In addition to your course, clerkship, and teaching selective requirements, eligibility for graduation from the Feinberg School of Medicine is contingent upon recording a passing score on the licensing examinations of the National Board of Medical Examiners, as follows:

• All students will be required to take and record a passing score on the USMLE Step 1 examination.
  • (Effective with the class of 2011: Step 1 must be taken prior to starting the clinical clerkships. A student who receives a failing score on Step 1 while enrolled in a clerkship may complete that clerkship. The student may not proceed to the next clerkship until Step 1 has been re-taken. Students who fail Step 1 need to take adequate time off to prepare for retaking the exam. Exception to this policy may be made if approved by the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education.)
• All students will be required to take and record a passing score on the USMLE Step 2 – CK (clinical knowledge) examination.
• All students will be required to take and record a passing score on the USMLE Step 2 – CS (clinical skills) examination.

Score Reporting:

Receiving the scores for Step 2 CK averages approximately 3.5 weeks after the exam date.

Step 2 CS reports are significantly longer. Here is the reporting schedule for the current year. It has been relatively the same for the last two years.

The first results for a given testing period will be mailed on the first day of the corresponding reporting period, and it is expected that results for the vast majority of examinees who take the exam during the testing period will be reported on this date. However, it is important to note that there will likely be a small number of examinees for whom scoring and quality assurance are not completed by the first day of the reporting period; these will typically be examinees who took the exam in the latter part of the testing period. Results for these examinees will be reported each week throughout the reporting period, and should be reported no later than the last day of the score reporting period.

This schedule allows USMLE staff to enhance the quality assurance and data collection/scoring procedures performed prior to score reporting. Additionally, it provides examinees, and others who rely on Step 2 CS results, with guidelines regarding when a result will be reported for a given exam date. These guidelines allow examinees to plan their exam registration and scheduling in order to have their results in time to meet specific deadlines, such as those related to graduation or participation in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), or “the Match.”

FSM Best Advice:

• You should take Step 2 CS by the end of February.
• You should take Step 2 CK by the end of March. This will allow the scores to come to the school and be part of the documentation necessary to certify you as eligible to graduate. Your eligibility for graduation is approved by the Student Promotions Committee, then presented to the Dean’s Council for final approval.

Please Note: Some residency programs are looking for Step 2 CK scores as they rank applicants. Please check with the program about this before you schedule your examination.