Discontinue state licensure requirement for USMLE Step 2 CS and COMLEX Level 2 PE

205 Responses Please indicate your view of this resolution as an ISMS priority.

202 Responses Survey Title: Resolution Survey Report Type: Verbatim

Comments SR No. Response No. Response Text 1 5 Agree 2 7 Consider continued requirement for IMGs to complete USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills for licensure in Illinois. 3 11 This is an undue burden on US medical students. 4 12 We need some standards for the graduating and new doctors! 5 15 Cost savings for new grads. no loss of competency 6 18 so what happens to the graduates of schools outside the US? so they still take the exam. are we setting up differential qualifications for licensure by stating that this test is not required of US graduates of allopathic and osteopathic schools? 7 83 Need to know the pros and c 8 27 I agree 9 35 The best reflection as to how a student is test results. I am concerned you would lose all ways to judge. 10 38 Strongly support. We pay so much for medical school and are subsequently nickeled and dimed for USMLE exams as well. There are many issues at stake here but do not overlook the financial burden of CS. 11 40 If this issue has been studied by the AMA and if they have come to the conclusion after study that these exams should be stopped, then I agree with the resolution. 12 45 Make perfect sense, making one wonder why such a modification wasn't enacted a generation or two ago. 13 47 I wholeheartedly agree with this resolution. The NBME is only in the business of making money off of students who are already in large amounts of debt. 14 51 Agree and also EliminateNationalSpeciality boards as we know them 15 53 I totally disagree. The examine should stay the same 16 70 I agree100% 17 82 I think this is a very important resolution for medical students and I believe if schools implement their own clinical skills assessments (most probably already have and I know my school has), they can accomplish the same task at a much cheaper price for medical students. Step 2 CS is incredibly expensive and is only offered in select cities. I've heard stories of classmates spending thousands of dollars to fly to Houston and take the exam because the Chicago site was full. To me, it feels more like an expensive hoop to jump through rather than a test of my knowledge or a learning experience especially since my school already has a great assessment in place at no additional cost. 18 99 Strongly support. Medical licensure remains a state issue. High priced executives from redundant national organizations should not be part of licensing process. 19 107 support 20 120 I disagree. 21 125 I strongly OPPOSE this resolution. While there may be issues with NBME's organizational practices, its examination is the only nationwide standardized testing mechanism. Until it is replaced with a similar nationwide standard for assessment of clinical skills, it should continue. Eliminating the examination without a proper available equivalent is not wise. We are talking about patients' lives here. Nothing should minimize our ability to produce the best doctors in the world. With respect to the examinations offered by allopathic or osteopathic medical schools, what makes us believe that one medical school's examination will be equivalent to another? Unless it is a national examination approved by most if not all US and Canadian medical schools as a whole, it will not meet the quality standards. The country has already sacrificed medical education with many medical schools developing the so called "new curriculum" that has cut out significant basic science and clinical knowledge and experience in the name of improvement. Covid-19 has greatly affected medical education. Concern for student debt has many leaders thinking about shortening medical education. These are all bad for producing quality physicians. At this time, one does not know the quality of medical graduates coming out of our medical schools. Any reduction in quality of assessment for awarding license is not wise even if NBME has profited from its examinations. 22 126 Agree that these time consuming and expensive activities are not realistic indicators of medical knowledge. 23 130 This is very important, thank you for advocating for this! Step 2 CS doesn't make a valuable contribution to medical student education and is instead focused on monetary gain. 24 132 This is an extremely important resolution. 25 135 The USMLE Step 2CS examination became a part of the accreditation process for medical students nationally in 2004. Since its inception, medical schools across the country have further developed clinical skills testing as a part of their individual curriculums. Additionally, LCME accreditation for allopathic medical schools requires a clinical skills curriculum. In June of 2021, we will have nearly one and a half graduating medical school classes that have not been able to complete Step 2CS - without a negative impact on the public's assurance of medical residents across the country. USMLE and COMLEX are in the process of "revitalizing" their Step 2CS and Level-2PE exams, respectively. Therefore, it is vital that the ISMS support this is a timely and important resolution. 26 139 This is a mistake. It is very important for a licensed physician be able to see and evaluate an applicant for a license to practice medicine. The behavior of the applicant and his/her approach to the patient says a lot about future interaction and examination of patients. There is no reason to lower our standards. 27 146 If there are other mechanisms to support competency then this is a reasonable measure. Testing in the earlier stages of training are important because there is not another way of demonstrating proficiency. 28 150 Agree completely. As a general rule, the world should be relieved of ALL these mass examinations, in every field. 29 75 The step 2 CS exam does not give meaningful information for residency selection or for competency to practice for US medical graduates. It is only a vehicle for the NBME to make money off of medical students. 30 160 Disagree That’s [redacted] 31 74 I believe that abolishing this requirement at a state level will complicate the planning of medical students as they seek to apply to residency programs across the United States. As a student, I align with the goals of eliminating the requirement of Step 2 CS and, as the resolution stated, strongly believe that these exams are no longer necessary in assessing student outcomes. However, eliminating the requirement at a state level will not produce any meaningful change for medical students. Therefore, we should focus efforts on the national level to truly make an impact. 32 164 Yes. Just yes. 33 165 There is nothing in the resolves that addresses accredited foreign medical schools and waving part two of the exam. They should be included 34 178 It is critical to have an objective, national standard evaluation of the clinical competence of medical students before they are allowed to graduate from Medical school. There is too much variability in the quality of clinical experiences in the third and fourth year, especially during these times of covid, that the USMLE and COMLEX must provide the graduate training programs (and ultimately the public) with some assurance of the quality of medical education of their trainees. 35 180 I agree 36 181 This is such a complex issue. It should be based on what allows us to provide the safest, best physicians for our patients. Not all US medical schools have validated clinical skills assessments. It is not an easy undertaking. Additionally, finding ways for international graduates to demonstrate their clinical competency is necessary. While I am in alignment with the intent of this resolution, I think it is way too premature to make these recommendations. 37 185 I strongly disagree with this. 38 189 I would like to know what the pass rate is for North Americans and others for the clinical skills and the PE. This resolution appears to group the two examinations. Also, please spell out what PE means. 39 192 It’s outdated. Agreed 40 193 AGREE 41 195 Support 42 204 Consideration should be given to paying for the costs of these exams with federal funds. The salaries of the NBME executives is shameful. 43 223 Accreditation in medical education including CME has raised escalating controversies. NBME could always benefit from competition, and understanding of its value. Am not sure leaving it to medical schools will remain satisfactory over the long term, the old Flexner report remains valid. Curious any other alternatives.