USMLE - Step 1 - Medical School - University of Queensland

United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)

In order to apply for United States (U.S.) medical residency programs, and eventually become licensed in the U.S. to practice medicine, students must pass the United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE). The exams are divided into three distinct parts: Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 3. Passing the first two parts of the USMLE is compulsory for students entering the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), which is how applicants obtain a medical residency in the U.S.

The Step 1 Exam is a Pass/Fail exam which assesses a student’s knowledge of clinical sciences relevant to the practice of medicine. The Step 2 CK Exam is a clinically focused exam with results reported as a three-digit numerical score. Since Step 2 CK is now the only graded licensing exam that will be completed before applying to residency, its importance cannot be overlooked. The best predictor of a student's performance on Step 2 CK is their performance on the Step 1 Exam.

Step 1 is the most difficult of these exams. Preparation for this exam should begin from the first week you begin your studies at UQ. It is impossible to do well on Step 1 if you wait to begin your preparations until a few months before the exam. This page outlines the extensive resources and support available to assist students in Years 1 and 2 of the UQ-Ochsner MD Program to prepare for Step 1. Although a difficult test it is not an impossible test. Every year thousands of medical students take and pass the exam.

As per the MD-Ochsner Program Rules, UQ-Ochsner students must have completed 32 units of the UQ MD-Ochsner Program and obtained a passing score on the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) prior to commencement of Year 3 in the UQ MD-Ochsner Program. To progress to Year 3 of the UQ MD-Ochsner Program, students must provide evidence of attempting Step 1 prior to the census date in Semester 1 of Year 3. To progress to Year 4 of the UQ MD-Ochsner Program, students must provide evidence of passing Step 1.

View the USMLE Ochsner Step 1 Study Guide.
View the Peer USMLE Learning Plan.
View the OMSA Step 1 Registration Guide 2024.

For more details on the USMLE please visit their website.

Study Support - Step 1

Year 1
January	Orientation to USMLE prep
February	Access to a 2-year Boards & Beyond subscription
April/May	First Aid for USMLE Step 1 distributed

Year 2
USMLE Step 1 preparation stream begins
April	Access to a 1-year subscription to the USMLEWorld QBank
July	General guide of when to register with ECFMG through IWA (can be done much earlier in the year)
September	Pay the USMLE exam fee and register for the exam period: December - February

First Aid

Comprehensive Step 1 study guide

USMLE Step 1 Preparation Learning Stream of MEDI7200 (Year 2)

Dedicated USMLE preparatory selective stream required for all students enrolled in the UQ MD-Ochsner Program
An NBME practice exam will be administered early in the second year and in early September so that you can benchmark your progress towards a passing Step 1 score.
USMLEWorld QBank - 1-year access
Peer tutorials
Peer generated question banks

Blackboard Resources

USMLE Ochsner Step 1 Study Guide
- This guide is updated annually with input from UQ Years 1 and 2 academics, Ochsner Clinical School academics, and current students who have performed well on Step 1.
Peer USMLE Learning Plan
Resources can be accessed via the MEDI7200 course link and MD Ochsner Community Site on Blackboard.

Timeline to apply

All international medical students must register and apply for the USMLE Step 1 via the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Applying for Step 1 involves several steps.

Year 2

ECFMG number

Before registering for ECFMG certification, you need to register for an ECFMG number. This is the same number you will use for your USMLE exams. Generating an ECFMG number can take up to 5 business days to complete. Register with ECFMG through IWA (allow a minimum of 5 business days to process your request). This registration process does not include applying for a Step 1 exam date. It is recommended that you start this process at the beginning of Year 2.

ECFMG certification

The Application for ECFMG Certification requires applicants to confirm their identity, contact information, and graduation from or enrolment in a medical school. Once the application for certification is completed, a Form 186 will generate that you can download and complete using NotaryCam (instructions are listed on the form). This process can take several weeks to complete.

Once you are ECFMG certified, you will be able to apply for Step 1.

September Year 2

Apply for Step 1

When you apply to sit Step 1, you must select a three-month eligibility period for when you intend to take the exam. The first available Step 1 eligibility period for current Year 2 students is December to February.

You cannot apply for Step 1 until the exam window opens, which is not until mid-September. If a student selects an eligibility period that begins before they have completed 32 units of the UQ MD-Ochsner Program and obtained a passing score on CBSE (i.e. November of Year 2), the Faculty will not approve the application and there will be significant delays in the application.

Faculty verification

Eligibility to sit USMLE Step 1 is dictated by USMLE and ECFMG. The Faculty is required to approve students based on eligibility. As per the MD-Ochsner Program Rules, to be certified eligible to sit Step 1, a student must have completed 32 units of the UQ MD-Ochsner Program and obtained a passing score on the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE).

Once you have completed ECFMG certification and applied for the appropriate Step 1 exam window, the Faculty of Medicine will receive a notification directly from ECFMG to verify your eligibility to take the exam. Please note that once you submit your application to ECFMG, it may take 2-3 weeks for ECFMG to process before the Faculty of Medicine is notified. The Ochsner Student and Academic Affairs team and Faculty in Brisbane monitor ECFMG every day during this period; there will be no delays in verifying your eligibility once the notification comes through. If it has been longer than 3 weeks since submitting your application, please contact ECFMG to determine the cause of the delay.

As soon as the Faculty verifies your eligibility, you are notified via email, within approximately 30 minutes. Once you have been verified you will receive an exam permit from ECFMG. Please note that it takes approximately one week after you have been verified to receive an exam permit.

Register for an exam via Prometric

Navigate the Prometric site to register for Step 1. You cannot register for an exam date without an exam permit issued by ECFMG. Once you have your exam permit you will be able to register for a test date in your preferred region on your preferred day.

Program Progression

Requirements

As outlined above, students are required to attempt USMLE Step 1 prior to commencing Year 3. As such, the Faculty recommends that students apply for the December-February testing window and attempt Step 1 by December 31 the year prior to Year 3. Notwithstanding, the Faculty recognises that students may attempt Step 1 at the beginning of January in Year 3. To accommodate this, the Faculty requires students to provide evidence that they have attempted Step 1 prior to the census date in Semester 1 of Year 3.

When you sit for the USMLE Step 1 exam, you will be provided with an embossed receipt from the Prometric Center. You must ask for this receipt from the Prometric Center at the end of your exam. You are required to provide a copy of this to the Faculty.

Please ensure you submit your embossed Prometric Center receipt to med.ocsStudentAdmin@uq.edu.au. Make sure this is the embossed receipt from the Prometric Center and not just the confirmation of your location and test date.

Consequences - failure to sit

Failure to comply with this program rule will impact on the student’s continued enrolment in the program. Students should contact the Faculty of Medicine (med.enquiries@uq.edu.au) if they have any concerns.

Students who do not attempt the USMLE Step 1 prior to the census date in Semester 1 of Year 3 will see the following impacted:

Suspended enrolment in the program
Ineligible to preference for Year 4 clinical placements
Ineligible to participate in research opportunities at the Ochsner Clinical School
Ineligible to become an OMSA officer
Delayed graduation date
Delayed eligibility to apply for the NRMP by one year
Adverse comment included in the MSPE (Dean’s letter)
Lose competitiveness for NRMP positions in the U.S.
Comment included in ECFMG certification after graduation
Eligibility for financial aid
Visa status

How to raise concerns

Students who feel unprepared for the USMLE Step 1 should reach out to their Society Head for feedback and advice. Students are encouraged to seek support early. Details of the Society Heads can be found here.

Students should contact the Faculty of Medicine (med.enquiries@uq.edu.au) if they are experiencing difficulties with meeting this progression rule.

USMLE - Step 1

United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)

Study Support - Step 1

Timeline to apply

Program Progression

UQ-Ochsner Student Contacts