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Hi there,
I discovered a website for those who are interested in finding out the number of permitted attempts at USMLE in order to be hired as resident physicians thorought the U.S.A. Do not worry or desperate, there is always a chance for everybody as long as one believes oneself and keep fighting for survival !
Here is the website: www.fsmb.org/2004usmle/licensure_requirements_table.htm
matoka
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does the time limit for all usmle steps in the requirements includes step3 if taken during residency and when does it start?i.e after u pass ur first step or the year u take ur first step even if u failed that step.?need some input.thanx.
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rajt,
My understanding is that a candidat must pass all the steps  tep 1, step 2- CK, Step 2- CS and Step 3 within a seven-year period, that starts immediately the candidat passes one step. This implies that if a candidat happens to start the residency training after a number of attempts in step 1, step 2 and CSE ( step 2-CS) and does not pass step 3 within seven years, he or she will automatically loose the right to work as a specialist doctor in the U.S. and must pass again all the steps.
I know such two cases who had to take their steps again: one of the cases graduated from his medical school in the U.S in 1992, passed all his FLEX exams ( USMLE has been introduced since 1993 !), was a resident physician in anesthesiology, suffered from a bad accident, a car crash, could not finish his residency training cause he had seven or eight different orthopedic surgeries over the years and ended up taking the USMLE again and fortunately, passed them !
I don't have too much information in regards to Step 3 exam, but I know for sure that is not a requirement for an IMG or American graduate to be hired as a resident physician. Most resident physicians takes it at the end of their first year of residency training. An IMG is allowed to take Step 3 only after he or she is ECFMG certified and this implies passing Step 1, step 2 -CK and Step 2 -CS and only in 11 American states without having a year experience as a resident physician. I have such a friend who had the ambition to take his Step 3 exam last year, before starting his residency training in internal medicine. He did pass it successfully from his first attempt like all his previous steps.
My understanding is that an IMG increases one's chances to be invited to an interview somewhere in the U.S. if he or she passes not only Step 1 and Step 2-CK but also Step 2 -CS when applies for the residency match. Those who get over medium scores or high scores from their first attempt have a big chance to match before getting a positive result of Step 2-CS, but without passing Step 2-CS in time, without meeting a deadline, everybody could be thrown out of the match.
If somedy has more information concerning this topic, I'd apreciate to express one's knowledge on this forum.
matoka
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hi matoka,
thanks for the info.and yes u r correct.
however if u r an img here then we need step 3 if we want a H1 visa.else u can like all others take it before end of first ye reisdency but u will haev to settle for a J1[student]visa.
step 1 n 2 scores are needed for applying[not a must] bt as u said they increase ur chances of getting many calls.however some programmes do require u to be certified before u apply[meaning u need to clear cs too]
so good luck to all of us in this race against time!hope we all come first!
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Jimmy,
I haven't known so far that passing step 3 exam is a requirement for getting an H1 visa, which is an immigration visa for highly specialized professions, unlike J1 visa, which is unfortunately, only a nonimmigration visa for seven years and no more. Those who apply for J1 visa must sign a documment , a waiver with the Department of Justice and agree to go back to their countries of birth after seven years: residency training and fellowship. However, there are a few programs for which they can apply after finishing their residency training, for instance an agreement with the Department of Agriculture to apply for jobs in rural areas where American graduates and citizen do not want to go: this is a temporary and wise solution if one wants to get an immigration visa , which is an H1 visa ! The contract lasts three years and no more and that doctor ends up becoming an American citizen later !
Anyway, there are few residency programms which are willing to give an H1 visa for residency training. Most of them offer only J1 visa and there is a complicated procedure of the application even in this latter case, especialy after September 11th, 2001.
Do you live in the U.S. , Jimmy ? No matter where you're live, I'm pretty sure that you'll solve the visa problem successfully, no doubt. As far as I'm concerned, I must pass my USMLE exams and fight to get into a residency program. I live in the U.S and don't need either types of visas mentioned above: I'm an unconditional permanent American resident ( a green card holder) and will become an American citizen in two or three years.
matoka
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HI Jimmy and matoka,
i was thinking of doing my step 3 later during my residency. I am surprised to hear that by taking the exam u are likely to have less chances.In fact, I knew it to be quite the opposite coz some residencies may require you to take step 3 while in training .Could u please clarify this?(I might hav been misinformed)
thanks
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plutonium,
I don't understand what you mean when you said : " By taking the exam ( which one, step 3 ?!) you are likely to have less chances " ???
Yes, there are residency programs that require at least a year or even two year experience before taking step 3 exam, but no matter how late you take it, let's say you plan to take it in your last year of residency training, you must pass it, clarify it if you want to have the right to work as a specialist doctor in the U.S. Otherwise, what is the scope, the purpose , the rationnality of doing a residency training in America ?!
Just be very careful not to take step 3 exam too late, in your fourth or fifth year of residency trainning and have the unpleasant surprize to fail it and take it again, and consequently miss that seven-year period, because you may risk to repeat all the USMLE exams, without doing a new residency training, of course, just to start over all these criminal exams. I don't think it's funny at all ! Plutonium, I don't reffer to you, I reffer to all those who may be tempted to postpone their step 3 exam , to push it up to the last possible moment. I know a case who did the same thing , and did fail his step 3 exam two consecutive times,after completing his residency training in pediatrics ! I don't know what happened to that guy, if he finally made it, or he fulishlly lost all his steps and had or has to take them again, to start over with the USMLE exams ! ?
If someone has other news regarding step 3 and all we've discussed as yet, I'd ask him or her to write on this forum.
matoka
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dear matoka,
i am at present in the us but on a dependent visa now and so i haev to fight it out to get a H1 which i need.the J1 that u said is an option i considered but as u mentioned that will require me to work on a waiver job which may not be a feasable option in the future...well for now,im concentrating only on the steps and il cross the visa bridge when i come to it ]
dear plutonium,
u r not at any disadvantage if u clear ur step 3 before u apply!on the contrary u may be offered a prematch!as u are all set to go!the advantage of giving ur step 3 soon after in succession is that much of step 2 is what is asked in step 3 too.so u need a month of studies to clear that exam if u give it while ur neurons are still hot n firing from ur step 2 exam.
good luck!
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To jimmy and Matoka,
thanks.I was actually thinking of doing step 3 during my first year of residency ,but it seems I will have to reconsider that option.
D u guys hav any idea where i can get a list of IMG friendly hospitals?
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plutonium,
I don'y know how such a list with friendly hospitals from IMGs can ge obtained. I'd be interested in it, too.
Have you already passed all your exams ? That's a great news ! Good luck.
matoka
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