Step 3 USMLE

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Tetrad

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I am trying to sign up for Step 3. The problem is I don't graduate until May 26th. So has anyone out there taken Step 3 before their residency as I desire. I called the Step 3 number and the lady said you have to have a diploma issued to you and reported to the national board otherwise if you sign up without this your application is void and you lose $655.00. Anyone out there having the same problem?

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I am trying to sign up for Step 3. The problem is I don't graduate until May 26th. So has anyone out there taken Step 3 before their residency as I desire. I called the Step 3 number and the lady said you have to have a diploma issued to you and reported to the national board otherwise if you sign up without this your application is void and you lose $655.00. Anyone out there having the same problem?

i also had to be cautious about this before i took step 3 right after graduation and before path residency. Unfortunately, i believe you do have to have the diploma AND have your med school report that you graduated to the national board. but even before you actually get your diploma, HOUND your school to send out grad info asap. Keep calling nat. boards until you get your approval, and then sign up. You get your orange 'sign up' slip back pretty soon, i'd say like 3-4 weeks, which you can then immediately call and book a timeslot. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get the damn thing over with ahead of time.
 
i too had hoped to take step 3 as an MS4, but i was told by our assistant dean of student affairs (a very knowledgeable woman with 25+ years experience) that this is not allowed. thanks for the advice SLU - i'll be doing that a year from now in hopes of getting it passed and done with before my first day of residency.
 
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Hi there. SLUsagar is right. I had a 30 minute conversation with FSMB about this back in February (I too would like to get this over with before residency.) There are essentially 2 variables. 1) Paperwork. Download off FSMB website and fax. The soonest you can do this is the very day you graduate. Easy to control. 2) Your school has to report a graduation list. Not so easy to control. Some schools are apparently faster than others. I've been hounding my school about this and they refuse to send anything until May 31st/June 1st since people who failed Step 1 aren't officially finished with school until then. FSMB states that it can take 3-4 weeks AFTER they receive the list before they can grant you a sit down period via email (no orange slips this year.) My orientation starts 6/27 so I won't be able to take the exam prior to residency. So pissed.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I am glad to know I am not the only one frustrated by this process. Looks like some of my vacation time in residency will be spent taking step 3. :eek:
 
Since we are on the subject of Step 3, does it really matter what state you take it for? The reason I'm asking is that the state where I'm doing my residency requires one year of residency, but there are other states that do not. Will it affect my future practice if I take it for the state that I'm not in?
 
Did anyone look in the FAQs?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=2577382&postcount=6

Honest, they're not just there to be pretty.

:thumbup: Thanks for the pointer to the FAQ... the bit about using any state's requirements sounds totally sketchy, but I don't see why the state should matter since Step 3 is Step 3, so cool. I'll have some time between graduating and knowing where I matched, and it'd occured to me that might be an ideal time to take Step 3... glad to know it looks like such things can be done.

BH
 
:thumbup: Thanks for the pointer to the FAQ... the bit about using any state's requirements sounds totally sketchy,
If you read the links at the bottom of the FAQ, I believe sohsie goes into the historical reasons why each state is different. It doesn't matter. I picked Connecticut because it was close to the top of the list.
 
The FSMB website has every state listed and their requirements to sit for Step 3. I will be signing up for CA (has no requirements). I believe CT is the same. I spoke with FSMB and told them I'm finishing med school in SC, doing residency in IL, but will be registering Step 3 for CA. They confirmed it didn't matter which state I picked and this is a common practice. Hope that helps.
 
Take Step 3 as soon as you can.

I'm studying for it now and take it in a week and a half...preparation isn't pretty.
 
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