The USMLE stands for the United States Medical Licensing Examination. It is an examination divided into three steps that every individual needs to pass if they wish to practice medicine in the United States. The USMLE is sponsored by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the Federation of State Medical Boards.
While pursuing their medical education and after successful completion of an M.D degree, physicians will be required to pass this examination to gain a license to practice medicine in the US.
All three steps in the USMLE exam complement each other and are framed to assess the skills and abilities of the physician. It means that one step alone cannot stand in the line of assessment for the readiness of a doctor to gain their medical license.
Generally, the first two steps are taken by the student during medical school. While the third step is taken after graduation.

The USMLE exam has three steps: Step 1, Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge), and Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills), and Step 3. This three-step exam is required to obtain a medical license to practice medicine in the United States. Each of the three steps is a separate exam and taken at different points in your medical career.

All three steps in the USMLE exam complement each other and are framed to assess the skills and abilities of the physician. It means that one step alone cannot stand in the line of assessment for the readiness of a doctor to gain their medical license.

To be eligible for the USMLE Exam, you must be in one of the following categories at the time of applying and on the day of the examination. Here is the eligibility criteria:

• A medical student enrolled in, or a graduate of a US or Canadian medical school and is leading to the MD degree that is accredited by the LCME, OR
• A student officially enrolled in or is a graduate of a US medical school and is leading to the DO degree which is accredited by COCA or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.
• A medical student enrolled in or is a graduate of a medical school which is outside the US and Canada but listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools and meets the ECFMG eligibility requirements.

You can register for the USMLE exam online through the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) website. To apply for USMLE examinations, you must read the USMLE Bulletin of Information and submit an application through your registration entity.

The ideal time to begin preparing for the USMLE is during the third year of your MBBS course. Most aspirants attempt the Part 1 examination during the third year of their MBBS course.

An individual is allowed a maximum of four attempts per Step. Examinees who have failed to pass an USMLE Step after four attempts are ineligible to apply for the exam.

USMLE Step 1 is the most important exam you will take in your medical career because it is going to determine which medical specialties you can follow and what type of residency program you match for.

The minimum score to pass for Step 1 is 194, while the national average is 229. In general, a score of 230 to 245 is considered a good score in USMLE Step 1, while 245 to 255 is considered to be a great score.

The total number of attempts allowed per step is four (4). Examinees who have attempted any USMLE Step (including Step 2 CS) four or more times and have not passed are ineligible to apply for USMLE Steps.

The USMLE Composite Committee, the governing body of USMLE, considers all aspects of the examination as they work to ensure that the program fulfills its mission to support medical licensing authorities in the United States. The committee voted to change the number of allowed attempts to protect the integrity of the exam and to more closely match the USMLE attempt limits imposed by the majority of state medical boards.
As part of the review, the committee was also presented with information showing that it is uncommon for individuals with more than four repeated attempts on USMLE Steps to complete the examination sequence successfully, gain access to postgraduate training and ultimately receive a license to practice medicine in the United States.

Candidates have the opportunity to challenge their USMLE scores and request a recheck. However, it is important to note that the request must be made within 90 days of the USMLE score report being published.

If a candidate does not pass the USMLE exam, they are allowed to retake it.
However, if a candidate scores low and wants to retake the exam, they must wait until the next testing cycle. It’s important to note that USMLE scores remain valid for seven years from the date of examination.