USMLE EXAMS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Post graduation is one of the most important decisions in the life of a medical student. Choosing which university to apply among the best in the world is a difficult choice. However, all medical students seeking to start a career in the US must surely have heard about USMLE. So what is the USMLE?
The United States Medical Licensing Examination is an examination conducted to obtain a medical practitioners license in the United States. It has three stages/steps of exams, each testing the ability of a student, their medical mastery and its practical application in real-life scenarios in patient care.
Qualifying the USMLE makes you eligible to pursue a medical residency in the United States, as well as gain the license to practice.
So, why should students prefer to do their post graduation in the US?
1. Centralized Residency Program
All medical residents across the US receive top-notch training in all fields that govern the hospital. To get hands-on training and experience, residents work with doctors in and around the US with several case studies while assisting them with the diagnosis and treatment.
2. State-of-the-Art Facilities and Training
3. Standard of Living
Medical practitioners in the United States earn higher salaries than their Indian counterparts while enjoying more benefits.
Eligibility for USMLE for an International Student
An international student applying for USMLE have to be a student or graduate of a medical college that meets the eligibility criteria of the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
The Exam Broken Down
The USMLE is broken down into three steps of examination.
Step 1
Step 1 assesses the basic medical knowledge of the students. This test contains 250 multiple choice questions on Anatomy, Behavioral Sciences, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology and interdisciplinary topics such as Nutrition, Genetics, and Aging.
Step 2
Step 2 is an assessment of the ability of the applicants to apply their medical knowledge, skills, and understanding of clinical science, essential for the provision of patient care under supervision.
Step 2 uses patients as a case study to test medical students and graduates on their ability to gather information from patients from oral and physical examinations.
The best way to prepare for the examination is a broad study that establishes a strong general understanding of concepts and principles in the basic and clinical sciences
Step 3
Step 3 of the examination focuses on the application of medical science and concept knowledge, patient diagnosis and management, communication and interpersonal skills, professionalism, legal and ethical issues, and systems-based practice.
Qualifying all the three steps of examinations grants the applicant the eligibility to pursue residency as well as practice medicine in the United States.
All the best!
