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USMLE Step 2 CK: Clinical Knowledge

95 cards · 🇺🇸 English

Comprehensive flashcard deck for USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge covering internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry, obstetrics/gynecology, and clinical reasoning for medical licensure.

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What is the USMLE?

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  1. 1What is the USMLE?
    United States Medical Licensing Examination - a three-step examination program for medical licensure in the United States
  2. 2Who sponsors the USMLE?
    The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)
  3. 3When was the USMLE created?
    Early 1990s (first administered in 1992)
  4. 4What are the three steps of the USMLE?
    Step 1 (foundational sciences), Step 2 CK (clinical knowledge), and Step 3 (patient management)
  5. 5What does Step 2 CK assess?
    The applicant's knowledge of clinical medicine and ability to apply medical knowledge to patient care
  6. 6How long is the Step 2 CK exam?
    9 hours total (8 one-hour blocks plus breaks)
  7. 7How are the 9 hours of Step 2 CK structured?
    Eight one-hour blocks of questions, a 15-minute optional tutorial, and 45 minutes of break time
  8. 8How many questions are on Step 2 CK?
    Approximately 318 questions divided into 8 blocks
  9. 9What is the Step 2 CK score range?
    1 to 300
  10. 10What is the passing score for Step 2 CK as of July 2025?
    218
  11. 11What was the Step 2 CK passing score before July 2025?
    214 (from July 2022 to June 2025)
  12. 12What is the mean Step 2 CK score for first-time takers?
    249 with a standard deviation of 15 (2023-2024 academic year)
  13. 13How is Step 2 CK administered?
    Computer-based at Prometric testing centers
  14. 14Where can Step 2 CK be taken?
    At Prometric test centers worldwide
  15. 15What content areas are tested on Step 2 CK?
    Internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, preventive medicine, psychiatry, neurology, surgery, and other areas relevant to supervised patient care
  16. 16What types of questions appear on Step 2 CK?
    Clinical situations requiring diagnosis, prognosis, understanding of disease mechanisms, or determination of next steps in medical care including preventive measures
  17. 17Does Step 2 CK require interpretation of diagnostic studies?
    Yes, it includes tables, laboratory data, imaging studies, photographs of pathologic specimens, and other diagnostic study results
  18. 18What does Step 2 CK emphasize?
    Principles and mechanisms underlying disease and the therapies needed to address them
  19. 19Can you use the tutorial time for breaks on Step 2 CK?
    Yes, unused tutorial time and time saved from finishing blocks early is added to break time
  20. 20How often is the Step 2 CK passing score reviewed?
    Approximately once every four years
  21. 21What happened to the Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills) exam?
    It was suspended in May 2020 due to COVID-19 and permanently discontinued in January 2021
  22. 22What was Step 2 CS?
    A clinical skills exam with standardized patients that tested history-taking, physical examination, and patient note writing
  23. 23What is the cost of Step 2 CK?
    US$680
  24. 24When do US medical students typically take Step 2 CK?
    After third year clinical rotations, often in the fall of senior year
  25. 25What is Step 1 of the USMLE?
    An exam assessing foundational medical science typically from the first two years of medical school
  26. 26When was Step 1 changed to pass/fail?
    January 2022 (first pass/fail scores reported February 2022)
  27. 27What is Step 3 of the USMLE?
    An exam assessing application of clinical knowledge to patient management, typically taken during first year of residency
  28. 28How many days does Step 3 take?
    Two non-consecutive days (since 2014)
  29. 29What is the Step 3 passing score?
    200 (raised from 196 in January 2020)
  30. 30Can DO students take the USMLE?
    Yes, they may take either USMLE or COMLEX-USA for medical licensure, though COMLEX is required for osteopathic licensure

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