Category: Step 2 CK

Fee Increases for 2021

Effective January 1, 2021, fees for the following ECFMG applications/service requests will increase:

  • The fee for Application for ECFMG Certification will be $150.
  • The examination fees for United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) will be $975 for each exam registration.
  • The fee for a Certification Verification Service (CVS) request will be $60.
  • The fee for an application for J-1 visa sponsorship will be $360.
  • The fee to establish an Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPICSM) account and confirm identity will be $130.
  • The fee to verify a credential through EPIC will be $100.
  • The fee to request an EPIC Report will be $50.
    • For credentials submitted to EPIC on or after January 10, 2018, the first report requested for each credential will remain free.
    • For credentials submitted to EPIC prior to January 10, 2018, the first report requested for each credential will remain $15.
    • For a previously verified credential, reports will be $50.

The new fees will be assessed for all applications/requests submitted to ECFMG on or after January 1, 2021 (Eastern Time in the United States). All fees are listed in U.S. dollars.

For more information on the fees associated with applying for ECFMG Certification and for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, refer to the ECFMG 2021 Information Booklet and the Fees page of the ECFMG website.

For more information on the fees associated with EPIC, refer to the Fees page on the EPIC website.

ECFMG On-line Services Unavailable December 18-20

ECFMG’s systems maintenance, which was scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 18, 2020, began at 4:00 p.m. on this date. On-line services are currently unavailable and are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 20, 2020. All times are calculated using Eastern Time in the United States.

During this maintenance period, you will be unable to access most ECFMG on-line services, including the following:

  • IWA—Interactive Web Applications
  • OASIS—On-line Applicant Status and Information System
  • Application for Pathways for ECFMG Certification for 2021 Match
  • EMSWP—ECFMG Medical School Web Portal, and its programs for medical schools and other institutions:
    • Status Verification
    • Credentials Verification
    • Performance Data
    • EMSWP ERAS
    • GEMxSM for Partner Institutions
  • CVS ON-LINE—Certification Verification Service On-line
  • EVNet—Exchange Visitor Network (for staff of U.S. training programs that host ECFMG-sponsored exchange visitor physicians)
  • EPICSM—Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials
    • Physician Portal
    • Report Portal
  • GEMx on-line services for students
  • MyECFMG mobile app

The World Directory of Medical Schools also will be unavailable during this maintenance period.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to maintain high-quality on-line services.

Certain ECFMG On-line Services Unavailable December 12

Due to scheduled maintenance, certain ECFMG on-line services are expected to be unavailable on Saturday, December 12, 2020.

The following ECFMG on-line services are expected to be unavailable beginning at approximately 7:00 a.m. and expected to be restored by 5:00 p.m.:

  • IWA—Interactive Web Applications
  • OASIS—On-line Applicant Status and Information System
  • EMSWP—ECFMG Medical School Web Portal, and its programs for medical schools and other institutions:
    • Status Verification
    • Credentials Verification
    • Performance Data
    • EMSWP ERAS
    • GEMxSM for Partner Institutions
  • CVS ON-LINE—Certification Verification Service On-line

The following ECFMG on-line service is expected to be unavailable beginning at approximately 7:00 a.m. and expected to be restored by 11:00 p.m.:

  • Application for Pathways for ECFMG Certification for 2021 Match

All times are calculated using Eastern Time in the United States.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to maintain high-quality on-line services.

Step 1 and Step 2 CK – Score Delays in 2021

Most United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores are reported within 3-4 weeks of testing. However, because of necessary annual modifications to the test item pools, delays occur for examinees who test at certain times of the year.

Please be aware that examinees testing during the following dates may experience delays in score reporting:

  • Step 1 examinees testing early May through early July 2021 – more specific information will be posted January 2021
  • Step 2 CK examinees testing early July through late August 2021 – more specific information will be posted March 2021

Why is this important to know?
If you need to receive a score before a certain date, plan to take that exam before the projected score delay windows to avoid missing deadlines.

Examinees should monitor the USMLE website for the latest information.

ECFMG’s 2021 Information Booklet on ECFMG Certification and Application Materials Now Available

ECFMG’s 2021 Information Booklet on ECFMG Certification and the 2021 exam application materials for international medical students/graduates (IMGs) are now available on the ECFMG website. The ECFMG Information Booklet is the definitive source of information on ECFMG Certification and is required reading for applicants.

To meet the examination requirements for ECFMG Certification, IMGs have been required to pass Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK), and Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®). The USMLE program has suspended administration of Step 2 CS until at least June 2021. ECFMG has established pathways that will allow qualified IMGs who have not passed Step 2 CS to meet the requirements for ECFMG Certification. These pathways are directed toward individuals who intend to apply to accredited graduate medical education programs in the United States for the 2021-2022 academic year. Information on the Requirements for ECFMG Certification for 2021 Match is available now on the ECFMG website.

Availability of 2021 Eligibility Periods for USMLE Step 1/Step 2 CK

Applicants can use the 2021 Information Booklet and 2021 exam application materials to apply for all available Step 1/Step 2 CK eligibility periods that end in 2021.

As announced previously by the USMLE program, all currently registered examinees who have a Step 1 or Step 2 CK scheduling permit with an unexpired eligibility period with an end date in 2020 will be extended through June 2021. ECFMG expects to complete these automatic extensions by the end of October.

Please monitor the ECFMG website, and follow ECFMG on Facebook and Twitter for updates and important information.

(published August 27; updated September 30)

REMINDER: Incomplete USMLE Exam Applications in IWA Will Be Deleted on September 29

As part of the transition to the ECFMG 2021 Information Booklet and exam application materials, any United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) exam applications that have been saved but not submitted via ECFMG’s Interactive Web Applications (IWA) will be deleted. If you have a saved exam application in IWA, you must complete and submit the application, including payment, by 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time in the United States, on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. If you have begun but not yet submitted the on-line part of an exam application when IWA becomes unavailable on September 29, your incomplete application will be deleted. If your application is deleted, you will be required to begin a new application in order to apply for examination.

(published September 16; updated September 24)

New Practice Materials and Helpful Information for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK Exams Now Available

Updated practice materials are available for examinees planning to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Step 1 exam on or after October 20, 2020 and for examinees planning to take Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) on or after November 11, 2020.  The updated materials reflect the previously announced Step 1 and Step 2 CK content distribution changes.

Read the full announcement on the USMLE website here.

Step 1 and Step 2 CK Content Distribution Changes

On May 15, the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) program announced that content distribution changes on Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) would be delayed until at least September 2020 because of the impact COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has had on USMLE testing. Below is the current timetable for implementing these changes:

  • Beginning in October 2020, Step 1 will increase the number of items assessing communication skills.
  • Beginning in November 2020, Step 2 CK will increase the number of items assessing systems-based practice, patient safety, legal/ethical issues, and professionalism.

In mid-August, the USMLE program will provide updated practice materials and more information about the schedule for rollout of these changes, including the timeline for reporting scores. Examinees should monitor the USMLE website for the latest information.

COVID-19 Update for the USMLE Program

Delayed Change to USMLE Attempt Limit Policy

In February 2020, the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) program announced a reduction in the allowable number of exam attempts on each Step or Step Component from six to four that would go into effect no earlier than January 1, 2021. Due to the reduced testing capacity caused by COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the USMLE program is delaying the implementation of this policy change to no earlier than July 1, 2021.

Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) Refunds

Last week, NBME and ECFMG sent e-mails to examinees who were registered to take Step 2 CS and were unable to test due to suspension of the exam. These e-mails included information about the refund process and timeline.

Prometric

As the USMLE program continues its plans to expand USMLE testing, Prometric states that their testing capacity continues to increase as well. Since May 1, more than 21,000 USMLE examinees have tested. For examinees looking to secure a Prometric appointment, please continue to check the Prometric website for updated information, site openings/closings, and available appointments.

Examinees should continue to monitor the USMLE COVID-19 Resource Center, the USMLE website, and USMLE social media for updates.

U.S. and International Prometric Test Centers Are Operating and International Medical Graduates Are Able to Schedule Appointments

Prometric has informed ECFMG that most international test centers are open with testing slots available for United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) examinees. Testing centers in the following areas are planned to open as follows:

  • Next week: Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, Lebanon, and Pakistan
  • Mid to late June: Rest of Europe, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates

There are some countries with governmental mandates preventing testing, including Qatar.

Prometric test centers in the U.S. are open in major markets. Due to the need to follow state and local regulations, some cancelations are still occurring. Testing center capacity is increasing overall as additional hours and days of the week are being added.

Please regularly check the scheduling system to check availability, as test centers are opening on a regular basis. In addition, refer to the Prometric Social Distancing Policies prior to taking the exam.