Policies

UCSF School of Medicine Policies on USMLE

Step 1

All students must take Step 1 of the US Medical Licensing Examination at the completion of second year and before beginning Transitional Clerkship or taking an extended curriculum or leave of absence. Students may proceed to the third-year core clerkships as soon as they have taken Step 1. However, a student who fails cannot continue clinical clerkships. S/he will be permitted to re-enter clerkships after having taken Step 1 for a second time.

The School routinely permits two attempts on Step 1, and a third attempt may be allowed in special circumstances, with approval by the Academic Standards Committee and the Vice Dean for Education. Students studying for a third attempt must take a leave of absence from school in order to have sufficient time to prepare. They may not re-enter the third year until notification of a passing score has been received. Students who fail Step 1 on all three attempts will be subject to dismissal from the School of Medicine.

Step 2 CK and CS

All students must pass Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) before they graduate.*

Students in the Class of 2010 and subsequent classes must take Step 2 CS by November 6 and CK by November 28 of their fourth year, unless they have explicit permission to extend beyond this deadline from the Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs. These dates are based on the 2009-2010 USMLE Step 2 reporting schedule and may shift slightly from year to year.

* Those students extending their education past the spring quarter are permitted to take Step 2 CK & CS by March 1 (summer graduates) and by July 1 for (fall graduates).

USMLE Application and Information

Both examinations are scheduled via the NBME Services site at https://apps.nbme.org/ciw2/prod/jsp/login.jsp. Bring your completed USMLE application form, photograph, and proof of payment to the Office of Curricular Affairs (S-221) for processing and mailing.

Step 2 CK can be scheduled at any authorized Prometric testing center. However, Step 2 CS is currently administered at only five sites: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.

For more information on the USMLE, go to http://www.nbme.org/programs-services/medical-students/tabs/USMLE.html