when is USMLE required?

[lavender01]

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sorry if this is a stupid question..
my family decided to move back to europe after i graduate college,and i am starting to consider moving there with them instead of living in the US by myself..i do want the option of coming back here later, so are there ANY euro schools that are accepted by the US or does the US require every single foreign applicant to take the USMLE? because i know with the caribbean schools..some are accepted in all 50 states, some arent...
=) thanks

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Everyone who wants to practice in the United States has to take the USMLE (or if you are a DO, the COMLEX) exam Step 1, 2, CS, and 3 to get a license. This goes for those who attend medical school in the USA/Canada, Caribbean, and abroad. Usually the USA/Canadian/Caribbean students take the exams at year 2 and 4 of medical school and during their residency. Students from outside the country usually take the exam after they get their degrees when they decide to move to the USA to practice (though this does vary).

 

[Scottish Chap]

The time-frame for taking the USMLE for you will depend on the curriculum of the school you attend in Europe. Most European medical programs are 5 or 6 years long and cater to high school graduates. In the U.S., all of the material for Step 1 is covered in the first two years, but this will probably not be the case for you.

In addition, since American medical students (for the most part) all have an undergraduate degree coming in, a fund of knowledge is assumed and you are definitely held accountable for more detail in the basic sciences than most European schools. I can, however, only say this based on my own experience taking medical school classes in the U.K. and in the U.S. With excellent review books, this is by no means an insurmountable task. In fact, many U.S. medical students (myself included) found that some of the material we were accountable for on Step 1 was never formally taught to us in medical school.

Before you are eligible to apply for a U.S. residency program from overseas, you'll need passing scores on Step 1 and Step 2 - both of which can be taken by computer in most countries. Step 2 also has a clinical skills exam which must be taken in the U.S. and a passing score must be obtained. After all of that, you need to apply for your ECFMG certificate: http://www.ecfmg.org/

Bottom line: thousands have done it before you, and you'll be no different if you choose that path. Good luck!