4/07/2015

Things to know
Ochsner provides its students with 3 free NBME
vouchers.

Timeline to USMLE Step 1

Ochsner Medical Student Association

2 under test conditions - July 11, 2015 and October

3, 2015
1 voucher to be used on your own time

Ochsner students are required to take the NBME

that are offered on campus.
Why? Because the CBSE is a strong predictor of how
well students do on the USMLE Step 1 exam and
Ochsner administers the CBSE.

NBME Location
St Lucia

Location: Sir James Foots Building (47A), room 241 and 341
Arrival time: 8:15am
Exam start time: 9:00am
Duration of Exam: 4 hours 20 minutes
Estimated end time: 1:30pm

Ipswich

Location: TBA
Arrival time: 8:30am
Exam start time: 9:00am
Duration: 4 hours 20 minutes
Estimated end time: 1:30pm

Make an NBME Account

1. Go to https://nsas.nbme.org/home
2. Choose New Account on the left hand side
3. Enter all the required information and then
click Create account
4. You will receive an email asking you to
activate your account. Please activate before
you attend the practice exam

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NBME Exam Day

1. Check-in and receive a voucher from Shayne Garratt
or another member of the International office
2. Find a seat and log into your account on
https://nsas.nbme.org/home
3. Under the Choose an Exam tab, select
Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment
4. Choose a form at Standard-paced.
5. Select Purchase Services
6. Payment option, select Voucher
7. Select Place order
8. Exam time!

What to bring

Student ID
Your laptop
Snacks
Optional: laminated yellow paper + dry erase
markers
Ear plugs

Which NBME to choose?

According to Doctors in Training (only reputable site with
this information I found)
Step 1 NBME Advice
Based on student feedback, the following advice is what we
have found most helpful to students. Take Forms 11 and 12
to get a good baseline assessment before starting your
intensive review period. Forms 13, 15 and 16 appear to be
the best indicators of your Step 1 score. We suggest you
take these during your intensive review period to help
determine if you are ready to take Step 1. The NBME
removed NBME 7 and added a new NBME 17 in March of
2015. We do not have enough student feedback to make a
recommendation about Form 17 at this time.

If you cannot attend

Collect your voucher after July 11th at Mayne
Medical School or the Ipswich Campus.

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What does this all mean?!

Ochsner administration
does not expect a single
student to pass Julys
NBME. So, do not worry!
Be confident in what you
know and accept that you
may not know some stuff,
but you will soon!

USMLE Step 1 Examination

One-day examination
7 blocks of 44 items = 308 MCQs
60 minutes/block
10 minutes break after each block + 15-minute
tutorial

Registering for Step 1

Registering for Step 1

You CANNOT register for Step 1 until midSeptember.

Meanwhile
1. Get a passport-sized photo and
USMLE/ECFMG ID number
(https://secure2.ecfmg.org/emain.asp?app=i
wa)
- It takes up to 5 business days to get your
ECFMG ID, so do it ahead of time

You apply for the exam through ECFMG

During the application process, select a threemonth eligibility period in which you wish to
test
*we must have graduated, so our eligibility period
would be Dec-Jan-Feb (or that derivative)

*Prometric test centers are closed during the

first 14 days of January!*

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Once the registration date is

announced
A Form 186 signing day will be arranged with
Shayne and UQ one or two days after
registration opens, so we can all register and
generate the Form 186 (verification of ID) to
be signed and mailed by UQ
Both registration day and signing day will be
emailed/Facebook/announced as soon as OMSA
has the dates

Note*
Everyone in the ENTIRE world is going to be on the
ECFMG website on registration day technical
difficulties
Hang in there and be prepared!
You must may the full amount on registration day!
$850 + $65 (ECFMG admin cost) + $150 (Australia-location
charge)
Credit cards may not work, so be prepared to pay with checking
account #s

Registration times are US EST! Be prepared to get up

early

After you have sign Form 186

Waiting game.
We must be authorized by ECFMG to take the
USMLE Step 1.
Completed 2 years of accredited school
Verified by ECFMG

Once you are authorized, you will issued a permit

via email go to Prometric site (website where
you choose where and when you take the exam)
Find out your nearest testing site
(https://securereg3.prometric.com/Dispatch.aspx)

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