USMLE Exam 2024-2025 | Registration, Eligibility, Bulletin & Dates

Official USMLE Exam 2024-2025 | Registration, Eligibility, Bulletin & Dates

We gladly inform you about USMLE Exam 2024-2025 | Registration, Eligibility, Bulletin & Dates

USMLE (the United States Medical Licensing Examination) commonly called the Boards is a standardized exam that assesses a medical student’s ability to apply basic science fundamentals to the practice of medicine. The whole examination has 3 steps, but this article applies only to Step 1. Candidates generally take Step 1 following their 2nd year of medical school. The exam is organized by the authorities of the National Board of Medical Examiners & the Federation of State Medical Boards.

USMLE Eligibility Criteria

Must be enrolled in or a graduate candidate of a medical school/college outside of the US & Canada, which should be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
The candidate must med with ECFMG certification eligibility criteria.
should meet eligibility requirements at the time of application.

Importance of USMLE Exam:

The USMLE is a popular challenging, 3-step exam series that is needed for anyone who wants to practice medicine in the U.S. The first 2 steps of the exam are taken while a student is still in medical college while the 3rd step takes place after the students complete their graduation.

Format of Step 1 Exam:

Step 1 exam is held in online mode (Computer-mode exam) and taken in a single day over a period of 8 hours.
The exam consists of MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) that include 7 sections of up to 40 MCQs each for a total of 280 questions.
To complete each of the 7 sections a time of 1 hour is given to the candidates.
That is the candidates are needed to finish a question in an average of one minute and 30 seconds.
A personal break of 45 minutes is allotted to the candidates.
If the applicant finishes any section before the allotted time period is up, then he/she can add that time to his/her personal break time. 6 breaks total are allowed.
There is an optional 15 minute tutorial period at the beginning of the exam.
If you choose to skip the tutorial you can add 15 minutes to your total break time.

How to apply for USMLE

Graduate candidates of a medical school in the United States & Canada must apply for the Step 1 Exam of USMLE with NBME.
Graduate candidates of a medical school outside of the U.S. & Canada are required to register with the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates).
The application fee for the Step 1 exam costs $605.

Click here to Apply Online

When to take the test?

Most candidates appear in the Step I Exam between their 2^nd and 3^rd years in medical school, after completing basic science courses and before a clinical clerkship.

Cut off:

A score of 192 is required to qualify for the Step 1 examination.

When do I get my USMLE test results?

Scores for the Step 1 exam are uploaded each Wednesday. It usually takes 3 to 4 weeks for scores to be uploaded.
You will receive an email when your score is uploaded to the official site.

Attempts:

If any candidate is not able to qualify for the Step I Exam then yes he/she can retake the exam.
One can retake the Step 1 exam up to 6 times.
One can only take the Step I exam a maximum of 3 times within a 12-months period.
Your 4^th and subsequent attempts should be at least 12 months after your 1st attempt, and at least 6 months after your most recent attempt.

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