Acceptable Examination Sequence
Endorsement of Diplomate or Licentiate Status
If other eligibility requirements are met, diplomate status with the National Board of Medical Examiners or
the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, or licentiate status with the Medical Council of
Canada, may be directly endorsable to Ohio, without further examination requirements.
Endorsement of USMLE or Acceptable Examination Combination
An applicant who has not previously held a license from another state is eligible for consideration if other
eligibility requirements are met and the applicant has passed one of the following examination
combinations:
1. Part I of the National Board of Medical Examiners examination or Step 1 of the USMLE, Part II of the
National Board of Medical Examiners examination or Step 2 of the USMLE, and Part III of the National
Board of Medical Examiners examination or Step 3 of the USMLE or Component 2 of the FLEX. All Steps,
Parts, or Components must have been administered prior to January 2000. The score achieved on each
Step, Part, or Component must have equaled or exceeded the figure established by the USMLE Program,
the National Board of Medical Examiners or the Federation of State Medical Boards as a passing score for
that Step, Part, or Component, respectively; or
2. Component I of the FLEX and Step 3 of the USMLE. The Component and Step must have been
administered prior to January 2000. A performance of 75 or above must have been achieved on
Component I. The performance achieved on Step 3 must have been recognized by the USMLE program as
a recommended passing performance; or
3. USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3. All three Steps must have been passed within a seven-year period and the
performance achieved on each Step must have been recognized by the USMLE program as a
recommended passing performance. A limited exception to this rule may be granted to an applicant who in
conjunction with a medical degree is actively pursuing a doctoral degree in an institution or program
accredited by the LCME and regional university accrediting body and the applicant was a student in good
standing when enrolled in the institution or program. The doctoral degree must be in a field of biological
sciences tested in the step 1 content. These fields include, but are not necessarily limited to, anatomy,
biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, genetics, neuro-science and molecular biology.
Fields not accepted include, but are not necessarily limited to, business, economics, ethics, history and
other fields not directly related to biological science. Limited exceptions to this rule may also be granted to
an applicant who suffered from a significant health condition which by its severity would necessarily cause a
delay to the applicants medical study, or as the board deems appropriate. Regardless, all three steps must
have been passed within a ten year prior; however, the board may grant further exception beyond the ten
year period for those applicants who have obtained a medical degree in conjunction with a doctoral degree
in a field of biological sciences tested in the step 1 content from an institution or program described in this
paragraph; taken step 1 of the USMLE prior to December 1, 1999; have not failed any step of the USMLE;
and have shown good cause for why they did not complete the examination sequence in a ten year period;
a limited exception to this rule may also be granted by the board to an applicant who passes all three steps
within a ten-year period if the applicant shows good cause for whey he or she did not complete the
examination sequence in a seven-year period and has not failed any step of the USMLE three times or
more. Good cause requires a showing that the applicant is current in his or her medical knowledge at the
time of application. Good causes includes, but is not limited to, participating in graduate medical education
as defined in Ohio Revised Code section 4731.091 for a period of time greater than that required by statute
for initial licensure in Ohio; or
4. COMLEX-USA levels 1, 2 and 3. All three levels must have been passed within a seven year period and
the performance achieved on each level must have been recognized by the NBOME as a recommend
passing performance. A limited exception to this rule may be granted to an applicant who in conjunction
with a medical degree is actively pursuing a doctoral degree in an institution accredited by the AOA and
regional university accrediting body and the applicant was a student in good standing when enrolled in the
institution or program. The doctoral degree must be in a field of biological sciences tested in the level 1
content. These fields include, but are not necessarily limited to, anatomy, biochemistry, physiology,
microbiology, pharmacology, genetics, neuro-science and molecular biology. Fields not accepted include,
but are not necessarily limited to, business, economics, ethics, history and other fields not directly related to
biological science. Limited exceptions to this rule may also be granted to an applicant who suffered from a
significant health condition which by its severity would necessarily cause a delay to the applicants medical
study, or as the board deems appropriate. Regardless, all three levels must have been passed within a ten
year prior; however, the board may grant further exception beyond the ten year period for those applicants
who have obtained an osteopathic medical degree in conjunction with a doctoral degree in a field of
biological sciences tested in the level 1 content from an institution or program described in this paragraph;
taken level 1 of the COMLEX-USA prior to December 1, 1999; have not failed any level of the COMLEXUSA;
and have shown good cause for why they did not complete the examination sequence in a ten year
period; a limited exception to this rule may also be granted by the board to an applicant who passes all
three steps within a ten-year period if the applicant shows good cause for whey he or she did not complete
the examination sequence in a seven-year period and has not failed any step of the COMLEX-USA three
times or more. Good cause requires a showing that the applicant is current in his or her medical knowledge
at the time of application. Good causes includes, but is not limited to, participating in graduate medical
education as defined in Ohio Revised Code section 4731.091 for a period of time greater than that required
by statute for initial licensure in Ohio; or
5. Component 1 and 2 of the FLEX. Both components must have been administered prior to January 2000.
The score achieved on each component must have equaled or exceeded the figure established by the
FLEX program as a passing score for that component.
