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GUIDE TO TAKING THE USMLE STEP 3 EXAMINATION

FOR BIDMC RESIDENTS

General Exam Info:

Step 3 is a two-day computerized examination. Although you may leave


early on either or both days, expect to be at the center from approximately
8am-5pm (actual times will vary with your testing center).

Day one consists of multiple choice questions in a format similar to Steps 1


and 2. Day two consists of some blocks of multiple choice questions, as well
as Computer-based Case Simulations (CCS), which are basically like
seeing standardized patients in cyberspace.
Please see the general website for the USMLE for information about test
content, helpful hints, and all other general exam information:
http://www.usmle.org/

For registration, as you will read below, you will use the Federation of State
Medical Boards (FSMB) website:
http://www.fsmb.org/

Overall, when thinking about Step 3, PLAN EARLY - as you will see below it
is tedious!

When can I take Step 3?

You may take Step 3 at any time during your internship or residency (It is
available to all medical school graduates who have passed Steps 1 and 2).
You must pass Step 3 to apply for a full license. The test is not offered on
federal holidays, or during the first 2 weeks of January. It is not offered on
Sundays, although some, but not all, test sites offer Saturday tests.

**Note: Some subspecialty programs may require that prelims take their
examination during intern year, so we suggest asking your particular
residency program about this.

Here at BIDMC, you may only schedule your Step 3 exam during vacation,
elective, or ambulatory time. (You will NOT be excused from your normal
continuity clinic to take the Step 3 exam, so dont schedule it for that day!)

When should I register for Step 3?


Complete registration for Step 3 within 90 days of when you wish to take
the examination. The clock begins when you complete registration.
(Technically this is a 90-day eligibility period and the clock starts when your
mailed AND on-line forms are all received.) You may not specify another
eligibility period you are assigned the period for the 90 days beginning
immediately after your registration is complete. (There is a one-time only
extension of this eligibility period for another 90 days if you tell them in
time - see the FSMB website for details).

**Note: You will not be entering the exact date that you would like to take
the test, nor the exact test center on your application, so you do not need
this information as long as you know it will fall within your eligibility
period.**

**Note: The cut-off for registration during a given calendar year is usually
early September of that year! ** (Translation: you cant decide in October
that you want to take it in December it will be too late to register! Youll
be forced to wait until January.) The exact September deadline is on the
FSMB website.

How do I register for Step 3?

Register for Step 3 on-line through the Federation of State Medical Boards
(FSMB) website:
http://www.fsmb.org/
(In case of changes in website addresses, this link is also available on the
USMLE website above.)

- Click on Examination Services and Step 3.

- As you proceed through the website, you will see a list of states. You
MUST pick a state when applying for Step 3. (This is theoretically the
state in which you are most likely to apply for a full license. Generally
speaking, if you dont know, you should select Massachusetts, however if
you know you are going on to another state for further training, it is
worthwhile to read the information about that state to see if you should
apply through them instead of MA, as fees may vary by state.)

- Fill in and submit the on-line registration form (you may also print this
out and mail it in), complete with your payment (this changes yearly but
is generally more than you would like to pay, and is posted on the
USMLE website).

- You must print out a Post-Graduate Training Form and bring this to
Jennifer Lynch or Dr. Reynolds so that they can complete this, notarize it
and mail it to the FSMB verifying that you really are training here! Be
sure to allow some time for our IM residency office to process your form
and send it on, as your registration is not considered complete until it
arrives!

- You must also fill out a Certificate of Identity Form, which includes a
passport-type photo of yourself. To find this form, click on paper
application and then forms on the website. After filling it out and
attaching your photo, bring this with the Post-Graduate Training Form to
the IM Residency office to be notarized and mailed in. Again, your
registration is not considered complete until it arrives.

- WATCH YOUR EMAIL INBOX for your scheduling permit and DONT
DELETE IT. You will need it both to schedule and to take your test (print
it out).

How do I schedule my test?

Step 3 is offered at Prometric Test Centers. You can take the test anywhere
(in any state it need not be in the state under which you registered.)

- As soon as your scheduling permit arrives via email, call the central
phone number for Prometric test centers. You will be asked to select a
city and state, as well as a date for your examination.
o TIP: If you would like to take it in Coolidge Corner, say Brookline
rather than Boston. (The Boston site is downtown, and you are
calling a central line so you are not speaking with someone from
the area who can correct you.)
o Note that because there are so many residents in this city, it can
be very difficult to schedule a test in Boston/Brookline and you
may not get your first choice date, even 1-2 months in advance, so
PLAN EARLY and consider other sites! Call the day your email
arrives for best results.
o The test is NOT offered on Sundays. Some centers will offer a Fri-
Sat test, however this is not universally true at all centers.
o Note the person on the phone may not be familiar with this test
and be sure they book you for 2 consecutive days!

- As soon as you have selected your exam date, email either the inpatient
chiefs (if during elective) or the primary care chief (if during
ambulatory) so that your schedule can be blocked off from clinical duties
for those two days. You may need to arrange coverage.

- All cancellations or re-scheduling must be done at least a week in


advance (see the FSMB website for more details).
How should I study?

No one can answer this one for you, but after registering, you will receive a
CD in the mail with test information and sample test questions from the
USMLE. It is essential that you go over the information on this CD
especially the Computer-based Case Simulations section. This section
requires you to navigate software you have never seen before and that is
not necessarily intuitive. Try the software out beforehand so you save time
(and actually know what youre doing) on your test day.

For general study, many residents have used commercially available review
books, such as Crush Step 3 or First Aid for USMLE Step 3,
computerized question banks, although there are mixed reviews of all of
these, and other, resources. You can browse the Coop, ask other residents
for their opinions, borrow books from each other, or buy used books from
residents or fellows who have already completed the exam. The most
worthwhile sections to hit are those to which you have had limited
exposure, like Ob/Gyn, Pediatrics, and Surgery, but dont assume you
shouldnt look over the other sections too.

When will I get my score?

Allow up to 8 weeks to receive your score report. You will receive an email
with a link to a website containing your score.

USMLE Checklist (Print this out):

[ ] On-line registration form filled out and submitted

[ ] Post-Graduate Training Form printed out and given to the IM


Residency office (Jennifer Lynch). Allow time for this process and consider a
friendly follow-up.

[ ] Certificate of Identity form filled out, including passport-type photo,


and given to the IM Residency office (Jennifer Lynch). See above.

[ ] Email with scheduling permit received

[ ] Contacted Prometric ASAP and selected location and date for test

[ ] Received USMLE CD in mail and went over it (especially CCS section!)


[ ] Printed out scheduling permit and brought it, along with government
issued ID, to the test

[ ] Rocked the test!

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