ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) is an Educational Council created in 1956 to assess the knowledge of foreign medical students through various testing programs. One such program is USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination). US government authorities responsible for medical licenses require international students, who wish to obtain a medical practice license or continue their education in the United States, to take USMLE.
USMLE is the testing for medical personnel/medical students who wish to obtain a license for medical practice in the United States.
USMLE evaluates a physician’s ability to put the knowledge, concepts, and principles learnt throughout the years of study into practice, and to demonstrate basic patient care skills. Testing consists of three parts (Steps), each of which complements the other and is necessary to obtain a license.
Description
“Step 2 CS” evaluates the clinical and speaking skills necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of the patient, as well as for communication with other medical personnel.
Step 2 CS is a simulation of one therapist’s usual working day in a hospital. The person taking this test will examine standardized “patients”. After each examination of “patients”, the student will fill out a medical record, medical history, results of a patient examination and the like. Also, the student should answer the patient’s questions and give advice, if necessary. Each student will develop a diagnosis and, if necessary, further actions in the treatment of the patient. The selected characteristics of patients correspond to general characteristics that a student can often encounter in real life.
Timetable
The student has 12 months from the date of registration to pass the test. On the site, the student will be able to choose the date and place of testing.
Clinical Skills and Ability Assessment Center
Step 2 CS will be available at several regional testing centers in the United States. These regional centers are located in Atlanta (Georgia), Chicago (Illinois), Houston (Texas), Los Angeles (California) and Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). The student can choose his regional testing center, taking into account its availability (if there are open seats for testing in the selected center for the date planned by the student).
