November 25, 2011
USMLE World Wide Competition Increases
USMLE or the United States Medical Licensing Examination is perhaps the world's most competitive and troublesome examination. There's a good reason as to the reasons why it's so hard. The North American medical field is the planet's most profitable. Regardless of what they are saying about the US economy, this is one field that is unaffected by the recession. Folks get ill no matter what the economy does, and when they get sick they want medical care. The North American doctor makes around $200,000 to $1,000,000 a year, dependent on the specialization. Even the highest talented and paid doctors in other nations cannot come anywhere close to this level of earnings, no matter where they are.
The USMLE is composed of USMLE step 1, which covers pre-clinical sciences, USMLE step 2 CK which covers the written part of the examination that tests your understanding of clinical medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and USMLE step 2 CS which tests your ability to use your knowledge and your ability to deal with the English language in an American clinic setting.
Of these, the CS exam is clearly the most feared. The USMLE CS is also much overestimated. Applicants fail not because of shortage of information or lack of language skills, but because of shortage of exposure to the American system, and a lack of understanding of how things work in America. In an overseas examination, the doctor may simply put his stethoscope on the patient’s heart and listen, but in America, you would precede that with a “Is it ok if I hear your heart?” American medicine is heavily technology driven. Candidates are expected to grasp what test to order and when and how to interpret the results and think on their feet fast. Another important thing that foreign doctors don't realize is that the US medical educational system in addition to measuring your knowledge also wants to know if you understand the limits of your understanding. If you don't know something, say therefore and then say how you would find that info. Never bluff, never guess or make up things as you go.
That having been said, the USMLE Step 1 examination is where most examinees meet their doom. You have got to know your basic sciences completely to excel in the Step 1 exam. You can't guess your way through the step 1 examination. Biochemistry deserves special attention, most applicants who fail will find out that they have done poorly in Biochemistry. Many foreign doctors are used to the system of essay questions, and aren't familiar with objective type questions. You've got to know your facts and have total control over the topic if you want to stand any chance.
What top ranking applicants counsel is that you must make your own notes, and ideally this process should be started during medical school years. There are numerous review courses like the Kaplan Course, the Falcon Course, and programmes like the USMLE Total Review, and books like USMLE first aid. All of these are good, but there is no replacement for doing a superb job during your medical college years. If you were top of your class all the way thru medical college, you will ace the USMLE. If were not , then you need to put a couple of years of hard work into preparing for the USMLE.
If you want to find out more about study methods for the USMLE, read the remainder of the text at usmle. If you are searching for prep material for the USMLE, a good resource is usmle
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