NO MORE 2 Digit Score in the USMLE. USMLE/NBME Completely Remove both Evaluation & Reporting of a 2-Digit Score on USMLE Transcripts Starting April 1, 2013

There will be No Evaluation & Reporting of 2-Digit Scores. Even Transcripts of Score Reports Issued for Steps , even those taken Before April 1, 2013 will not Display any 2-Digit Score in future. ERAS had already Stopped Sending it to Programs. Only a 3-Digit Score will be Available & used for  Evaluation Purposes.

Read More in the Article Below. :)

Issue 203 - March 22, 2013

Changes to USMLE^® Procedures for Reporting Scores: Elimination of the 2-digit Score on or about April 1, 2013As previously reported in 2011, the USMLE program began the process of eliminating the reporting of results on the 2-digit score scale to parties other than the examinee and any state licensing authority to which the examinee sends results. This process began on July 1, 2011 with elimination of 2-digit scores from USMLE transcripts reported through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS^®).The USMLE program will extend this change in reporting to include all score recipients (e.g., examinees, state medical boards). This means that scores on the 2-digit scale will no longer be calculated or reported. The USMLE Program expects to eliminate the 2-digit score on or about April 1, 2013. This change pertains to the Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK), and Step 3 examinations only; Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) will continue to be reported as pass or fail with no numeric score.The full announcement is available on the USMLE website.More about the 2-digit Score and Its EliminationThe following may be helpful in understanding the change in USMLE procedures for reporting scores, described above.Why is the USMLE Program eliminating the 2-digit score?The 2-digit score can be subject to misinterpretation. Some have interpreted it as a percentile (an indication of how an examinee’s performance compares to the performance of other examinees who took the same exam administration). Others have interpreted it as a percentage (an indication of how many questions an examinee answered correctly during an exam administration). The 2-digit score is neither of these things.Additionally, unlike the 3-digit score, the 2-digit score does not allow reasonable comparisons over time. This may create challenges for score users that attempt to compare 2-digit scores that span several years. To eliminate the misuse of and confusion surrounding the 2-digit scale, the USMLE Composite Committee, the body that governs USMLE, decided that it should no longer be calculated or reported. Additional information about the relationship between the 2-digit and 3-digit score scales is available on the USMLE website.Does this change apply to all USMLE examinations?This change applies to Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3 only, since numeric scores are reported for these exams. It does not apply to Step 2 CS. Performance on Step 2 CS will continue to be reported as pass or fail with no numeric score.Once this change takes effect, who will have access to 2-digit scores?No one will have access to 2-digit scores. Beginning on the effective date of this change:

• The USMLE Program will no longer report 2-digit scores to examinees on their exam score reports.

• Two-digit scores will not be reported to any third parties via USMLE transcripts. This means that recipients of USMLE transcripts, including graduate medical education programs and state medical boards in the United States, will not receive 2-digit scores. This is true for all USMLE exam administrations, regardless of when the exam administration took place and regardless of whether a 2-digit score was reported previously.

• Two-digit scores will no longer be calculated. As a result, the National Board of Medical Examiners^® (NBME^®), the entity responsible for scoring USMLE exams, will not be able to provide 2-digit scores. The entities responsible for registering examinees for USMLE and reporting their scores, including ECFMG and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), will not be able to provide 2-digit scores.

Why does the USMLE transcript I requested in April 2013 look different from the transcript I requested in December 2012, when it includes results for the same exam administration(s)?

Effective on or about April 1, 2013, the USMLE Program will stop calculating and reporting 2-digit scores. Two-digit scores reported before the effective date of this change will no longer be reported. As a result, a transcript issued prior to the effective date will include 2-digit scores for administrations of Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3, while a transcript issued after the effective date will include only 3-digit scores for the same exam administrations.Understanding the 3-digit ScoreThe elimination of the 2-digit score does not change the reporting or interpretation of results on the 3-digit scale. While the following information is not new, it may be helpful in understanding the 3-digit score.

What is the 3-digit score?

Since its beginning in the 1990s, the USMLE Program has reported scores for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 on a 3-digit scale. When an examinee tests, the number of items the examinee answers correctly is converted to a score on the 3-digit scale. The 3-digit scale is considered the primary score reporting scale for USMLE exams.

What are the minimum passing scores for the exams?

The USMLE Program recommends a minimum passing level of proficiency for each exam. For Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3, the USMLE Program sets a minimum passing score on the 3-digit scale. For the current minimum passing scores, visit Scores & Transcripts on the USMLE website.The USMLE Program reviews the minimum passing level for each exam every three to four years. Since this process may result in changes, the minimum passing score for a given exam, expressed on the 3-digit scale, may change over time. The recommended minimum passing level in place on the day an examinee sits for an examination will be the level used for scoring purposes. Monitor the USMLE website for information on review of and changes to the minimum passing scores for USMLE exams.

How can I tell how well I did on the examination? How much better than passing did I do?

Your score report will include the 3-digit minimum passing score that applies to the exam administration.On the 3-digit scale, most scores on Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 fall between 140 and 260. The mean score for first-time examinees from accredited medical school programs in the United States is in the range of 215 to 235, and the standard deviation is approximately 20. If your score is in the range of 215 to 235, your performance is on par with the average first-time examinee from an accredited medical school program in the United States. Your score report will include the mean and standard deviation for recent administrations of the examination.Your score report will also include graphical performance profiles that summarize relative areas of strength and weakness to aid in self-assessment. The profiles are accompanied by further information on what they mean and how to interpret them.More information on scores and score interpretation is available on the Scores FAQs page of the USMLE website at http://www.usmle.org/frequently-asked-questions/#scores.

How will U.S. GME programs be able to evaluate my 3-digit score?

The 3-digit score scale is the primary score reporting scale and has been used since the USMLE Program was established in the early 1990s. Unlike the 2-digit score, the 3-digit score is calculated using statistical procedures that ensure that scores from different years are on a common scale and have the same meaning. This means that GME programs can use the 3-digit score to make reasonable comparisons of examinees who tested at different times. Information on the meaning and interpretation of the three-digit score is included with USMLE transcripts, is available on the USMLE website, and is provided in the USMLE Bulletin of Information.

Click the link Below to Read the Same Article on the ECFMG Website.

http://www.ecfmg.org/news/2013/03/22/changes-to-usmle-procedures-for-reporting-scores/#sthash.VbUweNH5.dpbs

HIGHER NUMBER of IMGs Match this Year Compared to 2012. A Welcome News :)

ECFMG REPORTER

Issue 202 - March 21, 2013

IMG Performance in the 2013 Match

For the eleventh consecutive year, the number of first-year (PGY-1) residency positions offered through the National Resident Matching Program^® (NRMP^®) Main Residency Match^® increased. A total of 26,392 first-year positions were offered in the 2013 Match. This represents an increase of 2,358 positions compared to last year and an increase of nearly 5,800 positions since 2002.

The number of IMGs who matched to first-year positions increased by 1,425 compared to 2012. Of the 12,683 IMGs who participated in the 2013 Match, 6,311 (49.8%) matched. In the 2012 Match, 4,886 (43.9%) IMGs were matched to first-year positions. (These data include a small number of Fifth Pathway applicants who participated in the 2013 and 2012 Matches.)

Of the 7,568 IMG participants who were not U.S. citizens, 3,601 (47.6%) obtained first-year positions. The number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs who obtained positions in 2013 increased for the second year in a row, this year by 826.

Of the 5,095 U.S. citizen IMG participants, 2,706 (53.1%) were matched to first-year positions, an increase of 604 over last year. This is the tenth consecutive year that there has been an increase in the number of U.S. citizen IMGs matching to first-year positions.

The total number of IMGs who will fill PGY-1 positions for the 2013-2014 academic year may be higher than the number obtaining positions through the 2013 Match. Although the majority of PGY-1 positions in the United States are filled through the Match, in past years a significant number of IMG applicants obtained positions outside of the Match. For example, while 4,626 IMGs obtained PGY-1 positions through the 2011 Match, 6,754 IMGs entered PGY-1 for the 2011-2012 academic year.

For the 2013 Match, the NRMP introduced an “All-In” policy. This policy requires that, to participate in the Match, programs must register and attempt to fill all of their residency positions through the Main Residency Match, or through another national matching plan. Programs must place all positions in the Match or no positions in the Match. This policy is a factor in the higher numbers, compared to last year, of both positions offered through the 2013 Match (up 2,358 or 9.8%) and the number of IMGs participating in the 2013 Match (up 1,549 or 13.9%). It also, presumably, reduced the number of positions available outside of the 2013 Match. For more on the NRMP’s new All-In policy, visit the NRMP websiteand Ask the Experts: The NRMP’s New “All-In” Policy, a resource of the ECFMG Certificate Holders Office (ECHO).

About the Match

The annual NRMP Match is the system by which applicants are matched with available residency positions in U.S. graduate medical education (GME) programs. Participants submit to the NRMP a list of residency programs, in order of preference. Ranked lists of preferred residency candidates are likewise submitted by U.S. GME programs with available positions. The matching of applicants to available positions is performed by computer algorithm. The Match results announced in March of each year are for GME programs that typically begin the following July.

Additional Resources on the Match and Match Results

The preceding data are taken from the Advance Data Tables for the 2013 Main Residency Match compiled by the NRMP. These tables provide detailed information on the positions offered and filled by the Match in 2013 and prior years. To access these tables, or to obtain further information on the NRMP, visit www.nrmp.org.

The June issue of Academic Medicine, the journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, usually offers an analysis of Match results from the preceding March. For more information, visit your medical school’s library or www.academicmedicine.org.

Late each year, JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association traditionally publishes an in-depth analysis of graduate medical education in the United States. This analysis includes the number of IMGs entering and continuing in U.S. GME programs and a breakdown of IMG resident physicians by specialty and subspecialty. Visit your medical school’s library or http://jama.ama-assn.org.

CLICK BELOW TO VIEW THE SAME ARTICLE ON THE ECFMG WEBSITE.

http://www.ecfmg.org/news/2013/03/21/img-performance-in-the-2013-match/#sthash.rT17ni59.dpbs

USMLE to Residency - From this Beginning to the Next

Collagen Disorders mnemonic - twitter feed 12

USMLE to Residency (@USMLE2Residency) tweeted ====>>

MOSE :: Collagen Disorders :» Menkes disease, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Scurvy & Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. (MOSE or MOSED) ©U2R

(https://twitter.com/USMLE2Residency/status/312279438865883137)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download

FAQs for Beginners

THESE ARE SOME 'FAQ's for Beginners who want a first hand Idea about What USMLE is & How to Start!! I hope You find it Useful. Let me Know if you want to know anything else, by Inboxing me or Posting Your Querry on my Timeline on facebook at 

https://www.facebook.com/USMLEtoResidency   

P.S - I suggest Please Read it from Below upwards. :)

(New) Q22. When is the Best time to take Step 1?

I have added this Question as this is also a frequent query in Newbies & Beginners as to is their some Specific Slot or time-Period when taking Step 1 is Easy, Better or Gives a Better Overall Score. Well, In one Sentence i would say, the Answer to this Question is a simple plain 'No'. There is No Slot, Better then Others Now, Earlier though may be it was. The Explanation to this is that the Fresh American Graduates who finish their Graduation in May-June take Step 1 in this May-august Session while Many take off a Summer and Wait for ome time to Prepare. So it was considered that If you take a Step in this Slot you would be Compared against these freshers who usually Do not Perform that Good & Your "2-Digit Score " then may appear Higher & Good compared to these test takers. Although this Judgement or Assumption was Also Wrong as per many as adding up the large numbers of IMGs & Other AMGs who might also be taking an exam in the same slot the difference may just not be as was assumed by some. ANYHOW,, That was PAST.  NOW Starting April 2013, THERE IS NO MORE 2-DIGIT SCORE EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT of any test taker. Even those who gave the Steps before April 1, 2013 & requesting for a Transcript on or after this Date do not Get a 2-Digit Score. NRMP had already about 2 Years ago had Stopped Sending your 2-Digit Scores to Individual Programs. So Basically Now Everyone is Assessed on a Simple, Clean & fair 3-Digit Score which is a simple Statistical Score/assessment of How Many Questions you did Right on the Exam. No more Percentiles. So their is no Confusion for Program Directors t compare different test takers over place & time. So finally in Simple Words, You Just have to taje the Test When you feel You are "Well Prepared" & have Gone through the topics Well & thoroughly & are Confident enough ( :p). So i hope this helps to Answer your Querry. Just Prepare Well & take it Anytime when you feel Confident. All the Best. God Bless You... :)
P.S- You are Eligible for Step 1 & Step 2 CK once you have Cleared the Basic Sciences of Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology from your Medical School. e.g. After Clearing 2nd Professional Year in India. 

Q21. Where Can i Get Information about Clinical Elective/Clerkships in the US? How to Apply  & Where to Apply, Cost, Documents Needed& Everything Else A to Z?

Read My e-Book on Clinical Electives in the US.
You can find it at
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/usmle2residency

Q20. What Books or Resources Should i follow for Step 1?

There are No Recommended Books by the NBME for the USMLE. So No one will say anything Assertively for it, But i can give a List of Resources i used & are Time Tested & High Yield.

• Kaplan's Lecture Notes
• Goljan's Rapid Review for Pathology
• Goljan's Audio Lectures
• Kaplan's Video Lectures Specially on Pharmacology, Physiology & Behavioral Sciences.
• BRS Books( optional) , Behavioral Sciences is Awesome.
• BRS Behavioral Sciences (Best as i said)
• FIRST AID - MUST DO, A to Z, Twice, thrice as many times you want to.
• USMLEWorld QBank, and others like Kaptest, USMLERx etc. if you have time or want to.
• Pre-Test Books
• Rest the list is endless, The more you, know & Understand the better. UWorld will give a Better idea of how to focus yourself i guess. 

Q19. How Much time does it take to Get a Residency after i have Cleared the Steps?

It is Variable but this link would give you an idea of the Sequence of events for those who want to start a Residency in June 2013. 

http://www.ecfmg.org/eras/2013-timeline.html 

So this shows that they have to start applying and must be ready preferably by August 2012.

Q18. How do i Begin my Step 1 or Step 2 CK/CS Application?

In order to Begin your Step 1/ Step 2 Application you must first be registered with the ECFMG. Go to the IWA Section of the On-Line Services Section of the ECFMG Website @

https://secure2.ecfmg.org/emain.asp?app=iwa 

& Click on the link to establish a New Account. Do Go through all the instructions Very Very Carefully before Proceeding  It's an easy process. Fill up the form & You will get your unique USMLE/ECFMG ID Number & Password within a week almost. After that Login to your IWA Account & it will show you a Link to "Begin a New Application for Step1/step2.." Click on it & Proceed. The online part of the application will begin & AGAIN, Go through the instructions link given on the LEFT SIDE of the PAGE. The online form has 23 items after which you will be prompted to the payment page & then they will show you your form 186. Download & print it, then fill it up & send it to the ECFMG. Once they have processed both the online & Written Part of the form (which will take approximately 2-3 weeks) You will receive your Scheduling Permit which contains instructions on how to Schedule an Appointment with the "Pro metric (the testing Agency)" & Select a Specific Date for your Exam in the Selected SLOT you Chose while filing up the Online Application in the IWA. It's EASY. Schedule an appointment & Go take the test. You are also allowed to take a ONE TIME Extension of the Eligibility Period Using the IWA again. it will extend your slot from 3 months to 6 months adding the next 3 months to it by paying just 65 USD. After that you can only start a New Application.

Check out my Video @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9ddoI6PPsg&feature=g-user-lpl&list=PLvbXI0OKsSWj0hR30YKBkUODRlu7K5nth

Q17. Where Can i Get USMLE type Questions for Practice??

There are a Number of Online & Paper Back Resources Available But here i Will Mention the Most Popular Ones.

1. Pre-Test: 

This is a Very Very Useful PaperBack Book Series. I Personally found the Questions & the Explanations Very Usefull. They were Quite Useful for me to Revise the Concepts as well as Reinforce the into My Mind. & ABOVE ALL they are all Topic or I should Say Chapter Wise. ;) So You can try them during your Regular Course Side By Side. 

2. USMLEWorld QBank: 

This is THE BEST Qbank as Per me. I Regret Having Started it very "Late" after i had finished my first Read. But I think it is Great to Start it asap & do it Side by Side also. Taking a 6 month subscription & doing it side by side & even "Twice" is also totally worth having spent your Money on the Right thing, as i feel from my experience. The Questions & their EXPLANATIONS are Very High Yeild as well as Cover all the Concepts tested on the Steps. You Can choose to to take a Timed or Untimed Test, Select Topics & Systems to be tested, Number of Questions to be Tested & Make Notes for Every Question. They Give Analysis By Giving Percentages & Percentiles(Overall & test wise) Compared to Other Test takers. Very Useful. Check out my Video on USMLE World at 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlEFqwjLIwM 

or Visit their Website at

https://www.usmleworld.com/

3. Kaplan QBank: 

This has been Given Very Very Good Reviews by Many. No Personal Experience but a Highly Useful one as per many. So i suggest Checking it Out In ADDITION to USMLEWorld if you have time.Here's the link , 

http://www.kaptest.com/Medical-Licensing/index.html 

4.USMLERx: 

Another Highly Rated QBank by Many. So We have these Resources.

Q15. How long does it take to get into a Residency after i have Cleared my Step 1 & 2??

It is Variable but this link would give you an idea of the Sequence of events for those who want to start a Residency in June 2013. http://www.ecfmg.org/eras/2013-timeline.html So this shows that they have to start applying and must be ready preferably by August 2012.

Q14. Where can i get Answers to Any other Unanswered Querries of mine?

Follow Me at
https://www.facebook.com/USMLEtoResidency
& Inbox or Timeline me any more questions you wish to get answers of. We will try our Best to Provide you the Best Possible Answer.

Q13. What is ECFMG?

It the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. It is the Sole body Dealing with Issues of IMGs from applying for steps to interviews via ERAS. Follow the Online Services Section & other Stuff about ECFMG @ their Website http://ecfmg.org/

Q12. What are NBMEs or NBME Self Assessments?

NBMEs are Self assessment exams Conducted by National Board of Medical Examiners. These allow you to assess your Level of preparedness for the Final Exam & are a Must do in My Suggestion before you sit for the Actual exam. NBME 7 & 13 are considered best predictors of your score but all are Good. Try Doing at least 3-4 before the Actual exam. :) You can find them at

https://nsas.nbme.org/nsasweb/servlet/mesa_main

or check out my Video at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoNQX-mp6EE&feature=g-user-lpl&list=PLvbXI0OKsSWj0hR30YKBkUODRlu7K5nth

Q11. What is Step 2 CS? What is tested & how is the Exam Conducted?

Follow this link
http://usmle.org/step-2-cs/#format

Q10. What topics are tested on Step 2 CK?

Follow the link
http://usmle.org/step-2-ck/#contentoutlines

Q9. What are the topics tested on STEP 1?

Follow this link
http://usmle.org/step-1/#content-outlines

Q8. Can I retake a Step that I passed to raise my score?

No. If you pass a Step, you are not allowed to retake it, except to comply with the time limit of a medical licensing authority for the completion of all Steps or a requirement imposed by another authority recognized by the USMLE program.
See USMLE Bulletin: Eligibility - Retakes on www.usmle.org FAQs

Q7. If I fail a USMLE Step, Can I take it again?

Yes you can but you have only 6 attempts to Pass it Now. Read the Previous Question or go to www.usmle.org for detailed info.

Q6. Is there a limit on the number of times Steps can be taken??

An examinee is ineligible to take a Step or Step Component if the examinee has made six or more prior attempts to pass that Step or Step Component, including incomplete attempts. The effective date for the six-attempt limit depends upon whether an examinee has taken any Step or Step Component (including incomplete attempts) before January 1, 2012. Examinees who have NOT taken any Step or Step Component before January 1, 2012 If you have not taken any Step or Step Component before January 1, 2012, the six-attempt limit is in effect for all exam applications that you submit on or after January 1, 2012.

Q5. Where can I obtain a copy of the USMLE Bulletin of Information??

The USMLE Bulletin can be found at http://www.usmle.org/bulletin. You have the option of viewing the bulletin online or downloading a PDF file.

Q4. Is there Any fee to be Paid During the Residency?

No, Instead You will be Given a Stipend Ranging from 4200-6000 USD pm. There may or may not be Housing Allowance, Moonlighting and other Benefits along with. ;) 

Q3. How Much will be the Cost of Appearing in USMLE?

Fee for Step 1 is Approximately 790$ excluding Surcharge which is Approx 140$ making a total of About 920-950$ depending upon the COuntry you take your test in. Fee for Step 2 CK is the Same. Fee for Step 2 CS is Approximately 1355 USD. No international test delivery Charge as this is Held in the United States itself. :) The Cost of Step 3 is 730 US$ except in the states of Iowa(780$) , South Dakota (880$) & Vermont (765$) Rest add to it a Variable Travel & staying expenditure for CS or Clinical Experience or Observerships ranging anywhere from 1000-5000 USD. But then again its Highly VARIABLE.

Q2. How do i Apply for the USMLE?

Step 1 and Step 2 applications must be submitted to the NBME if you are a student or graduate of a medical school in the United States and Canada & to the ECFMG if you are a student or graduate of a medical school outside the United States and Canada. IMGs (Outside USA & CANADA) have to apply through ECFMG using IWA(Interactive Web Access). If you do not have an Account make one at this site.

https://secure2.ecfmg.org/emain.asp?app=iwa
See this Video to Know More:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9ddoI6PPsg&feature=g-user-lpl&list=PLvbXI0OKsSWj0hR30YKBkUODRlu7K5nth

& then Once you are Certified(which takes 2-3 weeks) You can Anytime Start an Application for the Steps. For more info go to,
http://usmle.org/apply/

Q1. What is the USMLE?

USMLE refers to the United States Medical Licensing Examination ® (USMLE®) which is a three-step examination to Get Medical Licensure in the United States and is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®). The USMLE assesses a physician's ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles, and to demonstrate fundamental patient-centered skills, that are important in health and disease and that constitute the basis of safe and effective patient care.