Has anyone here ever written the USMLE during residency?

[Substance]

I'm a Canadian resident, and have been thinking about fellowship/residency options in the US. I know I have to write the USMLE and do very well to compete. Given the time constraints of residency, is being able to write and "crush" the USMLE steps I and II a realistic expectation?

If you think you have advice in how I could best prepare for it, please let me know. If you have written it during residency, let me know what you did and if it worked for you. Thanks.

(To the mods:I have no idea in which forum this post should go. The USMLE forum is populated with only medical students, and I suppose most of the residents on this forum are from the USA and had written the USMLE in medical school.)

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[DocDanny]

Write the USMLE?

You mean take the test?

 

[Substance]

Write the USMLE?

You mean take the test?

That is what I mean.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

Everyone has to take Step III during residency, so that's not an issue. I don't remember the tests that well (it was like a decade ago), but I do remember Step II not being that hard and likewise should be easy for a resident who has clinical experience. Step I on the other hand is far more memorization of biological mechanisms, physiology and pharmacokinetics, which will be more time consuming to learn (or re-learn) but I think it is totally possible. There must be rotations in your residency that are lighter than others at various points, I would focus my studying and test taking around those points. And take lots of practice tests.

 

[Law2Doc]

I'm a Canadian resident, and have been thinking about fellowship/residency options in the US. I know I have to write the USMLE and do very well to compete. Given the time constraints of residency, is being able to write and "crush" the USMLE steps I and II a realistic expectation?

If you think you have advice in how I could best prepare for it, please let me know. If you have written it during residency, let me know what you did and if it worked for you. Thanks.

(To the mods:I have no idea in which forum this post should go. The USMLE forum is populated with only medical students, and I suppose most of the residents on this forum are from the USA and had written the USMLE in medical school.)

You generally cannot get a residency spot without first completing Step 1 and 2. Step 1 is your single most important credential when applying for residency. As said above, most folks take Step 3 sometime during residency, usually late in intern year.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I believe the confusion here is that the OP is a resident in Canada. Hence, he/she has taken the Canadian equivalent of the USMLE (called the MCQEE or something like that) to obtain a Canadian residency. Now, as a resident in canada, they are thinking of a fellowship (or a second residency) in the US. So, the question is whether it's crazy to take the USMLE while being a resident in Canada.

If that's the question, then there is no real answer. It all depends on how much of the Step 1/2 material you remember, how good you are at standardized tests, how busy your schedule is, etc. But, I can tell you that "I didn't score well on the USMLE because I was busy being a resident in Canada" isn't going to work.

 

[Andreji]

I believe the confusion here is that the OP is a resident in Canada. Hence, he/she has taken the Canadian equivalent of the USMLE (called the MCQEE or something like that) to obtain a Canadian residency. Now, as a resident in canada, they are thinking of a fellowship (or a second residency) in the US. So, the question is whether it's crazy to take the USMLE while being a resident in Canada.

If that's the question, then there is no real answer. It all depends on how much of the Step 1/2 material you remember, how good you are at standardized tests, how busy your schedule is, etc. But, I can tell you that "I didn't score well on the USMLE because I was busy being a resident in Canada" isn't going to work.

I don't know how consuming residency is in Canada, but down here (Colombia) many people succesfully take the steps while in residencies which generally are very malignant and time consuming. I would think this probably goes on in most of the developing world, and many people get great scores, so what aPD says is most probably right.

 

[KluverB]

...I can tell you that "I didn't score well on the USMLE because I was busy being a resident in Canada" isn't going to work.

True, but how much will USMLEs scores really matter at this point? The OP is in residency looking to probably do a fellowship. He/she will need to at least pass Steps 1-2 (unless there are states that accept the MCCQEs???) so they can get a temp license. At this point the actual scores shouldn't matter much, no?

If you want a full license, you'll need Step 3 as well. Some states require a full licenses by a certain point in ones training, I believe. Obviously, each program may have its own requirements. However, I believe that most ACGME accredited fellowships will let you slide with a temp license.

I've had the opposite experience, ie. I took the Canadian exams while in residency/fellowship in the US. I thought the MCCQEs were a wee bit harder than the USMLEs. Part of that was the format, ie. not just straight-forward multiple choice, but short answers, multiple possible answers to a question, etc., and part of it was that I was a few years out from a general medical background. I studied an hour or two here and there, as I could, focusing on stuff I hadn't seen in years like psych and ob/gyn, for example. Anyhow, I passed just fine. It may depend on what residency you're doing and how much you remember of everything else.

 

[Substance]

I believe the confusion here is that the OP is a resident in Canada. Hence, he/she has taken the Canadian equivalent of the USMLE (called the MCQEE or something like that) to obtain a Canadian residency. Now, as a resident in canada, they are thinking of a fellowship (or a second residency) in the US. So, the question is whether it's crazy to take the USMLE while being a resident in Canada.

If that's the question, then there is no real answer. It all depends on how much of the Step 1/2 material you remember, how good you are at standardized tests, how busy your schedule is, etc. But, I can tell you that "I didn't score well on the USMLE because I was busy being a resident in Canada" isn't going to work.

Obviously so. If I choose to write them it is to obtain an excellent score, not merely to pass them.

I was wondering if anyone had done this before: write the step 1 and 2 while in residency and obtain excellent scores in both. If so, do they have any strategies?

 

[splik]

I did step 1, 2ck, 2 cs all in a 3 week period at the end of my intern year. I did not have much time to prepare for them - I took a few weeks off before but I actually was tired I didn't really spend time prepping and went on vacation instead. It is definitely doable. I really couldn't care less about biochemistry etc so I just did it to pass. I found step 2 very easy and did well on it. I just did usmle world questions before.

I have a number of canadian friends who have done the USMLE and they just did it to pass (although did relatively well). Really there is no point in crushing it no one cares. all i can say is it is very draining being on call and then coming and prepping, and I was on call the weekend before my step 1. I don't recommend it, but its definitely doable. Usually people spend months or even a whole year but there you go.

 

[dragonfly99]

Assuming if you did decent on your Canadian version and don't struggle with standardized tests in general you could pass Step 2/3. Step 1 is a lot of the stuff from 1st/2nd year med school like biochem - you might pass without studying but at least some cramming would be advisable. A lot of people use a book called First Aid for Step 1 or Rx for Step 1 (2 different books). I think if you read through both those at least once that is a good start and surprisingly high yield.
The other question is can you do an ACGME fellowship in US after a Canadian residency? I mean, if someone dose internal med in Canada can he then turn around and so endocrine or cards fellowship in the US and be eligible to sit for boards?

 

[John146]

The other question is can you do an ACGME fellowship in US after a Canadian residency? I mean, if someone dose internal med in Canada can he then turn around and so endocrine or cards fellowship in the US and be eligible to sit for boards?

OP can you please clarify if this (above) is indeed what you are considering? Are you planning on taking the USMLE steps to apply for a US-based residency or fellowship?

I'm just a med student but I'm assuming it is extremely difficult to do a Canadian residency and matriculate into a US-based fellowship.

 

[Roguelyn]

I'm interested in the requirements to complete a ACGME fellowship without an ACGME residency, too.

Also, not to hijack, but would a US ACGME resident be eligible for Canadian fellowships?

 

[SurfingDoctor]

The other question is can you do an ACGME fellowship in US after a Canadian residency? I mean, if someone dose internal med in Canada can he then turn around and so endocrine or cards fellowship in the US and be eligible to sit for boards?

You can absolutely do a ACGME fellowship without previously doing a ACGME residency. However, you will not be board eligible as you have to be board-certified in the main specialty in order to be eligible for the sub-speciality boards. The times I've seen this, people complete their desired subspecialty, go back and do an accelerated residency (2 years) and then once they take the specialty board, they can take the sub-specialty board.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If the OP did their residency in Canada, they are fully qualified to take the ABIM IM exam and be ABIM IM certified. Canadian training is considered equivalent to US training.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

If the OP did their residency in Canada, they are fully qualified to take the ABIM IM exam and be ABIM IM certified. Canadian training is considered equivalent to US training.

I did not know that. Is that true for all specialty board certifications? Thanks for the info.

 

[gutonc]

I did not know that. Is that true for all specialty board certifications? Thanks for the info.

It is board specific.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Is there a board that doesn't allow it? ABIM does for sure, and I quickly checked Surgery, Psych/Neuro, and ortho, and they all allow it also. Some boards require that you first pass the canadian board before applying to the ABMS board. ABIM doesn't -- you just need to complete the training.

 

[gutonc]

Is there a board that doesn't allow it? ABIM does for sure, and I quickly checked Surgery, Psych/Neuro, and ortho, and they all allow it also. Some boards require that you first pass the canadian board before applying to the ABMS board. ABIM doesn't -- you just need to complete the training.

I didn't look it up because I was on my phone at the time but I imagine it's a pretty general rule.