam
May 11-12, 1999
December 7-8, 1999

Do all licensing authorities require post-graduate training as a Step 3 eligibility requirement?
No. The following is a list of authorities that do NOT require post-graduate training for Step 3 eligibility:

*Nebraska requires graduates of foreign medical schools to obtain a "Valid Indefinitely" ECFMG certificate.

Who administers the USMLE Step 3 and how may they be contacted?
USMLE Step 3 is administered by either the state medical licensing authority or the Federation of State Medical Boards, depending on the jurisdiction.

The Federation of State Medical Boards registers applicants for Step 3 only on behalf of the following licensing authorities.

The Federation of State Medical Boards can be contacted directly directly at (817) 571-2949, Monday -- Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST). Or, you may write:

Examination Services
Federation of State Medical Boards
Federation Place
400 Fuller Wiser Road, Suite 300
Euless, Texas 76039-3855
(http://www.fsmb.org)

Each of the individual state licensing authorities may be contacted at:

If you are a foreign medical graduate and have an interest in licensure in the United States, how do you proceed?

Contact the Educational Commission for Foreign Medial Graduates (ECFMG) directly at :

ECFMG
3624 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2685
215/386-5900

The ECFMG administers Step 1 and Step2 examinations to students and graduates of foreign medical schools. The Federation of State Medical Boards administers Step 3 only.

What basic eligibility requirements are needed for Step 3 and when should these requirements be completed?

• Obtain the MD degree (or its equivalent) or a DO degree by the application deadline.
• Pass both USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (or the equivalents). Applicants must receive notice of passing score by the application deadline.
• If a graduate of a foreign medical school, obtain certification by the ECFMG (issued no later than the application deadline), or successfully complete a "Fifth pathway" program (no later than the application deadline).
• Meet the requirements for taking Step 3 imposed by the individual licensing authority to which you are applying. Each licensing authority may impose additional requirements for taking Step 3 in their jurisdiction, such as post-graduate training requirements.

Important Note: All requirements should be completed prior to submitting your application.

What about Computer Based Testing?
In order to more efficiently and effectively administer the examinations, "Step" exams of USMLE will be administered by computer beginning in 1999. With the implementation of computer-based testing (CBT), paper and pencil administrations will no longer be scheduled, and computer administrations of all Steps will occur throughout the year. The 1998 test dates listed represent USMLE administrations which are expected to be among the last for paper and pencil. Among the tentative dates listed, those with asterisks will not be used for paper and pencil testing if current time lines for implementing CBT are met. Definitive information regarding test schedules for 1999 will be published in the 1999 edition of the USMLE Bulletin of Information, which you must obtain if you plan to apply to take the USMLE in 1999.

Further information regarding plans for CBT is described in the USMLE Special Bulletin on Computer-Based Testing. Up-to-date information on plans for the transition to CBT may also be found through the Internet at the USMLE World Wide Web site (www.usmle.org).

Further information can also be found in Appendix C of the Graduate Medical Education Directory (The Green Book).