Issue Forty-Five - April 12, 2004
IMGs Participating in the 2005 Match Must Take Step 2 CS as Early as Possible
In recent years, international medical graduates (IMGs) participating in the National Resident Matching Program ("the Match") were required to take the ECFMG® Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA®) by January 31 to ensure that their results would be available in time to participate in the Match.
With the implementation of USMLE™ Step 2 Clinical Skills (Step 2 CS) in June 2004, this January 31 date no longer applies. The date by which examinees must take Step 2 CS to have their results for the Match will be earlier. Although a specific reporting date cannot be guaranteed, regardless of the date on which Step 2 CS is taken, if you take Step 2 CS later than December 31, 2004, you are unlikely to have your results in time to participate in the Match.
If you need to pass Step 2 CS to participate in the 2005 Match, you should consider the following:
- It is unlikely that examinees taking Step 2 CS later than December 31, 2004 will have their results for the Match. (See full announcement below.) However, this is not a guarantee that those who do test by December 31, 2004 will have their results in time to participate in the Match.
- Demand for Step 2 CS in the months preceding the Match is expected to be heavy.
- You are strongly encouraged to apply for Step 2 CS as soon as you are eligible and to schedule your exam for the earliest possible date.
You are also strongly encouraged to monitor the ECFMG and USMLE websites for further updates on the availability of results.
For detailed information on the transition to Step 2 CS and to access Step 2 CS application materials and scheduling, visit the ECFMG website.
USMLE Announcement on Availability of Step 2 CS Results
The administration of the Clinical Skills component of the USMLE Step 2 examination will begin June 14, 2004. Initial release of results will be delayed until an adequate number of examinees has completed testing to permit equating of examination data across test sites. After initial results have been released and regular administration of the examination has been established at all clinical skills evaluation centers, it is anticipated that results will be available approximately 6 weeks after test administration.
Step 2 CS examinees are free to choose their own test dates and locations. Because of the uncertainty surrounding test center volume, a specific reporting date cannot be guaranteed, regardless of the date on which Step 2 CS is taken. However, those examinees who take the Step 2 CS later than December 31, 2004 are unlikely to have results available for the National Resident Matching Program ("the Match"). It is also anticipated that demand for Step 2 CS in the months preceding the Match will be heavy.
To assure timely release of results, all examinees are urged to schedule their Step 2 CS for the earliest possible date.