Is it feasible to take Step 3 prior to starting intern year?

[Dantrolene FC]

I’m graduating med school in early May, and I have easy clerkships until the end of March, then I’m done with med school. I’m super bored and am wondering if it’s possible to study for Step 3 right now and sign up for it as soon as I graduate to take the exam sometime in the beginning of June before I start residency.

Is this plan feasible? Would any current residents recommend doing this? If so, how long do I need to study for it? Would now be too early?

It seems like it’d be nice to do intern year without having to worry about studying for Step 3 in the middle of intern year. The only downside I see is maybe my residency program wouldn’t reimburse me for Step 3 and I might be out $895, which isn’t that big of a deal for me.

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[ChicagoBear]

You can study if you want to, but you will not be able to test. According to the FSMB website, it takes approximately 12 weeks to confirm a recent graduate and grant permission to test. So, you will not be able to take the exam before starting your residency, unless the FSMB is way overstating the time frame. You are also most likely going to have to relocate to a different city - you are likely going to be busy with those tasks.

 

[Newhorizons21]

You can study if you want to, but you will not be able to test. According to the FSMB website, it takes approximately 12 weeks to confirm a recent graduate and grant permission to test. So, you will not be able to take the exam before starting your residency, unless the FSMB is way overstating the time frame. You are also most likely going to have to relocate to a different city - you are likely going to be busy with those tasks.

It's more of a "can take up to 12 weeks" thing, I know a significant number of people who took the test before their intern year started

 

[Neopolymath]

I think this was realistic to do in the past but is now more difficult depending on how **** your school admin is about sending the paperwork in and being declared eligible/a graduate to sit for the exam.

 

[takeurmeds02]

That's such a small window. For some only a month and at most maybe two months between graduation and starting residency. The majority of people fall within only having a month and some change. Plus like mentioned before, you'll be so busy making moving arrangements and actually moving (unless you stay in the same city).

 

[RangerBob]

Depending on the type of intern year you do, you may need to only do minimal if any studying.

I’d just enjoy the free time before internship starts.