Medical schools outside the United States and Canada vary in educational standards, curriculum, and evaluation methods. The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), through its program of certification, assesses whether physicians graduating from these schools are ready to enter programs of graduate medical education in the United States.
This Fact Sheet is intended to provide international medical school students and graduates (IMGs) interested in graduate medical education in the United States with basic information on ECFMG Certification, as well as next steps and additional resources for those who are ready to begin the certification process.
"Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught."
Oscar Wilde
| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Amol | Internet-based Test | $140 $140 $155 $155 $155 |
Sat., Feb 09, 2008 Sat., Mar 15, 2008 Sun., Apr 27, 2008 Sat., May 10, 2008 Sat., May 31, 2008 | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Isfahan (Code: G710) | Paper-based Test | No Dates Currently Available | ||
| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Kish Island (Code: G712) | Paper-based Test | $140 |
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| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Orumieh | Internet-based Test | No Dates Currently Available | ||
| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Qazvin | Internet-based Test | $155 |
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| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Shiraz | Internet-based Test | $140 $140 $140 $140 $140 $155 $155 $155 $155 $155 |
Sat., Feb 16, 2008 Sun., Feb 24, 2008 Sun., Mar 02, 2008 Sat., Mar 08, 2008 Sat., Mar 15, 2008 Sun., Apr 27, 2008 Sun., May 04, 2008 Sat., May 10, 2008 Sat., May 17, 2008 Sat., May 31, 2008 | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Tabriz | Internet-based Test | $140 |
Sat., Feb 09, 2008 | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Tehran | Internet-based Test | $140 $155 $155 $155 $155 $155 |
Sat., Feb 09, 2008 Sun., Apr 27, 2008 Sun., May 04, 2008 Sat., May 10, 2008 Sat., May 17, 2008 Sat., May 31, 2008 | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic Of | Tehran (Code: G708) | Paper-based Test | No Dates Currently Available |
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USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam has 12 OSCE stations with two breaks in between. You will have 15 minutes for each patient encounter and 10 minutes to record each patient note. If you do not use the entire 15 minutes for the patient encounter, the remaining time will be added to the time you have to record the patient note.
The USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam session lasts approximately 8 hours, and two breaks are provided. The first break is 30 minutes long; the second break is 15 minutes long. You may use the restrooms before the exam and during breaks. A light meal will be served during the first break, and there are vending machines available for drinks.
Your USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam includes a very small number of unscored patient encounter OSCEs, which are added for pilot testing new cases and other research purposes.
As USMLE Step 2 CS OSCEs are 15 minutes long, most stations will require more than one task to be completed, e.g. history taking and physical examination, or, history taking and counselling.
In USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam, you will be assessed to the same clinical skills and communications skills which are evaluated in other Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs).
The testing area of the USMLE Step 2 CS OSCEs clinical skills evaluation center consists of a series of examination rooms equipped with standard examination tables, commonly used diagnostic instruments (blood pressure cuffs, otoscopes, and ophthalmoscopes), non-latex gloves, sinks, and paper towels. Outside each USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam room is a cubicle equipped with a computer, where you can compose the patient note.
Before the first patient encounter in USMLE Step 2 CS OSCEs, you will be provided a clipboard, blank paper for taking notes, and a pen. The examinee instruction sheet gives you specific instructions and indicates the patient's name, age, gender, and reason for visiting the doctor. It also indicates his or her vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate. You may encounter patient problems or conditions that suggest the need to confirm or re-check the recorded vital signs and/or perform specific maneuvers in measuring the vital signs. In USMLE Step 2 CS OSCEs, you may also encounter a case in which the examinee instructions include the results of a lab test.
In USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam, you should interact with the standardized patients as you would with any patients you may see with similar problems. The only exception is that certain parts of the physical examination must not be done: rectal, pelvic, genitourinary, female breast, or corneal reflex examinations. If you believe one or more of these examinations are indicated, you should include them in your proposed diagnostic work-up.
The USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam, you should perform physical examination maneuvers correctly and expect that there will be positive physical findings in some instances. Some may be simulated, but you should accept them as real and factor them into your evolving differential diagnoses. You should attend to appropriate hygiene and to patient comfort and modesty, as you would in the care of real patients.
With regular patients in a normal clinical setting, it is possible to obtain meaningful information during your physical examination without being unnecessarily forceful in palpating, percussing, or carrying out other maneuvers that involve touching. In USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam, your approach to examining standardized patients should be no different. SPs are subjected to repeated physical examinations during the USMLE Step 2 CS OSCEs; it is critical that you apply no more than the amount of pressure that is appropriate during maneuvers such as abdominal examination, examination of the ears with an otoscope, and examination of the throat with a tongue depressor.
Immediately after each USMLE Step 2 CS OSCEs patient encounter, you will have 10 minutes to complete a patient note. You will be asked to handwrite or type on a computer a patient note similar to the medical record you would compose after seeing a patient in a clinic, office, or emergency department. You should record pertinent medical history and physical examination findings, as well as your initial differential diagnoses. Finally, you will list the diagnostic studies you would order next for that particular patient. If you think a rectal, pelvic, genitourinary, female breast, or corneal reflex examination would have been indicated in the encounter, list it as part of your diagnostic workup of the patient note part of USMLE Step 2 CS OSCE Exam.
An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a modern[1] type of examination often used in medicine to test skills such as communication, clinical examination, medical procedures, prescribing and interpretation of results.
It has also been used to assess clinical skills performance in non medical prescribers as well as nursing.[2]
It normally consists of several short (5-10 minute) stations and each is examined on a one-to-one basis with either real or simulated patients (actors). It is considered to be an improvement over traditional examination methods because the stations can be standardised enabling fairer peer comparison and complex procedures can be assessed without endangering patients health.
One of the way OSCE's are made objective is to have a detailed mark scheme and standard set of questions. For example a station concerning the demonstration to a simulated patient on how to use a Metered dose inhaler [MDI] the mark scheme would mark specific points. (i.e. candidate explains to patient the need for a seal around the mouthpiece etc.)
There are however criticisms that the OSCE stations can never be truly standardised and objective in the same way a written MCQ can. It has been known for different examiners to afford more assistance and for different marking criteria to be applied - especially where different Base Hospital sites are involved.
Finally - it is not uncommon at certain institutions for members of teaching staff known to students and vice versa to asses students. This need not affect the integrity of the examination process although there is a deviation from anonymous marking.
Preparing for OSCEs is very different to preparing for a theory examination. What is being tested is skills rather than pure theoretical knowledge.
It is essential to learn correct clinical methods and then practice repeatedly until one perfects the methods.
Marks are awarded for each step in the method hence it is essential to dissect the method into its individual steps, learn the steps and then learn to perform the steps in a sequence.
For training on various OSCE skills look at www.osceskills.com or www.oscetube.com also Wikiversity's OSCE review.
