2.06 Licensure: USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination)

The National Board of Medical Examiners has established a single, three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) provides a common evaluation system for applicants for medical licensure. Harvard medical students are required to obtain passing scores on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) to be eligible for graduation. Step 3 is taken after the MD degree is earned. For additional information, please refer to the USMLE Bulletin of Information http://www.usmle.org/.

USMLE Step 1

Students in Pathways (who entered in 2022 or earlier) and HST take USMLE Step 1 following completion of the PCE – no later than December 31 of Year III for Pathways students and no later than April 30 of Year III for HST students. Pathways students must have individual meetings with their Society advisors to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various scheduling options and are strongly encouraged to schedule one credit-bearing month during the three-month post-PCE period (i.e., a clinical elective, a core subinternship, Essentials II, research for the scholarly project requirement, or a non-clinical elective) during the quarter following the PCE. Students entering a PhD program after nine months of the PCE (Pathways) or after 3 months of the PCE (HST) are required to take Step 1 prior to beginning the PhD.

Beginning with the class entering in August 2023: All HMS MD students in the Pathways curriculum track are required to take and pass USMLE Step 1 before progressing to the PCE Phase of the curriculum. Students are required to take the exam before Thanksgiving so their scores may be received and recorded by the HMS Registrar’s Office before the beginning of the PCE. Any student who does not pass USMLE Step 1 is required to pause and retake/pass the exam before beginning the PCE.

Students in the HST curriculum track will continue to take Step 1 during the 3/1 month PCE block or upon completion of the PCE and no later than April 30 of Year III.

USMLE Step 2 – Clinical Knowledge (CK)

Students should be aware that some residency programs may require that students have passing scores available for all parts of USMLE by the rank order deadline for the residency match (late February) in order to be considered for ranking by the program. Students should check directly with the residency programs for specific requirements.

For more information about Assessment and Evaluation requirements, please refer to Sections 1.04 and 2.03.

Students are permitted three attempts to pass each required licensing exam (Step 1 and Step 2 CK). Students who fail to pass either of these exams after three attempts are referred to the HMS Promotion and Review Board (PRB) and are ordinarily required to withdraw from Harvard Medical School.

During the late spring or summer of the 4^th (or final) year of the MD program, each student will have an interview in preparation for the MSPE (Medical Student Performance Evaluation, or “Dean’s Letter”). At that meeting, each student must present proof that they have taken, or are scheduled to take, Steps 1 and 2 CK of the USMLE before December 31^st of that year. If a student has not taken or scheduled one or both of the USMLE step exams at the time of preparation for the MSPE, HMS may include a sentence in the MSPE regarding the status of USMLE scheduling.