Factors that correlate with the U.S. Medical Licensure Examination Step-2 scores in a diverse medical student population

Objective:
To assess factors that correlate with performance on U.S. Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step-2 examination. Our hypothesis was that demographic factors, faculty assessments and other standardized test scores will correlate with students' performance on USMLE Step 2. Study

Design:

A comparison of standardized examinations and demographic factors with USMLE Step-2 scores as the outcome varoble was accomplished using the educational records of 171 medical students.

Results:
Mean USMIE Step 2. USMLE Step 1, NBME-OB/GYN and MCAT scores, respectively, were 190.63, 1943.53, 67.47 and 24.03.

Positive correlations of USMLE Step 2 were:

• USMLE Step-1 scores (r=0.681, p=0. 000);
  
• MCAT scores (r=0.524, p=0.000)
  
• NBME-OB/GYN scores (r=0.614, p=0.000);
• year of OB/GYN rotation (r=0.432, p=0.000);
  
• faculty grades (r=0.400, p=0.000);
• undergraduate GPA (r=0.287, p=0.000);
• and science GPA (r=0.255, p=0.002).

Negative correlations of USMLE Step 2 were

• students increasing age (r=0.405, p=0.000),
  
• increasing number of MGAI attempts (r=-0.182, p=0.000)
  
• and increasing number of NBME-OB/GYN attempte (r=-0.310, p=0.000).
  

There was no correiction with gender or race. Logistic regression analysis showed that a failing NBME-OB/GYN score (p-0.008), failing USMLE Step-1 score (p=0.01), failing faculty grade (p=0.029) and muttiple MCAT attempts (p=0.033) independently increased the risk of failing USMLE Step 2.

Conclusions:
Premedical test-taking abilities (MCAT scores), results of preclinical standardized tests (USMLE Step 1) and performance on clinical rotations (MBME-OB/GYN score and findings may assist educators in selecting medical students at risk of performing poorly on the USMLE Step-2 examinations.

Source

Residency World - Cardiology

Residency world - Cardiology

This is another popular and competitive IM subspecialty. It also is considered one of the three most procedural subspecialties in IM (sharing the honor with GI and Pulmonary/critical care). Cardiology is a 3 year fellowship, with at least 2 years of required clinical training time. The rest of the fellowship can be spent in research or additional clinical time. The clinical practice of cardiology is highly varied, and it allows for a large number of areas of subspecialization. Cardiologists can do angiograms, angioplasties (with interventional training), right heart catheterization, echocardiograms, manage heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension, treat arrhythmias, treat pre- and post- heart transplant patients, and manage adult patients with congenital heart disease, just to name a few. Some cardiologists will choose to do further subspecialty training. After cardiology fellowship, graduates can do a 1-year fellowship in interventional cardiology, where they get trained in such things as angioplasties, coronary artery stenting, valvuloplasty, and even things like pulmonary artery stenting. Another certified fellowship that cardiology grads can do is a 1-year fellowship in cardiac electrophysiology, where fellows are trained in pacemaker placement and interrogation, intracardiac defibrillator placements, cardiac resynchronization therapy, and VT/VF and afib/flutter ablation techniques, among other procedures.

Source: http://www.usmlestep.com

What is "fast-tracking?"

What is "fast-tracking?"

Fast tracking, or short tracking, is an option that some residents do who are interested in pursuing academic medicine in a certain subspecialty. People who fast track complete their IM residency in 2 years, instead of 3 years, and then start their fellowship after their second year. The catch to it is that they have an extra year of research added on to their fellowship, so it does not save them any overall time. Advantages of fast tracking include: the ability to pursue a more in-depth research project as a fellow in order to jump-start one's academic career; and less overall clinical training time (some may view this as a disadvantage). A major disadvantage is that in order to fast track, the resident must pretty much know which subspecialty they want to pursue before they even start residency, because they will have to apply for fellowships early in their intern year, and they will not have enough time to adequately explore most subspecialties. Most people who fast-track have MD/PhD's or have already done extensive research in their intended subspecialty. In order to short track, you must get permission from your residency program, then apply and get accepted to a fellowship program as a short-tracker. You do not have to stay at the same institution as your residency in order to short track, although that is the most common way to do it.

Source: http://www.usmlestep.com

Which IM subspecialties are more competitive to get into then others?

Which IM subspecialties are more competitive to get into then others?

Right now, most people agree with the following order of competitiveness:

Most Competitive:
Cardiology
Gastroenterology
Allergy and Immunology

Moderately Competitive:
Pulmonary
Nephrology
Hematology/Oncology

Mildly Competitive:
Infectious Diseases
Endocrinology
Rheumatology
Geriatric Medicine

REVIEW OF STEP 1 MINIMUM PASSING SCORE

September 29, 2006

The USMLE program recommends a minimum passing level for each Step. Medical licensing authorities may accept the recommended pass/fail result, or they may establish their own minimum passing requirements. The recommended requirements to pass USMLE Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, and Step 3 were originally identified in the early 1990’s and the Step 2 Clinical Skills standards were first identified in November 2004.

The USMLE Step Committees are responsible for the design and development of the Step examinations, as well as establishing and monitoring standards. These committees are made up of physicians and scientists who bring educational, licensing, and practice perspectives to this process. Every three to four years a Step Committee is asked to complete an in-depth review of standards. This process is about to begin for USMLE Step 1. The current recommended minimum passing score of 182 was most recently reviewed in 2003.

The Step 1 Committee is scheduled to assess the minimum passing score at its meeting on December 12-13, 2006. In its review of the minimum passing score, the Step 1 Committee will consider information from multiple sources including: 1) results of surveys of various groups (e.g., state licensing representatives, medical school faculty, samples of examinees) concerning the appropriateness of current pass/fail standards for Step examinations; 2) recommendations from independent groups of physicians and scientists who will participate in content-based standard-setting activities late in 2006, 3) trends in examinee performance; and 4) score precision and its effect on the pass/fail decision. The decision of the Step 1 Committee will be posted at the USMLE website. If the Committee determines that a change is appropriate, the new recommended minimum passing score will become effective for all examinees who begin their Step 1 examination on or after January 1, 2007.

Blueprints

Blueprints Obstetrics and Gynecology (Blueprints)

Download from 4usmle.net


****************************************************
Blueprints Pediatric Infectious Diseases (Blueprints)

Download from 4usmle.net


Designed as a quick read for both students on a pediatrics rotation and others who want to
know more about the specialty, Blueprints Pediatric Infectious Diseases covers the
essentials of pediatric infectious diseases that every practitioner will need to know.

Pocket-sized and practical, these books will cover the most common conditions students are
likely to encounter. Each guide focuses on the essential content students need to know
during a rotation allowing for a fast, easy read. The text emphasizes pathophysiology,
diagnosis, and treatment. Twenty-five multiple-choice and matching review questions are
included to help students test their understanding of the subject.

The book also features valuable appendices on career and residency opportunities,
commonly prescribed medications, and a list of suggested additional reading for those who
would like to learn more.

******************************************************
Blueprints Pediatrics (Blueprints)

Download from 4usmle.net


More than just Board review for USMLE, Steps 2 & 3, Blueprints Pediatrics, 3rd edition can help you during clerkship rotations and subinternship. The new edition has been updated with the help of residents to maintain a student-to-student approach. Features include:

* Concise, accurate, clinical high-yield content covering all you need to know for the USMLE and rotations
* USMLE style questions with full explanations provided in the answers
* Key Points in every section highlighting the most important, high-yield information for each topic
* Color-enhanced design to increase the usefulness of figures and tables

*******************************************************
Blueprints Medicine (Blueprints)

Download from 4usmle.net

Can help you during clerkship rotations and subinternship. They are especially helpful
when studying areas outside your specialty. Physician assistants, nurse practitioners
and osteopaths find Blueprints a helpful companion to their study materials as well.

Rapid Review Pathology (Rapid Review)

After reading BRS and most of Robbins, this remains the strongest resource. Concise for its subject, it covers the important aspects of path while digging for those little, annoying details and disorders that only show up on board exams. Goljan is a true pro at teaching this, with several years at Kaplan and Oklahoma Osteopathic, and he has constantly been grilling students for more information after they have taken their exam. Master this book, and you will not only do well in path, but also have a good foothold in other subjects like pharm, micro, and biochem due to Goljan's ability to integrate several fields into path. His work has continued to help me in third year rotations, as he also discusses diagnostic tests and treatments. The accompanying Q&A CD is unfortunately poorly made, but the quality of questions is very strong. I generally read Robbins or lecture material along with this text to lay a foundation for knowledge, but come test time, you want to cut the fat, and every word here is money. Try to get the accompanying audio CDs off Ebay for reinforcement. I largely credit Goljan's materials along with Robbins Review of Path (question book) for a 98 percentile on the path shelf and a 258 on Step I. This man may have taught me more academic medicine than anyone else. I truly hope you can benefit from this text as well.

Mayo 2005 IM - What is inside?

This is 29 DVD disks:
The following topics are covered in Mayo Internal Medicine Videos:


How to Prepare for the ABIM Certification and Maintenance of Certification Examination
Amit K. Ghosh, MD
Hematology — Anemias
Thomas M. Habermann, MD
Hematology — Malignancies
Thomas M. Habermann, MD
Preventive Medicine
Sally J. Trippel, MD, MPH
Psychiatry
Bruce Sutor, MD
Cardiology — Mechanisms, Diagnosis & Therapies for CV Arrhythmia’s
Peter A. Brady, MD
Cardiology — CAD/MI
Abhiram Prasad, MD
Geriatrics
Darryl S. Chutka, MD
Neurology — Part I & II
Brian A. Crum, MD
Nephrology — Part I & II
Robert C. Albright, Jr., DO
Cardiology — Arrhythmia EKG’s/Clinical Syndromes
Peter A. Brady, MD
Cardiac Physical Exam
Kyle W. Klarich, MD
Cardiology — Systematic & Congenital Heart Disease
Kyle W. Klarich, MD
Gastroenterology — Liver
John J. Poterucha, MD
Pulmonary — Signs & Symptoms, COPD, Pulmonary Functions, Cystic Fybrosis, and Sleep Disordered Breathing
John G. Park, MD
Pulmonary — Diffuse Lung Disease, Occupational Lung Disease
Timothy R. Aksamit, MD
Infectious Diseases — Bacterial & Mycobacterial Pathogens
Larry M. Baddour, MD, FACP
Pulmonary — Pulmonary Infections
Charles F. Thomas, Jr., MD
Hypertension
Gary L. Schwartz, MD
Chest X-Rays
John G. Park, MD
Pulmonary — Neoplasms, Pulmonary Embolism, Vasculitis
Karen L. Swanson, DO
Allergic Diseases
Gerald W. Volcheck, MD
Gastroenterology — Part I & II
Robert E. Sedlack, MD
Gastroenterology — Colon & Pancreas
Thomas R. Viggiano, MD
Infectious Diseases — Fungi, Viruses, Parasites & Other Pathogens
Abinash Virk, MD
Infectious Diseases — Clinical Syndromes
Robert Orenstein, DO
Infectious Diseases — Antimicrobial Agents
Irene G. Sia, MD
Infectious Diseases — HIV Infection
Zelalem Temesgen, MD
General Internal Medicine
Scott C. Litin, MD
Topics in Perioperative Management
Margaret Beliveau-Ficalora, MD
Nephrology — Glomerular Disease
Fernando C. Fervenza, MD, PhD
Nephrology — Dialysis/Acute Renal Failure
Amy W. Williams, MD
Oncology — Part I & II
Timothy J. Moynihan, MD
Rheumatology — Part I & II
William W. Ginsburg, MD
Dermatology
Lisa A. Drage, MD
Women’s Health Issues
Lynne T. Shuster, MD
Images in Internal Medicine
John B. Bundrick, MD
Rheumatology — Part I & II
Clement J. Michet, Jr., MD
Hematology — Part I & II
Thomas M. Habermann, MD
Non-Internal Medicine for the Internist: Urology, ENT, Ophthalmology
Alan K. Duncan, MD
Critical Care Medicine
Otis B. Rickman, DO
Thyroid & Parathyroid
Bryan McIver, MBChB, PhD
Diabetes & Hypoglycemia
Bryan McIver, MBChB, PhD
Genetics
Virginia V. Michels, MD
Pituitary & Adrenal Medulla
Bryan McIver, MBChB, PhD
Adrenal Cortex & Gonads
Bryan McIver, MBChB, PhD
Medical Ethics
C. Christopher Hook, MD
Vascular Medicine
Peter C. Spittell, MD
Cardiology CHF/Cardiomyopathies
Barry L. Karon, MD

Want to get them all?
Click here to get Mayo IM Videos

Mayo 2005 Internal Medicine Videos

Mayo Clinic Internal Medicine Board Review is an intensive program designed to help candidates apply the 'finishing touch' to their preparations for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification and maintenance of certification examinations. For the practicing physician, it also provides a comprehensive overview of all areas in Internal Medicine. All course faculty are affiliated with Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and have had extensive experience in training candidates for various certification examinations. This course is an extension of Mayo’s highly successful and popular tradition of annual board reviews for Mayo Clinic residents and fellows.

How to add our Blog to your MyYahoo homepage

Do you know you can add latest news from this blog to your MyYahoo homepage?

How - just click here:

Add to MyYahoo

That is it - if you do this - you will not miss evene a single post from our site...

Seven Year Rule and the USMLE

Seven Year Rule and the USMLE

Currently there are 8 States which do not have a 7 year rule concerning the USMLE Examination. What is the 7 year rule? The seven year rule is measured by the total number of years it took to pass the First Step of the USMLE by a physician and the Final Step of the USMLE. If it took more than 7 years between the two then most Boards will not issue a license to the Physician. The Board which have this rule typically will require that the Physician take one of three courses:

1. Retake the Steps of the USMLE which fall out of the 7 year period from the passing of the last Step.

2. Sit and pass the SPEX examination

3. Apply for a waiver of the USMLE 7 year rule. The Physician must provide a valid reason as to why it took longer than 7 years. These typically include family crisis, health issues, Civil Unrest, and Natural Disasters. The route is not guaranteed. The Board can arbitrarily decide not to issue the license.

The States which do not have a 7 year rule for the USMLE are as follows:

California	Florida	Kansas (10 years)
Louisiana	Michigan	New Hampshire
New York	Wyoming

This information is valid as of April 5th, 2006. As with all information posted on this site, it is subject to change. If you have any specific questions you can call the individual Medical Board.

The fastest Medical Boards

# 1 - Indiana Medical Board

The Indiana Medical Board can issue a Temporary License in 2 weeks given that everything falls into place. The Indiana Medical Board has limited verification requirements which allows for an expedited process. The verifications which are required are limited to the NPDB-HIPDB report, Medical School Transcripts, Board Scores, and State License Verifications. Most licenses with Indiana are issued between 1 1/2 to 3 months.

# 2 - Michigan Medical Board

The Michigan Medical Board is the only State with True Reciprocity. If a Physician has held an active License in the USA for at least 10 years, then the only verifications which are required are State License Verifications. Most licenses with Michigan are issued within 1 1/2 months to 3 months. If a Physician hasn't held a license for 10 years then the Physician's Medical School, State Licenses, and Board Scores have to be sent to the Michigan Medical Board.

# 3 - Virginia Medical Board

The Virginia Medical Board is one of the best managed Boards in the United States. Upon the completion of the Physician's file, the licenses are issued within 2 weeks. Although the Board verifies all education and 5 years employment they do not loose verifications in their mail system. If it is mailed to Virginia then it will be placed in your file. This seems trivial but having to request verifications 2 to 8 times (i.e. Arkansas Medical Board & Kentucky Medical Board) can cause significant delays of weeks to months. Our firm is very fast and efficient. This combined with the quality of management at Virginia ranks them as one of the fastest Medical Boards. Most licenses with Virginia are issued after 8 weeks.

ECGMG - frequently asked questions

1. What is the difference between a confirmation report and a status report?

   A confirmation report verifies only whether an international medical graduate is ECFMG certified. A status report also verifies ECFMG certification status, but also indicates passing performance on exams, medical school information and the status of the individual's medical education credentials.

2. Which examination scores are provided on a status report?

   A status report provides information on the examination(s) passed for ECFMG certification. If subsequent examinations have been taken, the requester may have to contact the appropriate registration organization to obtain information on these examinations. Scores for USMLE Step exams are not included in Status Reports. These scores are reported in USMLE transcripts.

3. How long does it take to process a request?

   Requests are processed within two weeks of receipt of a completed request at ECFMG.

4. Can a report be sent by an express mail service?

   A response will be sent by an express mail carrier if a prepaid air bill or account number is included with the request form. This service is not available for requests submitted through CVS ON-LINE.

5. How can requesters verify receipt and processing of their requests?

   ECFMG's Applicant Information Services (AIS) representatives can verify processing of requests. To speak with an AIS representative, call (215) 386-5900.

6. Can international medical graduates request a confirmation or status report for themselves?

   CVS reports are sent only to third parties. International medical graduates can request a USMLE transcript or ECFMG Exam Chart.

7. Are USMLE transcripts sent to state medical boards?

   No. ECFMG will provide Status Reports to state medical boards. This report indicates passing performance on examination(s) for ECFMG Certification. State medical boards that require additional USMLE information should contact the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB).

8. Is there a fee for this service?

   Yes. The fee is $25 per report.

9. Can CVS fees be paid with a credit card?

   Yes. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards are accepted for payment of the fee of $25 per report. Requesting organizations must complete a Credit Card Payment Form.

10. How is incorrect information on a report corrected?

    Upon notification of the discrepancy, ECFMG will review the physician's file. In some instances, the physician may be required to submit documents to ECFMG. If information is changed, ECFMG will send a revised report.

11. How are requests from "Fifth Pathway" physicians handled?

    Fifth Pathway is an American Medical Association program. Fifth Pathway physicians are not certified by ECFMG. As a result, ECFMG does not verify Fifth Pathway status. ECFMG will send a response stating that the physician is not ECFMG certified.

12. How are requests regarding graduates of medical schools in Canada and Puerto Rico handled?

    Graduates of medical schools in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada are not considered "international medical graduates" and therefore are not required to obtain ECFMG Certification. An ECFMG Identification Number is issued to graduates of Canadian medical schools only for purposes of Exchange Visitor Sponsorship (J-1 visa). ECFMG will send a letter explaining this ECFMG policy in response to these requests.

13. What if the requesting organization does not receive the report?

    ECFMG will honor requests for duplicate reports at no additional cost up to ninety days after the date that the original report was processed.

ABIM Internal Medicine boards - 10 Tips

* When & How to study for ABIM exam: During your medical residency, schedule time to study for the ABIM Internal medicine boards. The third year (PGY 3) of your residency should be your main time of preparation. Reading alone is usually a bad strategy and often depressing. You may not be able to retain much of the ABIM material that you reviewed alone either. Try to form a study group with other PGY 3 residents who will be taking the same ABIM Internal medicine boards. This will boost every ones morale and give a common sense of purpose. Set a mutually agreeable time for the discussions. The best time to study in a group is over the weekend when none of you have residency obligations. Spending three or four hours every weekend (once a week) is enough to stay focused. Understand what you are studying and the reasons for it. Keep asking yourself the question “why?” and “why not?”

* Study groups: It is crucial that you keep your study group small and stay focused on your ABIM Internal medicine board exam goals. An ideal number would be three or four residents. More than four residents would be counter-productive. Try to have a schedule and read ahead of the planned discussion. By preparing ahead, you will save time, cover more topics and retain more from the discussion. The study group will work best if all participants follow the same board review material. However, different ABIM board review material could also work to your advantage. A good plan is to discuss your ABIM Internal medicine board review study material (Medstudy / Mayo clinic review etc) for the first two hours and then solve multiple choice questions (MKSAP) for the next two hours. Solving multiple-choice questions in groups and discussing each option in detail is vital in developing your thought process and sharpening your clinical decision making skills. You will realize the usefulness of the study group and thank your colleagues when you sit for the actual ABIM Internal medicine boards.

* What to study for ABIM exam: Decide on the ABIM Internal medicine board review material you wish to study from. We have reviewed some commonly used material in this website. The important thing is to choose what works best for you. Choose one ABIM board review textbook and stick to it. It is far more advantageous to revise the same material several times than reading several different materials and getting confused. You must concentrate on solving MKSAP or Medstudy questions at least 50 % of your preparation time.

* Create and devote time to prepare for your ABIM boards. Remember, medical residency is the best time to prepare for the boards. Once your residency is completed, you are thrown out into the real world. If you are starting a fellowship, you will not find much time to study. If you are starting a job as a new physician, your first month will be busy learning the intricate details of medical practice and the paperwork that comes with it. You will most likely, end up designating ten days for study just prior to the exams and as we all know that never works out. So once again, residency is the best time to study. You will not find that kind of quality time after your residency.

* Prepare a schedule to study for ABIM Internal medicine board exams and hang it in a prominent place. You will make several changes to this over time. Plan to revise the ABIM Internal medicine board review material that you have chosen several times (minimum twice). Stay focused throughout the third year of your residency. By middle of the third year, your ABIM Internal medicine board review preparation must be at its peak. If you have not yet formed a study group, now is your last chance.

* Solve questions similar to ABIM exam content: Don’t try to read the ABIM Internal medicine board review material from “cover to cover”. You will not retain much. The best way to prepare is to solve questions, then read the explanation and then look up additional information related to each of the choices (options). This really improves your understanding of the question, familiarizes you with the “teaching principle” and the “testing objective” of that question (which may be repeated in the actual ABIM Internal medicine board exam), and gives you an opportunity to learn about all the other choices and how they differ from the correct answer. Ideally you should be solving MKSAP questions in your second year of residency (PGY 2). If this is not the case, you must definitely begin doing the MKSAP questions by the start of your third year of residency (PGY 3).

* Pictures & Images: Pictures of skin disorders, X-rays and other images given in board questions are generally easy ones to score points. Looking at the image first, before reading the question, usually helps spot the abnormality. Reading the ABIM question’s stem after that will help you put the pieces of the puzzle in place.

* ABIM answering strategies: When reading long multiple choice questions, it may be useful to first read the actual “lead line” of the ABIM Internal medicine board exam question. Once you understand what the question is asking, you can stay focused and look for clues in the long stem of the ABIM exam question. This strategy will also save you time. Several residents have found this strategy useful. As you read through the question, you may also find it useful to underline the key facts and abnormal findings. Once you have gone through the choices, it will be easy to look at the underlined abnormalities and try to “connect the dots”.

* Zebras: Use exam “techniques” to your advantage. Look for target words in ABIM Internal medicine board exam questions. These are referred to as “zebras”. For example in an ABIM exam question, if you see the word “anosmia”, think Kallmann’s syndrome. If you see the phrase “scar on left abdomen”, think splenectomy and look for encapsulated organisms causing sepsis. If the patient is from the Ohio or Mississippi river valleys, think histoplasmosis (CXR calcifications).

* ABIM exam day: Do not study the day before the ABIM Internal medicine boards or in-between the ABIM exam sessions. Discussing the ABIM exam questions with other residents may upset you and adversely affect your performance in the next session. Remember, “What is done, is done”. So don’t cry over spilt milk. Rather, stay focused and conserve your energy for the next ABIM board exam session.

NBOME, COMLEX and USMLE

What is the NBOME?

The NBOME is the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. It's a nonprofit corporation dedicated to serving the public and state licensing agencies by administering examinations testing the medical knowledge of osteopathic medical students and interns. The NBOME was established in July 1934. Its website is at http://www.nbome.org

What is the COMLEX?

In order to more accurately measure the knowledge required by today's physicians, the NBOME initiated the three-level Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) to replace the former three-part NBOME examination series. The COMLEX is a three part exam. Each exam is administered over a two day period, and employs an osteopathic primary care approach to patient care fully integrated throughout the examination.

What is the USMLE?

The USMLE is the United States Medical Licensing Exam -- it is taken by allopathic medical students and interns. It is administered by a Committee Consisting of representatives of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMGSM), the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), and the public. The Composite Committee establishes policies and procedures for the USMLE program. The USMLE website is at http://www.usmle.org.

When do medical students and interns take the COMLEX?

The first COMLEX is usually taken at the completion of the second-year of medical school. The next COMLEX is taken during the fourth year of medical school. The final exam is taken during the internship (first residency year).

Why do I need to take the COMLEX?

All states require you to have passed a licensing exam before they will issue you a license to practice. Most osteopathic medical schools require COMLEX as part of the process towards graduation. It is also used by residency programs to make selections of who they will interview and accept for their program. Usually this decision is made only with the scores from the first COMLEX.

Delay in STEP 2 CK SCORE REPORTS

Delay in STEP 2 CK SCORE REPORTS

Normal score reporting for Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) usually occurs in 3-4 weeks. However, because of necessary modifications to the test item pool, it will be necessary to delay the reporting of scores of some examinees for an additional 3-4 weeks beyond the normal turnaround period. The target date for reporting Step 2 CK scores for most examinees testing from August 3 through the middle of August will be Wednesday, September 13, 2006.

2006 Match Performance - Number of IMGs Matching Increases

2006 Match Performance - Number of IMGs Matching Increases

For the fourth consecutive year, the number of first year (PGY-1) residency positions offered through the Match increased. A total of 21,659 first year positions were offered in the 2006 Match, held earlier this month. This represents an increase of 205 positions compared to last year and an increase of 1,057 positions since 2002.

The number of IMGs who matched to first year positions increased by 152, compared to 2005. Of the 8,877 IMGs who participated in the 2006 Match, 4,382* (49.4%) matched. In the 2005 Match, 4,230 (55.3%) IMG participants were matched to first year positions.

There was an increase in the number of matches for both U.S. citizen IMGs and IMGs who are citizens of other countries.

Of the 6,442 IMG participants who were not U.S. citizens, 3,151 (48.9%) obtained first year positions. The number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs who obtained positions in 2006 increased by 64 compared to last year. This is the fifth consecutive year that there has been an increase in the number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs matching to first year positions.

Of the 2,435 U.S. citizen IMG participants, 1,231 (50.6%) were matched to first year positions, an increase of 88 over last year. This is the third consecutive year that there has been an increase in the number of U.S. citizen IMGs matching to first year positions.

There were 51 Fifth Pathway participants in the 2006 Match. Of these 51 participants, 22 (43.1%) were matched to first year positions.

*Note: The total number of IMGs who will fill PGY-1 positions for the 2006-2007 academic year will be higher than this number, since a significant number of IMGs obtain PGY-1 positions outside of the Match.

Source: http://www.ecfmg.org/announce.htm#matchperformance

resources for Step 1 - Highly Recommended

Kaplan Qbank and Kaplan Simulated Exam - they contain several thousands of questions.

Kaplan Video Lectures - very popular among medical students.

NBME online practice test-there are 150 free questions on the internet plus I think you can buy more. Will make you feel much better about yourself compared to Q Bank. Suggest you take it as 3, 50 question tests towards end of studying. Comparable to actual boards.

Kaplan webprep (online lectures) and lecture material

University of Utah’s “Webpath”-some students thought it was helpful

Books - highly recommended for USMLE Step 1

Anatomy: High Yield Anatomy
Histology: Section in First Aid is good enough-High Yield has some good pictures you might want to check out
Neuroscience: High Yield Neuroanatomy
Physiology: BRS Physiology-MUST HAVE
Biochemistry: High Yield Biochemistry
Human Behavior: High Yield Human Behavior
Pathology: BRS Pathology-MUST HAVE
Microbiology/Immunology: High Yield is great-good tips for memorization, LANGE for Immunology is probably your best bet, High Yield is OK for immunology
EBM: High Yield Human Behavior, Section from First Aid is adequate-you will just have finished EBM with Dr. Davidson-so don’t stress this topic
Pharmacology: High Yield Pharm and section in First Aid will be enough-test out on pharm shelf and and adjust accordingly

Must have books for Step 1

“First Aid for the USMLE Step 1” by Bhushan, Le, Amin

If reading only one book, this would be the one.
Good overall subject review with advice on all aspects of taking the boards.

Room to fill in extra notes (may want to get your own to scribble in)- This book can only take you so far. I encourage you to take notes from other sources and transfer into this book. Therefore, your last few days of studying you will have all the highest yield info in one book.

Good review of most available books and resources (gives all the other review books a “grade”)

Which USMLE Step One materials/courses did you use?

% of Class Study material/course Score

97.6% Online Qbank 3.74

34.4% Northwestern 1.64

31.1% What You Need To Know 3.34

12.9% Kaplan Live 3.11

0.5% Falcon Review 2.00

94.7% First Aid 3.69

76.1% BRS 3.21

5.7% Other 3.33

Understanding Funding opportunities: Student Jobs, Scholarships & Assistantships

Understanding Funding opportunities: Student Jobs, Scholarships & Assistantships
How do we fund our education while studying at an American University ?

There are three standard sources for Masters and PhD students, which are often clubbed together in a single concept "Financial Aid"

1. Student Jobs: These are the various student jobs that one can on-campus such as Dining services, Library, Book stores, Computer Labs, etc. These jobs typically pay about 6 to 10 dollars an hour and have NO fee waivers.

2. Scholarships : This refers to either partial or complete fee/tuition waivers (i.e. discounts) with or without a monthly or semester scholarship money. These are highly variable and are granted either at the department level or the University level. There are official deadlines for these, so look them on the websites!

3. Assistantships: These are the most sought after funding opportunities because they make life much easier and look good on the resume too.

Assistantships are of two types : Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships. Now, each of these assistantships can either be half-time (20 hours a week) or Quarter-time(10 hours a week) & typically pay about 11.5 to 15 $ per hour. Besides a monthly stipend, assistantships normally include a complete tuition waiver (i.e. complete academic fees discount) AND in most universities now include a free health insurance

A teaching assistant teaches some parts of a course (especially assisgnment discussions and paper gradings) to the undergraduate students. So people, if the department you are applying to, does not have any undergraduate courses, there wont be a teaching assistantship offered !

In many universities, assistantships are often offered automatically to some admitted PhD students. In other cases, they may be reserved only for the students of that particular department. In such cases, some students have known to opt for a dual degree to be eligible for these. For example, I knew a student who came to my university for a Masters in Electrical Engineering and signed up for a dual degree in BioEngineering to get a Assistantship from the BioEngineering Department ! [which obviously also means an extra year - but two Masters :-)]

Top Residency Programs

US News Ranking are the standard reference for rankings used to assess schools and residency programs in the United States.


The Top THREE Residency Programs in Internal Medicine (2006 US News Report)

1. Johns Hopkins University
2. Harvard Medical School
3. University Of California - San Francisco

The Top THREE Residency Programs in Family Medicine (2006 US News Report)

1. University of Washington : Website
2. University of North Carolina-Chapell Hill
3. University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Top THREE Residency Programs in Pediatrics (2006 US News Report)

1. Harvard University
2. University of Pennsylvania
3 . Johns Hopkins University

Looking for free USMLE Step 2 CS cases

Are you looking for USMLE Step 2 CS cases for free.
Try here:

http://usmlestep.com/usmlecsa-step2cs.htm

Pass Program Videos - Dr. Francis empowers you for USMLE

The breakdown of those materials are as follows:

DVD1: Endocrine, Gastrointestinal, Hematology, and Immunology 1 & 2, Goljan Audio and Notes

DVD2: Metabolic physiology, Pulmonary functions, Renal functions and Muscle physiology, Biochemistry 1 & 2,

DVD3: Microbiology, Cardiovascular, Cell & Membrane Physiology, Neurology and Vitamins, 300+ pages notes.

The clarity and simplication of the explainations of certain key concepts are second to none. You will understand and retain the specificities of the pathophysiology of the most high yield disease processes that you will be tested on. You will also be provided with test taking skills that will enable you to quickly recognize distractors and clues.

Read more about Pass Program Videos from Dr. Francis here