USMLE timing for foreign med students

[dr. dre]

Hi there,
I was just wondering how most FMG's do their USMLE's, since there's a 7 year time limit to complete all steps after doing step 1.

I'm currently in a 6 year med program. First 3 years are preclinical, yrs 4 & 5 clinical, 6th year trainee intern, and I think I need to do 2 years residency to get a license around here.

Say I do step 1 at the end of 3rd year and step 2 at the end of 5th, that leaves me 2 years to get step 3. If I go to a state that requires a couple of years residency in order to do step3, does that mean I risk "running out" of my 7 year limit? Or maybe after I get ECFMG cert, if I don't match immediately, will that also screw me up?

What happens if I do run out of time, anyway? Will they make me do step1 again???

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

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[Stormreaver]

Most IMGs (non-Caribbean) take their USMLEs after graduating, since they can then knock off Step 1 and 2 within 1 year's time, and gives them time to focus on exam-specific material which may or may not have been covered in med school. Secondly, Step 1 and 2 do have 7-year expiry dates, but they are only relevent to starting residency; Step 3 doesn't really figure into this date thing, and is usually only taken before residency for visa purposes. Thirdly, TOEFL has a 2-year expiry date and the CSA a 3-year expiry date.

I think you should consider taking the MLEs after finishing all your med school requirements, unless you have some viable alternative in mind.

 

[IRON_DUKE]

Nice to know .

 

[abu barney]

Hey dude,

I recommend you take your step 1 during 4th or 5th year, and step 2 during your 6th or internship year. Most students here take their step 1s after graduation. They bust ass for like 4-6 months and most come down with good (not awesome) grades, high 80s to 90ish. I say all the biochem, anat, etc would've rotted, atrophied, apoptosed well away by the time you've graduated. Taking step 1 during the 4th or 5th year would carry the advantages of having the info semi-fresh in your mind, as well as having some clinical exposure which is necessary in step 1. Two students here have taking that approach so far and have done exceedingly well: 97 and 99. Study part time for 3-4 months, and skip classes (and go study USMLE) if it doesn't hurt your grades too much.

As for Step 2, you should take it whenever you feel you have free time during your clinical years after you've completed all the core rotations (med, surg, peds, ob/gyn, psych).

Best of luck! and study hard...

 

[Stormreaver]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by abu barney:
•Hey dude,

I recommend you take your step 1 during 4th or 5th year, and step 2 during your 6th or internship year. Most students here take their step 1s after graduation. They bust ass for like 4-6 months and most come down with good (not awesome) grades, high 80s to 90ish. I say all the biochem, anat, etc would've rotted, atrophied, apoptosed well away by the time you've graduated. Taking step 1 during the 4th or 5th year would carry the advantages of having the info semi-fresh in your mind, as well as having some clinical exposure which is necessary in step 1. Two students here have taking that approach so far and have done exceedingly well: 97 and 99. Study part time for 3-4 months, and skip classes (and go study USMLE) if it doesn't hurt your grades too much.

As for Step 2, you should take it whenever you feel you have free time during your clinical years after you've completed all the core rotations (med, surg, peds, ob/gyn, psych).

Best of luck! and study hard...•••••My friends/classfellows took Step 1 after graduation, and we regularly get scores of 240+; as do many people from other colleges around. Just my opinion; medical school doesnt seem to leave much time for exam-oriented studying,

 

[BellKicker]

I'm taking my Step 1 in august. That will be after my 4th year (out of 6,5).

If I had known what I know now (basically from reading smart people's posts on SDN, including Dr. Stormreaver) I would have waited. I'd say end of school or after graduation isn't really that important. I believe if your biochem-containing neurons are going to apoptose, they have done so by year 6. For my own part, anatomy seems very distant.

 

[abu barney]

In any case, good luck. Do MCQs like there's no tomorrow. Don't let the results of practice tests bug you, they're meaningless. No need to worry if you studied well.