What is USMLE?
Before anyone can practice medicine in the hospitals of United States of America, they will have to go through a series of test. This test is known as the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination). This test has three levels. The first level of this test is the USMLE Step 1. The doctors hold someone's life in their hands. So, United States of America do not provide the opportunity to save someone's life or hold someone's life in hands, to just anyone. Only the people who are able to prove their knowledge, skill and ability to practice medicine is worthy of performing such noble task. Only after passing this exam, the graduate medical students can apply for their license to practice medicine in nay part of United States of America.
This test is made to check the doctor's knowledge, ability, principle and skills to handle and care for patients. The first level of the USMLE which is the USMLE Step 1 tests the basic knowledge of the test taker. The questions that will be asked in this section are related to organ systems and general science principles. Many questions revolve around the application of the basic knowledge of science in the medical field. This exam is conducted to know whether the test taker at least has the basic knowledge about the medical field or not.
The topics that will be asked in this exam are Pharmacology, pathology, anatomy, physiology, behavioral sciences, interdisciplinary topics and microbiology. So, you will have to cover all these grounds if you want to get good marks in the test. You will either have to interpret the data or graphics, apply the basic science knowledge in the medical field or identify some specimens.
If you are about to sit for the USMLE Step 1 then you should know that you will have to answer 322 multiple questions. The whole test is divided in to 7 blocks. You will be given sixty minute for each block. So, the total time allocated for the whole exam is 9 hours (8 hours exam and 1 hour break). In sixty minute, you can change the answers if you want to or review the answers that you have previously given.
The USMLE Step 1 exam is normally used to hire resident doctors. Many directors have said that they look at the scores of this exam to see whether the candidate is fit to be resident doctor or not. This level exam is the most difficult exam in the USMLE. So, you will have to really study hard to complete this exam. But, that does not mean you should not be serious about the other levels of this exam.
This test was launched to test the doctors with M.D. degree in regards to their knowledge, skill and ability. If the M.D. graduate wants to practice medicine in United States, then they will have to pass all the three levels of USMLE. However, if you have much higher degree than M.D. from some other country then you will have to sit for the USMLE exam regardless of what degree you have. You will also have to complete all the three levels as well. Without completing this exam they can't work in any hospitals or in medical field. All the three levels of this exam test some knowledge or skill of the potential doctors. Together these exams are the best tools to know whether the doctor will be able to handle patients and care for them or not. Unlike other exams, you can't simply pass this exam by just memorizing things. You will have to practically be able to apply the knowledge. After all, that is what the doctors do.
The USMLE is a three step multiple part examination. All the three steps test a different sector of medical field. This way in total the whole exam will prove whether the test taker is worthy to be a doctor in United States of America or not.
