TIME LIMIT AND NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS ALLOWED TO COMPLETE ALL STEPS
Although there is no limit on the total number of times you can retake a Step or Step Component you have not passed, the USMLE program recommends to medical licensing authorities that they:
- require the dates of passing the Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 examinations to occur within a seven-year period;
- and allow no more than six attempts to pass each Step or Step Component without demonstration of additional educational experience acceptable to the medical licensing authority.
For purposes of medical licensure in the United States, any time limit to complete the USMLE is established by the state medical boards. Most, but not all, use the recommended seven years as the time limit for completion of the full USMLE sequence. While medical schools may require students to pass one or more Steps for advancement and/or graduation, you should understand the implications for licensure. For states that establish a time limit for completion of all three Steps, the "clock" starts running on the date the first Step or Step Component is passed or, in some cases, on the date of the first attempt at any Step. General information regarding state-specific requirements for licensure can be obtained from the FSMB (
www.fsmb.org). For definitive information, you should contact directly the licensing authority in the jurisdiction in which you intend to seek licensure.
. Will my USMLE transcript show my old expired score as well as my newest score?
