The United States suffers from a shortage of primary care physicians, and the problem is expected to worsen. America’s baby boom generation is aging, and health care reform could put greater demands on doctors as more Americans gain medical insurance.
A potential solution to the physician shortage would be to allow more foreign-trained doctors to work in the United States. In fact, thousands of such doctors are ready to step in, but some say the system is stacked against them.
International medical graduates (IMGs)—physicians with degrees from foreign medical schools—will be taking spots in the US healthcare system.
For a doctor trained abroad, getting a license in the US requires several things. First, the physician must to take board exams (USMLE) and an English language test. Second, a foreign-trained physician must go through a residency program.
At this point, Global College Board with their experienced and dedicated staff including the IMG doctors who have experienced through the whole process by themselves is ready to assist you. There is a well-designed program for the IMGs called Residency Admission Program (RAP) will walk you through this competitive pathway.
All you need to do is "Follow your dreams, stay connected with RAP, and become a Doctor in the USA..."
A potential solution to the physician shortage would be to allow more foreign-trained doctors to work in the United States. In fact, thousands of such doctors are ready to step in, but some say the system is stacked against them.
International medical graduates (IMGs)—physicians with degrees from foreign medical schools—will be taking spots in the US healthcare system.
For a doctor trained abroad, getting a license in the US requires several things. First, the physician must to take board exams (USMLE) and an English language test. Second, a foreign-trained physician must go through a residency program.
At this point, Global College Board with their experienced and dedicated staff including the IMG doctors who have experienced through the whole process by themselves is ready to assist you. There is a well-designed program for the IMGs called Residency Admission Program (RAP) will walk you through this competitive pathway.
All you need to do is "Follow your dreams, stay connected with RAP, and become a Doctor in the USA..."
What is RAP (Residency Admission Program)?
What is USMLE?
The USMLE formally the United States Medical Licensing Examination, is a famously challenging, three-step exam series that is required for anyone who wants to practice medicine in the United States. The first two steps of the series are typically taken while a student is still in medical school, while the third step takes place after graduation.
The exams are sponsored by two organizations: the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). The USMLE exams, particularly Step 1, are often referred to colloquially as “The Boards.”
USMLE scores are used in three major ways:
Components
Although the USMLE is referred to as a three-step exam, it requires five days of testing. Moreover, with the introduction of Step 2 CS and a second day of testing for Step 3, preparation may actually need to be even more rigorous than in the past. Still, the consensus among medical professionals is that Step 1 is the hardest of the exams, and each subsequent step gets easier from there.
The exams are sponsored by two organizations: the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). The USMLE exams, particularly Step 1, are often referred to colloquially as “The Boards.”
USMLE scores are used in three major ways:
- Most U.S. medical schools require students to pass Step 1 to graduate — and some also require that they pass
Step 2/Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 2/Clinical Skills (CS) to receive their degree. - The scores from the first two steps (Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 2 CS) play an important part in assessing medical students for residency training positions in the U.S.
- Passing the last step (Step 3) is required in order to be admitted into U.S.-based specialty boards, such as the American Board of Internal Medicine, but is also required by state medical boards that license doctors to practice in their specialty. (Boards are governing bodies that certify doctors at the state level, as well as in more than 150 specialties.)
Components
Although the USMLE is referred to as a three-step exam, it requires five days of testing. Moreover, with the introduction of Step 2 CS and a second day of testing for Step 3, preparation may actually need to be even more rigorous than in the past. Still, the consensus among medical professionals is that Step 1 is the hardest of the exams, and each subsequent step gets easier from there.
Step 1
Scoring
Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 are each scored on a 1–300 scale. Students can compare scores for each step from year to year — that is, Step 1: 2013 scores to Step 1: 2014 scores — but not between the different steps.
Score reports for these three steps contain the following information:
Minimum passing scores for 2015 are:
Residency admissions committees, specialty boards, and state medical boards often ask for all scores.
- What is tested?: Ability to apply basic science concepts to medical practice
- When is it taken?: Typically taken after the basic science years — that is, after the first two years of medical school
- How long is the exam?: One day, 8 hours
- How many questions are there?: 325 multiple-choice questions
- What is the format?: Computer-based
- Where can you take it?: Prometric test sites internationally
- What is tested?: Ability to apply clinical science knowledge in a supervised patient care setting
- When is it taken?: Typically taken during the clinical years — that is, the third and fourth years of medical school
- How long is the exam?: One day, 9 hours
- How many questions are there?: 350 multiple-choice questions
- What is the format?: Computer-based
- Where can you take it?: Prometric test sites internationally
- What is tested?: Clinical skills applied to “ standardized patient” scenarios (that is, actors presenting symptoms or problems a typical doctor may encounter)
- When is it taken?: Typically taken in the fourth year of medical school
- How long is the exam?: One day, 8 hours
- What are the length and format?: 12 patient cases, with 15 minutes for the patient encounter and 10 minutes to record notes for each case
- Where can you take it?: Five test centers (Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia)
- What is tested?: Ability to apply clinical science to patients in an unsupervised patient care setting
- When is it taken?: Typically following medical school graduation during residency training
- How long is the exam?: Two days:
- Day 1 - Foundations in Independent Practice (FIP)
- Concepts tested: Scientific principles required for effective medical care
- Duration of Day 1: One day, 7 hours
- How many questions are there?: 260 multiple-choice questions
- Day 2 - Advanced Clinical Medicine (ACM)
- Concepts tested: Applying medical knowledge to patient management and evolving disease processes
- Duration of Day 2: One day, 9 hours
- How many questions are there?: 200 multiple-choice questions, 13 computer-based clinical simulations
- Format of exam: Computer-based
- Where can you take it?: Administered at Prometric test sites in U.S. and U.S. territories
- Day 1 - Foundations in Independent Practice (FIP)
Scoring
Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 are each scored on a 1–300 scale. Students can compare scores for each step from year to year — that is, Step 1: 2013 scores to Step 1: 2014 scores — but not between the different steps.
Score reports for these three steps contain the following information:
- If the student passed
- The minimum score needed to pass
- The student’s three-digit score (which is the number most often quoted when students report their USMLE result)
- Performance profile breakdowns for each testing category
Minimum passing scores for 2015 are:
- Step 1: 192
- Step 2 CK: 209
- Step 3: 190
Residency admissions committees, specialty boards, and state medical boards often ask for all scores.
