United States Medical Licensing Examination
| Acronym | USMLE |
|---|---|
| Type | Computer-based, three-part sequence, standardized test |
| Administrator | Federation of State Medical Boards, National Board of Medical Examiners |
| Skills tested | STEP 1: Application of scientific principles basic to the practice of medicine STEP 2: Application of medical knowledge, skills, and understanding of clinical science essential for supervised patient care STEP 3: Application of medical knowledge and understanding of biomedical and clinical science essential for the unsupervised practice of medicine |
| Purpose | Medical licensure in the United States |
| Year started | 1992 |
| Duration | STEP 1: 8 hours STEP 2: 9 hours STEP 3 (Day 1): 7 hours STEP 3 (Day 2): 9 hours |
| Score range | STEP 1: pass/fail STEP 2: 1-300 (214 to pass) STEP 3: 1-300 (200 to pass) |
| Offered | Year round |
| Regions | Globally at a Prometric centers for Step 1 and Step 2 CK; at a U.S. Prometric centers for Step 3 |
| Languages | English |
| Annual number of test takers | More than 100,000 medical school students and graduates (2020) |
| Fee | STEP 1: US$680.00 STEP 2: US$680.00 STEP 3: US$935.00 |
| Used by | State medical boards in the U.S. and U.S. Territories |
| Website | www |
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three-step examination program for medical licensure in the United States sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Physicians with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree are required to pass the USMLE for medical licensure. However, those with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (DO) are required to take the COMLEX-USA (COMLEX) exams but may also sit for the USMLE as well.
States may enact additional testing and/or licensing requirements.