I. PURPOSE
New York Medical College’s (NYMC) Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) believes that the appropriate time to take Step 3 of the USMLE (or the comparable COMLEX exam) is during the first year of postgraduate training. This policy addresses the problem of residents delaying Step 3/Level 3 and becoming less likely to pass the exam. Such delays lead to situations in which residents are still reviewing general medical information to prepare for Step 3/Level 3 rather than focusing on the specialty content of the residency program. This failure to concentrate on residency-specific knowledge and skills leads to inadequate mastery of the specialty field in which the training is occurring and lower specialty board certification rates both for individuals and the program.
II. POLICY
All residents and fellows in NYMC-sponsored ACGME-accredited GME programs must pass Step 3 of the USMLE (or COMLEX Level 3) by the completion of the second year of required training for the specialty. Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in non-promotion to the subsequent training year and may result in the non-renewal of the resident’s contract and/or inability to complete the training program. To facilitate fulfillment of this requirement, all residents are strongly urged to take Step 3/Level 3 as soon as possible in their GME.
Residents who transfer into NYMC programs: Residents who transfer into NYMC-sponsored GME programs are expected to pass Step 3/Level 3 at the same time as their peers who started in the NYMC program.
Fellows: Subspecialty fellows will not be admitted to NYMC programs if they have not yet passed Step 3 (or COMLEX Level 3). An exception will be made for “exceptionally qualified internationally trained graduates” (as defined by ACGME) as approved by the NYMC GMEC, who have not had U.S. graduate training. They must pass Step 3 of the USMLE (or COMLEX Level 3) by the completion of their first year of the NYMC program (PL-1). Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in non-renewal of contract and inability to complete the program.
Invalidation of exam score: In the event that a resident’s/fellow’s USMLE or COMLEX passing exam score is invalidated, the resident or fellow may be subject to non-promotion or non-renewal. No resident or fellow may complete a NYMC-sponsored program without validated passage of all the required USMLE/COMLEX exams.
III. SCOPE
This policy applies to all residents and fellows enrolled in ACGME-accredited programs sponsored by NYMC.
IV. DEFINITIONS
Resident refers to any person enrolled in a residency program accredited by the ACGME and sponsored by NYMC
Fellow refers to any person enrolled in a fellowship program accredited by the ACGME and sponsored by NYMC
ACGME is the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
USMLE is the United States Medical Licensing Exam
COMLEX is the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam
V. PROCEDURES
It is the responsibility of the program director to issue letters of non-promotion or non-renewal in accordance with this policy. It is also the responsibility of the program director to provide the NYMC GME Office with resident/fellow USMLE/COMLEX exam reports and correspondence, alert the NYMC GME Office when a resident/fellow fails to provide documentation of passing USMLE/COMLEX scores or upon notification of an invalidated exam, and provide copies of non-promotion, non-renewal, and other corrective action letters.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective for residents/fellows entering programs July 1, 2024, or later.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean of the School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Graduate Medical Education
