The United States

Medical Licensing Examination

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What is the USMLE?

The United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®), co-sponsored by the NBME and FSMB, is a three-step exam required for medical licensure in the U.S. It provides a standardized way for state medical boards to evaluate candidates. Step 1 assesses knowledge of basic sciences and is typically taken after the pre-clerkship phase. Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) tests clinical knowledge applied to patient care and follows the clinical rotation period. Step 3 evaluates the ability to make independent clinical decisions and is usually taken after the first year of residency.

The USMLE is split into 3 steps:

Step One

Basic Sciences

Step Two

Clinical knowledge & Skills

Step Three

In-depth Clinical Knowledge

How Does it Go?

All About Step 1

All About Step 2

All About Step 3

USMLE Step 1 is a one-day exam that tests your understanding of the basic sciences underlying health, disease, and treatment. It consists of up to 280 multiple-choice questions divided into seven 60-minute blocks over an 8-hour session. The exam emphasizes both current medical knowledge and the ability to learn continuously, with content organized by organ systems and processes. You’ll also get at least 45 minutes of break time and a 15-minute optional tutorial.

Here is a link with further information about step one, including the content description, content outlines and test question formats.

USMLE Step 2 CK is a one-day, 9-hour exam that evaluates your ability to apply clinical knowledge and skills for safe, supervised patient care. It emphasizes health promotion, disease prevention, and core patient-centered practices. The test includes up to 318 questions, split across eight 60-minute blocks, with at least 45 minutes of break time and a 15-minute optional tutorial.

Here is a link with further information about this examination, including the content description, content outlines and test questions.

USMLE Step 3 is the final exam in the USMLE series and assesses whether you can apply medical knowledge for the independent, unsupervised practice of medicine, with a focus on patient management in outpatient settings. It reflects real-world clinical scenarios a general physician may face and serves as the last step toward obtaining a full medical license in the U.S.

Click here for further information and details on step three.

Before applying to any of the USMLE exams, you are urged to become familiar with the Bulletin of Information which contains all vital information regarding the USMLE examinations