The Final Exam of Medical School

Despite Step 3 being the exam that ultimately allows physicians to practice medicine in the United States, it is generally regarded as the least important of the 3 USMLE exams. This is because USMLE Step 3 is taken after internship/residency has already begun making it much less stressful than the others. However, this exam is nearly twice as long as Step 1 and Step 2CK, and contains an unfamiliar component (to most) known as the clinical case simulations (CCS). Due to this, some students may struggle with the length of the exam overall and the CCS in particular making working with a USMLE Step 3 tutor a great option.

Medical school exam

What is USMLE Step 3?

USMLE Step 3, the final examination in the USMLE series, is designed to assess whether or not students should be allowed to partake in the unsupervised practice of medicine. Passing USMLE Step 3 allows you to practice medicine in the United States of America.

Scorecard

How is USMLE Step 3 scored?

USMLE Step 3 is scored on a scale of 120 to 300 with the national average for first time test takers being 226±15 (for 2018). The lowest passing score for Step 3 is 196 (as of January 2020).

Test

How is USMLE Step 3 administered?

Unlike USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, USMLE Step 3 is a two-day exam. Day 1 is 7-hours long and tests using 232 multiple-choice questions divided into six 1-hour blocks of 38-40 questions each. Day 2 of Step 3 is 9-hours long and tests using 180 multiple-choice questions divided into six 45 min blocks of 30 questions each and 13 case simulations (CCS), approximately 10-20 minutes each.

The Elite Difference is in the Details

There are several different USMLE Step 3 tutoring options available to students, so what makes Elite the best? When you sign up to work with a Step 3 tutor, you are getting much more than access to our world class MD tutoring services. 24/7 email support, a student success team, organized custom curriculum, and our 100% unused hour refund gurantee are just a couple reasons our students love us.

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Who Actually Needs a USMLE Step 3 Tutor?

Receiving 1-on-1 help from a USMLE Step 3 tutor is always helpful, but it isn’t necessary for everyone.

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As pioneers in the online tutoring industry for medical school exams, we've been teaching exclusively online for the past 10 years. Our teaching methodology is based upon research in education and is custom tailored to your needs as a student.

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Step 3 Information Resources for Students

Have a question about USMLE Step 3 or Step 3 tutoring? Visit the Elite Medical Blog for a collection of articles written by our MD and MD Candidate tutors covering a variety of popular topics.

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