Are USMLE scores wiped clean off your record after 7 years?

[Blitz2006]

So I did decent on Step 1 and 2 CK/CS, but I didn't kill them (99/99, etc.)

I'm contemplating now if I should do my residency training my home country (UK), and then come over to the States in 7-8 years to do a fellowship (or residency), and stay on if I find an attending position.

So now I'm wondering if I should:

Hold off on getting ECFMG certified and wait for 7 years, so that my scores can be wiped off my record and maybe I can do Step 1 and 2 CK again and get a kickass score, which will help me get a good fellowship

Or am I just being dumb?

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry mods for cross-posting, just not sure which forum this is more appropriate for

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[thesauce]

So I did decent on Step 1 and 2 CK/CS, but I didn't kill them (99/99, etc.)

I'm contemplating now if I should do my residency training my home country (UK), and then come over to the States in 7-8 years to do a fellowship (or residency), and stay on if I find an attending position.

So now I'm wondering if I should:

Hold off on getting ECFMG certified and wait for 7 years, so that my scores can be wiped off my record and maybe I can do Step 1 and 2 CK again and get a kickass score, which will help me get a good fellowship

Or am I just being dumb?

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry mods for cross-posting, just not sure which forum this is more appropriate for

You can't retake them if you already passed them. Your scores are not "wiped clean" at any point, although the value of these scores in the eyes of residency programs may change over time if these tests are combined/done away with as has been suggested. However, I wouldn't count on that.

 

[Arcan57]

So I did decent on Step 1 and 2 CK/CS, but I didn't kill them (99/99, etc.)

I'm contemplating now if I should do my residency training my home country (UK), and then come over to the States in 7-8 years to do a fellowship (or residency), and stay on if I find an attending position.

So now I'm wondering if I should:

Hold off on getting ECFMG certified and wait for 7 years, so that my scores can be wiped off my record and maybe I can do Step 1 and 2 CK again and get a kickass score, which will help me get a good fellowship

Or am I just being dumb?

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry mods for cross-posting, just not sure which forum this is more appropriate for

You're not going to kill Step 1 in 7 years, regardless of whether it's an option to retake for you or not. It's not like Step 1 has anything to do with clinical medicine, so spending years learning clinical medicine (which is difficult) won't help your scores.

 

[Blitz2006]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=612578

I'm just trying to decipher what this thread means...cause apparently it does 'expire' after 7 years...?

 

[Sneezing]

The ability to COMPLETE the testing sequence to get a license can expire, but record of the exams themselves never will.

 

[tkim]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=612578

I'm just trying to decipher what this thread means...cause apparently it does 'expire' after 7 years...?

http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html

It means that if you cannot complete the entire USMLE steps in seven years, you cannot be licensed in certain states. Doesn't mean your score 'expires', it means you can kiss getting a license to practice in that state goodbye.

Varies from state to state - some give you ten years. PA has no limit. MD-PhD's get more time in some states.

 

[Scottish Chap]

You can't retake them if you already passed them. Your scores are not "wiped clean" at any point, although the value of these scores in the eyes of residency programs may change over time if these tests are combined/done away with as has been suggested. However, I wouldn't count on that.

Not strictly true. A friend of mine was offered a fellowship in a state that requires all steps to be passed within 7 years. He actually had to re-take Step 1 as a PGY-6 resident. His new score was bad, but he got his 'new pass' so that all steps were within 7 years, and he got his fellowship. It's an odd circumstance, but it happens.

 

[Law2Doc]

http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html

It means that if you cannot complete the entire USMLE steps in seven years, you cannot be licensed in certain states. Doesn't mean your score 'expires', it means you can kiss getting a license to practice in that state goodbye.

Varies from state to state - some give you ten years. PA has no limit. MD-PhD's get more time in some states.

I think in some states if it expires, you are able to retake it. However there is no "wiping clean" of the records -- although you can't use that score to get licensed, it still would be on your USMLE "transcript" for all potential PDs to see.

 

[Tiki]

Can you do a fellowship in the US without doing residency here? I thought you had to do a US residency in order to do a fellowship?

 

[Law2Doc]

Can you do a fellowship in the US without doing residency here? I thought you had to do a US residency in order to do a fellowship?

Yes. I'm not sure of the circumstances but I know several foreign doctors doing fellowships who never did residency in the US. They seem to need to do 3-4 years to become board eligible?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Can you do a fellowship in the US without doing residency here? I thought you had to do a US residency in order to do a fellowship?

It depends on the fellowship. Some do not require prior US training and in some you may never become Board Eligible because of a lack of US training. But a US residency is not an across the board requirement for fellowship training. There are many many foreign trained physicians in the US doing fellowships.

 

[sanityonleave]

So I did decent on Step 1 and 2 CK/CS, but I didn't kill them (99/99, etc.)

I'm contemplating now if I should do my residency training my home country (UK), and then come over to the States in 7-8 years to do a fellowship (or residency), and stay on if I find an attending position.

So now I'm wondering if I should:

Hold off on getting ECFMG certified and wait for 7 years, so that my scores can be wiped off my record and maybe I can do Step 1 and 2 CK again and get a kickass score, which will help me get a good fellowship

Or am I just being dumb?

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry mods for cross-posting, just not sure which forum this is more appropriate for

Ultimately, I think that if your desire is to practice in the US, you're much better off attempting to match this time around. Others have pointed out that waiting 7 years is not going to improve your situation.