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How To Prepare For USMLE®

Graduates of international medical schools must take and pass all steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) in order to be eligible to practice in the United States. This is an important requirement for AUC students who plan to obtain licensure to practice in the U.S.

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USMLE Step 1 & Step 2 Preparation

The AUC medical school curriculum includes elements designed to prepare students to succeed on these important exams. In addition, AUC has partnered with organizations such as UWorld for Step 1 (1 year access) and Scholar Rx (for all medical sciences) to make USMLE prep resources available to our students.

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How Many USMLE Exams Are There?

The USMLE consists of three exams—all of which are required for medical licensure in the United States. 

U.S. medical students take the USMLE Step 1 exam at the end of their second year once they have completed medical sciences, before beginning their clinical sciences. USMLE Step 1 covers the basics of medical practice and principles.

The USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) section assesses medical students’ foundational knowledge of the clinical sciences curriculum. 

USMLE Step 3 evaluates the ability to practice medicine without supervision. Most physicians take USMLE Step 3 during residency.

USMLE Step 1 

The Step 1 score significantly affects how competitive you are in the residency match. The medical sciences portion of AUC's curriculum, taught during students' first five semesters, includes USMLE preparation for Step 1. 

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Step 1 Resources Available at AUC

AUC students prepare for USMLE Step 1 during the Medical Sciences portion of the curriculum. 

For students who are enrolled in AUC’s Disciplined-Based Medical Sciences curriculum, the capstone to Medical Sciences is Introduction to Clinical Medicine VI (ICM VI), a course taught with contributions from adjunct faculty who specialize in Becker Professional Education review strategies geared towards optimal performance on USMLE Step 1.

Introduction to Clinical Medicine VI (ICM VI)

Course Objectives

  • Provide a structured comprehensive review of medical sciences
  • Provide various learning methods for building insights into solving scientific and clinical problems by organizing knowledge accumulated during the medical sciences curriculum into a systematic whole
  • Prepare students for clinical medicine with sound medical sciences knowledge

The course is structured to promote improvement in learning and problem solving. It includes various subject and comprehensive exams. Individual scores on the NBME® exams are compared with national norms relevant to the assessment of students’ competencies. The focus of ICM VI is on the application and integration of knowledge rather than on the memorization of isolated facts. The course has two parts: Medical Science Live Review and NBME Assessment; and Comprehensive Basic Science and Pathophysiology Live Reviews. 

Materials

The following materials are provided as part of the ICM VI live review lectures in addition to the NBME Subject Exams. 

  • Seven volumes of USMLE Step 1 Lecture Notes (Anatomy, Behavioral Science, Biochemistry, Pathology, Physiology, Immunology/Microbiology, & Pharmacology)
  • USMLEWORLD Qbank

Examinations

For students who are enrolled in AUC’s Organ-Based Medical Sciences curriculum, students take the Clinical Reasoning course. This module serves as a comprehensive review of the medical sciences curriculum. This module also focuses on final preparation for USMLE Step 1. Students are expected to demonstrate competency in clinical skills using a multi-station Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE). Unlike the Disciplined-Based MS curriculum, this course is not considered a “capstone” - students may choose to take an additional medical sciences capstone elective if they wish.

USMLE Step 2

Step 2 CK scores are becoming increasingly important to residency directors. The foundational knowledge our students receive through our clinical sciences curriculum is aimed at increasing student’s USMLE preparation for the Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) section. 

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Step 2 CK Resources Available at AUC

For a deeper look at Step 2 CK, check out our USMLE Step 2 CK FAQs.

The clinical skills and knowledge our students attain while completing rotations at affiliated teaching hospitals helps prepare them for Step 2 CK. 

Canvas 

Canvas is an online learning environment designed to enhance the experience of our clinical students and improve their preparedness for USMLE Step 2. It provides all clinical students access to course objectives, lists of essential patient encounters, online cases to complement real patient care, and practice questions.

USMLEagle Prep LLC

USMLEagle Prep offers smaller-sized classes to help ensure that each student receives the individualized attention necessary to successfully pass the USMLE Step 2 CK. USMLEagle’s tutors are physicians with clinical management backgrounds who have maintained an emphasis on education.

Workshops include systems-based exam review, group and individual sessions, a personalized strengths and weaknesses calendar, and use of the computer lab.