Important Notes

• EXCEPTION: Post graduate training - In the case of sub-specialty clinical fellowship programs, the Board may accept one (1) year of post-graduate training, completed by August 1st of the year in which Step 3 is taken, in a hospital that has an ACGME, RCPSC, or CFPC approved program in the parent specialty. The Board may accept accredited Canadian post-graduate medical training. In lieu of post-graduate training, the Board may accept teaching experience consisting of a faculty appointment at or above the assistant professor level at a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education if the majority of the teaching experience documented is clinical teaching with supporting evidence of special honors or awards which the applicant has achieved, and articles which the applicant has published in reputable medical journals or medical textbooks.
• EXCEPTION: Time limit - The Board may consider exceptions to the seven-year limit for MD/PhD students who meet the following guidelines (documentation must be provided at the time you apply for Step 3):

An applicant requesting an exception to the seven-year rule should be enrolled in a LCME or an AOA accredited program and a student in good standing; and The PhD studies should be in a field of biological sciences tested in the Step 1 content, including but not limited to anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neuroscience and molecular biology. Fields explicitly not included are business, economics, ethics, history or other fields not directly related to biological science;

An applicant requesting an exception to the seven-year rule is required to present a verifiable and rational explanation for his or her inability to meet the seven-year limit.

• Note: If the physician is requesting an exception to the seven-year limit based upon a dual degree (MD/PhD), a notarized photocopy of the medical school diploma and the doctorate degree must be submitted with the Step 3 application. (Both documents must be either a translation from the original language to English or the English language version)

Required Documents

Please print, sign, and mail these forms, in addition to completing your online application.

• Certification of Identity (CID) form
• Certification of Post Graduate Training form

Eligibility Requirements/Cancellation Policy If it is determined that you do not meet eligibility requirements at the time your application is received, or you decide to cancel your registration prior to approval, or your application is not complete by the published deadline date, your registration will be cancelled and a portion of the application fee withheld. The USMLE Step 3 fee is non-refundable and non-transferable from one eligibility period to another or from one application to another.

Mail Documents to: (No Saturday or Sunday deliveries accepted)

Attn: Assessment Services Federation of State Medical Boards 400 Fuller Wiser Road, Suite 300 Euless, TX 76039