Announcements

Last update: 12 February 2004

ECFMG Home > Announcements

Traditionally, applicants registered for USMLE Step 1/Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (Step 2 CK) in international testing regions (testing regions other than the United States/Canada) have scheduled their testing appointments by telephone, fax, or mail. In January 2004, Prometric®, which provides scheduling and test centers for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, began offering applicants registered for international testing regions the ability to schedule, reschedule, and cancel their testing appointments on-line.

View the full announcement in The ECFMG Reporter.

Registration for Step 2 Clinical Skills (Step 2 CS) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination™ (USMLE) has begun. Step 2 CS Scheduling, for applicants who are successfully registered, is also available.

You can apply for Step 2 CS by:

• Completing an on-line application using ECFMG's Interactive Web Application (IWA), or



• Printing a paper application and mailing the completed application to ECFMG.

You can access IWA, the paper application materials, and Step 2 CS Scheduling on the ECFMG website.

In June 2004, Step 2 CS will replace the ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA®) as the exam that satisfies the clinical skills requirement for ECFMG Certification. As previously published, ECFMG has registered enough applicants to fill all available testing spaces through the end of CSA administration, and CSA registration is now closed. If you have not applied for the CSA and need to fulfill the clinical skills requirement for ECFMG Certification, you must apply for USMLE Step 2 CS. If you have already applied for the ECFMG CSA but were not registered before CSA registration ended, ECFMG will contact you shortly regarding the transfer of your application to Step 2 CS.

Detailed information on Step 2 CS registration and scheduling, Step 2 CS orientation materials, and information on the transition from the ECFMG CSA to Step 2 CS is available on this website. See Step 2 CS. Applicants for Step 2 CS must also be familiar with the updated information on Step 2 CS available on the USMLE website.

In preparation for the implementation of USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS), each of the five regional Clinical Skills Evaluation Centers (CSECs) in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston, will be conducting a Pre-Implementation Pilot Examination (PIPE) during the weeks prior to the opening of that center for live CS testing. PIPE participants will have the opportunity to gain a first hand sense of how the examination works, what the test centers are like, and how the testing day will unfold. Participants will also receive some limited feedback on how they performed on the examination. Participation is free and is limited to applicants who are registered for Step 2 CS.

For additional information, including PIPE test dates/locations and PIPE scheduling instructions, view the full announcement on the USMLE website.

ECFMG has registered enough applicants to fill all CSA testing spaces available through the end of CSA administration. As a result, registration for the CSA is now closed. View the full announcement.

The level of proficiency required to meet the USMLE-recommended minimum passing score for Step 1 was reviewed by the Step 1 Committee at its December 2003 meeting. As a result of this review, the Step 1 Committee decided that there should be no change in the score recommended to pass Step 1. The recommended three-digit minimum passing score will remain at 182.

For complete information, view the full announcement on the USMLE website.

This year, as of October 31, 2003, the USMLE Committee on Irregular Behavior made determinations in 27 instances that USMLE examinees had engaged in irregular behavior. Seven examinees were found guilty of having posted examination content in Internet chat rooms. The posting of any examination content in a public forum such as the Internet may provide unfair advantage to future test takers and is therefore strictly prohibited. These determinations of irregular behavior resulted in annotation of the examinees' USMLE transcripts. As a result, recipients of these transcripts, such as residency program directors and state licensing authorities, will be made aware of these determinations. For some infractions, examinees were also barred from USMLE for a period of time. As emphasized in the posting, a determination of irregular behavior can put your medical career in jeopardy.

View the full posting on the USMLE website.

The National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®) has introduced a new web-based self-assessment program for clinical science content for U.S. and international medical students and graduates. The Comprehensive Clinical Sciences Self-Assessment (CCSSA) uses multiple-choice items based on information typically covered during core clinical clerkships in the United States. The content of the CCSSA items resembles the content of those in Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (Step 2 CK) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Individuals preparing to take Step 2 CK may find the CCSSA to be a valuable tool.

The NBME also offers the Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment (CBSSA), which was introduced earlier this year. The CBSSA uses multiple-choice items based on information typically covered during basic science medical education courses in the United States. The content of the CBSSA items resembles the content of those in Step 1 of the USMLE. Individuals preparing to take Step 1 may find the CBSSA to be a valuable tool.

The CBSSA and CCSSA are available via the Internet, and interested individuals can take the assessments from their home computers. Users can choose to take the assessments in a timed format or can complete the items at their own pace. Participants will be provided with immediate feedback in the form of performance profiles. These profiles will indicate the relative strengths and weaknesses in general topic areas. Two unique forms of each assessment are available for a fee of US$45 each, payable by credit card or money order.

For more information, to view a sample assessment, or to purchase an assessment, visit the NBME Self-Assessment web page at www.nbme.org/sas.

The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) is developing new software for delivery of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps and other examination programs. A field trial of this software was conducted from January 19 to February 7, 2004, at selected test centers of Prometric®, part of The Thomson Corporation. This trial was primarily a test of software functionality, but resembled USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 3 in content and format.

Each participant who completed all sections of the field trial will be provided with a profile of performance. Please note that NBME Test Delivery Software Field Trial results cannot be substituted for USMLE Step scores for the purpose of ECFMG Certification or medical licensure in the United States.

For complete information, visit www.usmle.org/softwaretrial.

A clinical skills examination will become part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in June 2004. When this exam is implemented, USMLE Step 2 will consist of two separate components. The new clinical skills examination will be referred to as Step 2 Clinical Skills, or Step 2 CS. The current Step 2 will be referred to as Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, or Step 2 CK.

Once implemented, Step 2 CS will replace the ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) as the exam that satisfies the clinical skills requirement for ECFMG Certification. The transition from the ECFMG CSA to USMLE Step 2 CS will result in significant changes to some policies and procedures related to ECFMG Certification, including, but not limited to, the required exams, the time limit for completing these exams, and ECFMG's revalidation and permanent validation policies. It is essential that ECFMG-certified physicians and physicians pursuing ECFMG Certification, including those who have already passed or will take the ECFMG CSA, have an accurate understanding of the policies and procedures relating to the transition to Step 2 CS.

Refer to Transition from ECFMG CSA to USMLE Step 2 CS and the USMLE Step 2 CS on this website and to the Step 2 CS information available on the USMLE website.

International medical graduates who wish to participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), or "the Match," must have passed all exams required for ECFMG Certification. To ensure that CSA results will be reported to the NRMP in time to participate in the 2004 Match, you must take the ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) no later than January 31, 2004. CSA results for applicants who take CSA after January 31, 2004 will not be available in time for participation in the 2004 Match.

The number of applicants seeking to take the CSA may exceed the number of testing spaces available in the months preceding the Match. As a result, there is no guarantee that the number of testing spaces will be sufficient for all applicants to meet deadlines imposed by the NRMP or graduate medical education programs. If you plan to participate in the 2004 Match, you are strongly encouraged to schedule your CSA exam date as soon as possible.

For information on ECFMG Certification and the CSA, or to schedule a CSA session, visit the ECFMG website. For more information on the Match and NRMP requirements and deadlines, visit the NRMP website.

For updated information, refer to the Announcement Regarding Change in Step 2 Minimum Passing Score on the USMLE website.

Examinees taking the ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) complete a Patient Note at the end of each patient encounter. Currently, examinees write their Patient Notes by hand on blank forms provided.

Since April 1, 2003, CSA examinees have been offered the option of either hand writing the Patient Notes or typing the Notes using a computer. Whether a Patient Note is hand written or typed does not affect how it is scored. Written and typed Patient Notes are rated in identical fashion, by the same pool of Physician Patient Note Raters. Candidates may choose to write or type their Patient Notes on a case-by-case basis; during a given CSA session, an examinee may write all Notes by hand, type all Notes by computer, or may write some Notes and type others.

For more information on the content and form of the CSA, including detailed information on the Patient Note, refer to the CSA Candidate Orientation Manual. This publication is available on the Publications Page of this website.

Starting on or around August 15, 2002, a transition period will begin in which the number of items in current forms of the USMLE Step 2 examination will change from approximately 400 to approximately 370 items. Because of this and other changes, it will be necessary to delay the reporting of scores for some examinees.

For more information, view the full announcement on the USMLE website.

At present, the test software used to deliver the USMLE Steps is provided by Prometric^®, part of The Thomson Corporation. If you are preparing to take the examination in 2002-2003, you should practice with the sample test materials delivered using the Prometric test software. Sample test materials are available on the USMLE Compact Disc (CD) and on the USMLE website.

The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) is developing new software for delivery of the USMLE Steps as well as tests for other programs. The NBME software, known as FRED^™, may replace the Prometric software in USMLE in 2004.

Please check this page and the USMLE website for information on changes in test delivery software.

Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (EVSP) Announcements

November 2002 UPDATE: J-1 Sponsorship in Subspecialty Programs
(posted November 1, 2002)

An update is now available regarding review of J-1 sponsorship guidelines for training in subspecialty programs that are not independently accredited by ACGME ("non-standard programs") and programs whose length exceeds the ACGME-accredited length. For details, refer to the Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program Announcements Page.

ECFMG Certification and J-1 Visa Sponsorship: An Overview
(posted October 30, 2001)

ECFMG has received a number of inquiries regarding the requirements for ECFMG Certification. Inquiries have also focussed on ECFMG sponsorship requirements for the J-1 visa, the most common visa used to participate in U.S. programs of graduate medical education. The purpose of this document is to provide a brief overview of these programs, their requirements, ECFMG's role in these processes, and sources of additional information.

Click here to view or print this overview.

USIA Statement of Policy

USIA Statement of Policy regarding J-1 Exchange Visitor physicians, published in the Federal Register on June 30, 1999, Volume 64, number 125, pages 34982-34983.

Advisory

This Advisory is a follow-up to the United States Information Agency (USIA) Statement of Policy published in the Federal Register on June 30, 1999.