Issue Thirty-Six - November 17, 2003
ECFMG Simplifies Process for Requesting Extension of USMLE™ Step 1 / Step 2 CK Eligibility Periods
Applicants registered for USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) who are unable to take the exam during the three-month eligibility period assigned to them can request an extension of their assigned eligibility period. Earlier this month, ECFMG simplified the process for requesting these extensions. Applicants are no longer required to provide a photograph with their request for extension. Additionally, medical school graduates are no longer required to have the request form notarized. Medical school students, however, are still required to have an official of their medical school sign the form and affix the medical school seal to confirm they are currently enrolled in medical school.
Other policies and procedures for requesting the extensions remain unchanged. Applicants may extend their eligibility period only through the next, contiguous eligibility period, i.e., the next eligibility period that does not overlap with their originally-assigned eligibility period.
EXAMPLE: An applicant's eligibility period is April-May-June 2004. The eligibility period may be extended only through July-August-September 2004.
There is a fee of $50.00 for each Step for which an applicant requests an extension of eligibility period.
Applicants may request an extension of their eligibility period only once for each exam registration. A request for an extension of an eligibility period may be submitted only after the eligibility period has begun. Additionally,
- If the originally-assigned eligibility period ends in 2003, the deadline for ECFMG to receive a request for an extension is no later than 5 days after the eligibility period ends.
- If the originally-assigned eligibility period ends in 2004, the deadline for ECFMG to receive a request for an extension is no later than 25 days after the eligibility period ends.
Requests received at ECFMG after the deadline will not be processed. The specific deadlines for each eligibility period are listed in the request materials.
Applicants must continue to be eligible to take the exam during the extended eligibility period (i.e., they must still be officially enrolled in a medical school located outside the United States and Canada that is listed in the International Medical Education Directory [IMED] and the "Graduation Years" for the medical school must be listed as "Current," or they must be a graduate of such a medical school and their graduation year must be included in the school's IMED listing).
Applicants may request an extension on-line using ECFMG's Interactive Web Application (IWA) or by completing a Request to Extend A USMLE™ Eligibility Period (Form 176) and submitting it to ECFMG. Both can be accessed through the ECFMG website.