USMLE Exam 2025-2026 | Registration, Eligibility, Bulletin & Dates

Official USMLE Exam 2025-2026 | Registration, Eligibility, Bulletin & Dates

We gladly inform you about USMLE Exam 2025-2026 | Registration, Eligibility, Bulletin & Dates

USMLE (the United States Medical Licensing Examination) commonly called the Boards is a standardized exam that assesses a medical student’s ability to apply basic science fundamentals to the practice of medicine. The whole examination has 3 steps, but this article applies only to Step 1. Candidates generally take Step 1 following their 2nd year of medical school. The exam is organized by the authorities of the National Board of Medical Examiners & the Federation of State Medical Boards.

USMLE Eligibility Criteria

• Must be enrolled in or a graduate candidate of a medical school/college outside of the US & Canada, which should be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
• The candidate must med with ECFMG certification eligibility criteria.
• should meet eligibility requirements at the time of application.

Importance of USMLE Exam:

The USMLE is a popular challenging, 3-step exam series that is needed for anyone who wants to practice medicine in the U.S. The first 2 steps of the exam are taken while a student is still in medical college while the 3rd step takes place after the students complete their graduation.

Format of Step 1 Exam:

• Step 1 exam is held in online mode (Computer-mode exam) and taken in a single day over a period of 8 hours.
• The exam consists of MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) that include 7 sections of up to 40 MCQs each for a total of 280 questions.
• To complete each of the 7 sections a time of 1 hour is given to the candidates.
• That is the candidates are needed to finish a question in an average of one minute and 30 seconds.
• A personal break of 45 minutes is allotted to the candidates.
• If the applicant finishes any section before the allotted time period is up, then he/she can add that time to his/her personal break time. 6 breaks total are allowed.
• There is an optional 15 minute tutorial period at the beginning of the exam.
• If you choose to skip the tutorial you can add 15 minutes to your total break time.

How to apply for USMLE

• Graduate candidates of a medical school in the United States & Canada must apply for the Step 1 Exam of USMLE with NBME.
• Graduate candidates of a medical school outside of the U.S. & Canada are required to register with the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates).
• The application fee for the Step 1 exam costs $605.

When to take the test?

Most candidates appear in the Step I Exam between their 2^nd and 3^rd years in medical school, after completing basic science courses and before a clinical clerkship.

Cut off:

A score of 192 is required to qualify for the Step 1 examination.

When do I get my USMLE test results?

• Scores for the Step 1 exam are uploaded each Wednesday. It usually takes 3 to 4 weeks for scores to be uploaded.
• You will receive an email when your score is uploaded to the official site.

Attempts:

• If any candidate is not able to qualify for the Step I Exam then yes he/she can retake the exam.
• One can retake the Step 1 exam up to 6 times.
• One can only take the Step I exam a maximum of 3 times within a 12-months period.
• Your 4^th and subsequent attempts should be at least 12 months after your 1st attempt, and at least 6 months after your most recent attempt.

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