Rumor Mill: USMLE step IV

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Green912

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I was talking to an acquaintance today who will be attending Ohio State this year and she said that starting with her class there will be a USMLE IV. It'll focus on patinet diagnosis where they give you X# of patients and you have a certain amount of time to figure out what tests you'll run and what you think is going on. I wonder who came up what this bright idea. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

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They can put in 10 steps for all I care. Just get me the hell in, then I'll worry about this stuff. Seems like just another hoop we have to jump through if you ask me. Shouldn't be a problem as we've been jumping through them for so long that it shouldn't really affect us.
 
Its tentatively being named USMLE Step 2-b. Its called the Clinical Skills Assesment, and was previously required only of Foreign Medical Graduates. So its really not anything new.
 
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Papa Smurf's right about it just being another hoop to jump through. One that I hope I'll have to worry about in the future. :D
 
The main problem with it will be the cost because it will only be held in 7 cities in the US so you will have to fly to one of the selected cities. Whenit comes to passing it that should not be to bad because come on we are supposed to be doctors one day and therefor we should be able to interview patients.
 
We were told that the test (Step 2-b) will cost $975 plus travel and lodging expenses. My class (class of 2005) will be the first one required to pass the exam to graduate. As others have pointed out, one of the major problems with the exam is that it will only be offered at seven major cities in the country. The test will basically assess our ability to interview and interact with patients. The student section of the AMA has been figting this test for a while, but it looks like it is inevitible at this point.
 
900 bucks to take a test. That sounds unreasonable. It should be offered in more cities. I have no problems with more testing. Hell give us a test every week. It'll be in smaller bites then :)
 
What exactly are the seven cities? Anybody know? I've heard of Philly being one. I will be EXTREMELY pissed if there isn't one on the west coast.
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by Jalbreakfast:
•What exactly are the seven cities? Anybody know? I've heard of Philly being one. I will be EXTREMELY pissed if there isn't one on the west coast.•••••Miami :wink: , Gainesville :wink: , Tampa :wink: , NY, Boston, Philly and one more, can't quite remember what it was! :wink: :p
 
they have yet to announce the cities.
 
This link may be helpful.<a href="http://www.amsa.org/meded/nbme.cfm" target="_blank">http://www.amsa.org/meded/nbme.cfm</a>
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
•Miami :wink: , Gainesville :wink: , Tampa :wink: , NY, Boston, Philly and one more, can't quite remember what it was! :wink: :p •••••WHAAAAT?!!!! None in Texas :mad: :mad: . Jesus..the second (or third..I can't remember) largest state and not one testing center!!

I gotta take another exam AND they get $975. This like having to pay money to get sodomized!!!!
What the F?!!! Ok...I'm through fuming.
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by MandM06:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
•Miami :wink: , Gainesville :wink: , Tampa :wink: , NY, Boston, Philly and one more, can't quite remember what it was! :wink: :p •••••WHAAAAT?!!!! None in Texas :mad: :mad: . Jesus..the second (or third..I can't remember) largest state and not one testing center!!

I gotta take another exam AND they get $975. This like having to pay money to get sodomized!!!!
What the F?!!! Ok...I'm through fuming.•••••See these guys: :wink: ? They have a meaning.
 
i'm 1 of the 2 AMA student reps for my medical school, and last i heard (a couple of months ago), the only testing site west of the mississippi was irvine, ca. one big reason the test is being debated presents difficulties is that many people live far away from any of the 7 sites and would therefore incur higher costs for travel, time, etc. it wouldn't really be fair, and i think one thing that they are discussing is getting additional sites to administer the exam.

i have no beef with the test itself; you should really be able to conduct the patient interview and figure out what's going on to the level of passing the clinical skills assessment by the time you graduate from medical school...

take care, guys :)
 
My sister-in-law is a foreign medical graduate and she recently finished up both USMLE step I and II. She is preparing for Clinical Skills Assessment. At least, for foreign graduates, I think the fee is $1200. But I have heard that if you go through Step I and II, typically you won't have any problem in CSA.
 
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