USMLE™ Step 2 CK Examination

An Overview

Step 2 CK ( Clinical Knowledge) of the USMLE™ is offered to medical students and physicians prior to their entering into the residency programs. The examination is designed to judge your Clinical medical knowledge. The exam structure is intended to judge clinical application of medical knowledge in a supervised setting and heavily centers on health promotion. The examination is offered at Prometric®, part of the Thomson Corporations (PTC) centers at several centers around the world.

The scope of contents predominantly tests your knowledge about clinical science principles, particularly in internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, basic surgical concepts and orthopedics. Ethics, epidemiology, public healths also are tested. However, the scope is not restricted to the aforementioned disciplines.

The examination is administered over One Day.

Total time: 9 hours. (Testing time: 8 hrs, Break time: 45 mins, Tutorial time: 15 mins.)

A total of about 370 items are tested, spread out in 8 one-hour blocks of 46 questions each.

Two types of items are tested:

• Single best multiple-choice questions, which make up the predominant portion of the test. A typical item consists of a patient encounter, a situation or fact-based question. Candidate is required to choose the ONE BEST choice. Total number of choices is not fixed.
• 2. Matching Questions (A series of questions with common choices, in which a candidate is required to match the appropriate choice with the preceding question).

• If you complete and exit any block before maximum allocated time, the remaining time from that block may be used as break time. However, this remaining time CANNOT be used to complete any other block. Once exited from the block you CANNOT use any remaining time to go back and finish the same block. Once you come out of the block, it is locked. However within a block, you can visit back and forth, time permitting. You can also mark your items for review or any changes.
• If you skip the optional tutorial (which is the same as given in USMLE TM Sample Test Materials), you can use 15 minutes for your break time.

The recommended three digit passing score for USMLE™ Step 1 test is 182. Corresponding two-digit score is 75. This does not reflect your percentage score. Though not certain, this generally reflects a percentage score of 55% to 65% correct items. This varies based on several factors. This passing score is subject to revision. The examination design, contents and format may be changed at any time. We strongly encourage the reader to visit the official website of USMLE TM at www.usmle.org for most up to date information about the examination.

At this time, TheUsmle.com does not have a preparatory course available for Step 1. The team is working at it and this will be available in near future. We stand committed to working with you, for you to excel.