RxPG - IMGS PARTICIPATING IN 2006 MATCH MUST TAKE STEP 2 CS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE

As previously published, examinee demand for Step 2 CS in 2005 is expected to be unusually heavy. International medical graduates (IMGs) who need to pass Step 2 CS to participate in the 2006 Match (which will take place in March 2006) are strongly encouraged to apply for and take Step 2 CS as soon as possible.

At the time of this writing, most available testing spaces for the first quarter of 2005 are filled. For the remainder of 2005, scheduling restrictions affecting all test sessions at each test center are currently in place. The goals of these restrictions are to accommodate the unusually high volume of examinees that is expected in 2005 and ensure access throughout the year for both IMGs and students/graduates of U.S./Canadian medical schools (USMGs) who must take the exam to satisfy specific requirements. The restrictions reserve a specific number of testing spaces in each test session for IMGs and USMGs. This means that, for the remaining test dates from April 2005 through December 2005, a certain number of testing spaces at each test center is reserved for IMGs. It also means that the testing spaces reserved for USMGs at each center are not available to IMGs for scheduling. The number of testing spaces reserved for IMGs and USMGs may change throughout the year, depending on scheduling patterns and demand. However, at the current time, relatively more testing spaces are reserved for IMGs for test dates in April, May, and June 2005 than in the remainder of the calendar year. IMGs who need to pass Step 2 CS to participate in the 2006 Match are strongly encouraged to register as soon as they are eligible and schedule their testing appointments for the earliest possible date. Early registration and scheduling may offer a number of potential benefits. If you plan to apply for Step 2 CS, you should consider the following: - Applicants registered for Step 2 CS are assigned a 12-month eligibility period that begins on the date that the processing of their application is completed. The eligibility periods for applicants who register early will include those months when more testing spaces are reserved for IMGs (April 2005 - June 2005). - The Step 2 CS $50 rescheduling fee has been waived indefinitely. This means that applicants who schedule a testing appointment can change the testing appointment without cost, provided they give more than 30 days' notice. See "Indefinite Extension of Waiver of Step 2 CS $50 Rescheduling Fee" on the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org. - The test dates available to IMGs under the scheduling restrictions can be viewed by accessing Step 2 CS Scheduling from the ECFMG website. Since only registered applicants can access Step 2 CS Scheduling, early registration will allow you to monitor the test dates available to you. - Applicants who take Step 2 CS early in the year and receive a failing result are more likely to have the opportunity to retake the exam and receive their result in time to participate in the 2006 Match. Updated information on Step 2 CS Scheduling will be posted to the ECFMG website as it becomes available. Individuals planning to take Step 2 CS should monitor the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org and the USMLE website at www.usmle.org for the latest information.