Critical Announcements

Step 3 Score Delay

If you need to receive Step 3 scores before March 25, 2020, you should take the exam no later than December 31, 2019.

Most Step 3 scores are reported within four weeks of testing. However, because of necessary annual modifications to the test item pool, there will be a delay in reporting for some examinees who test in early 2020. The target date for reporting Step 3 scores for examinees testing in January and February 2020 is Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

No USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 3 examinations will be administered January 1-14, 2020.

Review of USMLE Step 3 minimum passing performance

The USMLE Management Committee is scheduled to review the minimum passing score for the USMLE Step 3 examination at its meeting on December 4-5, 2019. The Management Committee includes physicians drawn from medical education and licensing as well as members of the public. The committee establishes and monitors Step 3 performance and completes an in-depth review of the minimum passing standard for each USMLE Step or its component every three to four years. For the 2019 Step 3 review, information from multiple sources will be considered, including:

• Results of content-based standard setting exercises conducted with three independent groups of physicians in 2019;
• 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;
• Trends in examinee performance; and
• Measurement precision near the cut score. 

If the Committee determines that a change to the minimum passing score is appropriate, the new recommended minimum passing score will become effective for all examinees who take a Step 3 examination on or after January 1, 2020. The decision of the Committee will be posted at the USMLE website and here.

ELIGIBILITY PERIODS

When selecting your eligibility period, please keep in mind that the busiest testing times at Prometric are May through July and November through December.

REMINDER: The USMLE is not available the first two weeks in January. Please keep this in mind when selecting your eligibility period.

IRREGULAR BEHAVIOR:
Remember, the stakes on a medical licensing exam are high! Don't do something that might jeopardize your future as a licensed physician. Be sure you understand all the USMLE policies on security and irregular behavior by viewing the security video here.     

INCLEMENT WEATHER:
For updates on the impact of inclement weather on USMLE Step 3 administrations, please go to the Prometric website. If your test center is closed due to inclement weather and you are not able to test, you must do the following: 

• If you have not opened the exam at all (i.e., not yet taken Day 1), send an email to FSMB at usmle@fsmb.org 
• If you have opened any part of the exam (i.e., started or completed Day 1), send an email to USMLE Test Admin at testadmin@nbme.org 
• The email should include: your full name, USMLE ID, test center location, brief summary of the issue (e.g., center closed due to inclement weather) and the ticket number from Prometric, if provided.