Education, Instruction: One Heck of an Exam – The USMLE

American medical students who are nearing the end of their second year of graduate medical education face the prospect of preparing for one of the most important examinations of their career thus far : Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (or USMLE).

There are three examinations in the USMLE process (Steps 1 through 3) and students must progress through each step at carefully defined points in their medical education. A passing score from the Step 1 exam must be reported for each student by USMLE to their institution prior to the start of the clinical clerkship year, which commences on July 1 2008.

To view a list of clinical subjects and areas covered by USMLE, click here. Following is an excerpt from the USMLE website, explaining the three examinations:

The Three Steps of the USMLE

” Step 1 assesses whether you understand and can apply important concepts of the sciences basic to the practice of medicine, with special emphasis on principles and mechanisms underlying health, disease, and modes of therapy. Step 1 ensures mastery of not only the sciences that provide a foundation for the safe and competent practice of medicine in the present, but also the scientific principles required for maintenance of competence through lifelong learning.

Step 2 assesses whether you can apply medical knowledge, skills, and understanding of clinical science essential for the provision of patient care under supervision and includes emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. Step 2 ensures that due attention is devoted to principles of clinical sciences and basic patient-centered skills that provide the foundation for the safe and competent practice of medicine.

Step 3 assesses whether you can apply medical knowledge and understanding of biomedical and clinical science essential for the unsupervised practice of medicine, with emphasis on patient management in ambulatory settings. Step 3 provides a final assessment of physicians assuming independent responsibility for delivering general medical care. “

Source: http://USMLE.org – Copyright 2008 – All rights reserved

The USMLE is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).

ExamMaster is a subscription test-prep resource available to UCHC students as they prepare for this important test. On-site registration and log-in to ExamMaster is required. Students can design their own tests, use standardized tests, save their scores and review results. Online tutorials are also available.

Here is a screenshot of the Start page, after I logged in to ExamMaster:

Photo Credit/Source: ExamMaster Inc. – Copyright 2008 – All rights reserved

Note: Just to get a feel for the real test, I completed the ExamMaster test-bank for Psychiatry last week. My score? 70% correct… Wow!