USMLE TIMELINE

The most important time point around which everything should revolve

September 1- When application begins

What should be done by September 1?

You should

• Eras related http://www.ecfmg.org/eras/timeline.html

1. Take your Eras token
2. Activated My Eras and created your profile
3. have your personal statements ready and uploaded
4. submitted you LORs and sent them to ERAS post office
5. Made a list of programs, assigned PS and LORs to them

• ideally be ECFMG certified i.e. must have passed Step 2 CS. People who get Certified in October receive lesser calls and halve their chances of getting matched. If you get certified in October, it is not the end of the world but is equivalent to have hit yourself on you foot in the ax once.
• ideally have given Step 3 - advantages: you have just given Step 2 Ck, so you don't have to study a lot, your score will be available during the interviews, and programs sponsoring H1 will prefer you over those who haven't passed Step 3, as they don't want last minute risks

When should you give your Step 2 CS?
http://www.usmle.org/Examinations/step2/step2cs_reporting.html


This remains almost the same every year. So ideally, if you give CS by Mid May, you should have your results by Mid June. If you pass, you will be ECFMG certified and good to go for STEP 3 by the end of July/early August. If you fail, you still have one shot at passing it and being ECFMG certified by late August.

The most important goal is to be ECFMG CERTIFIED by August end

When should you give Step 2 CK?

If you plan to have your Step 2 score before you apply for your visa and give CS by early May, you should be done with CK by end of March. If you plan to give the CS by mid July so that you have your results by Aug...you can give by end of May. Please remember YOU CAN GIVE STEP 2 CS before STEP 2 CK...so if you get a visa with your Step 1 score, then if you can give Step 2 CS and then give CK in the US.

When should you give Step 1?

To be able to give CK by end of March, you should be done with Step 1 by Oct-Jan. However, these dates are not set in stone and you need to give the exam when you think you are ready. Remember you can not give exams in the first 2 weeks of Jan.

When should you give Step 3?

Ideally by August, so that you have your scores are available and taken into consideration for interview calls. However, you need to have the score by Match day if you plan to get a H1 visa.

This is a time line based on the assumption that you will start studying around April-June so that you have 6 months for Step 1. However, you need to make your own timeline based on what you are comfortable with.

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When should you start applying?

Ideally on September 1. Programs start inviting from the later half of September.

Hope this was of help. REMEMBER to check CS reporting schedule and try to get ECFMG certified by end of August.

thanks for those informations..its really helpful..hope to get more informations regarding usmle preparation...

You are welcome. Please let me know if you have specific or other general queries about usmle.