Challenges Associated With Moving the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 to After the Core Clerkships and How to Approach Them.

An increasing number of medical schools have moved away from traditional 2 + 2 curricular structures toward curricula that intentionally integrate basic, clinical, and health systems science, with the goal of graduating physicians who consistently apply their foundational knowledge to clinical practice to improve the care of patients and populations. These curricular reforms often include a shortened preclerkship phase with earlier introduction of learners into clinical environments. This has led schools to reconsider the optimal timing of United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1.

Roadmap for creating an accelerated three-year medical education program.

Unlabelled: Medical education is undergoing significant transformation. Many medical schools are moving away from the concept of seat time to competency-based education and introducing flexibility in the curriculum that allows individualization. In response to rising student debt and the anticipated physician shortage, 35% of US medical schools are considering the development of accelerated pathways.

Why Not Wait? Eight Institutions Share Their Experiences Moving United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 After Core Clinical Clerkships.

The majority of medical students complete the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 after their foundational sciences; however, there are compelling reasons to examine this practice. This article provides the perspectives of eight MD-granting medical schools that have moved Step 1 after the core clerkships, describing their rationale, logistics of the change, outcomes, and lessons learned. The primary reasons these institutions cite for moving Step 1 after clerkships are to foster more enduring and integrated basic science learning connected to clinical care and to better prepare students for the increasingly clinical focus of Step 1.