Step III

[Ozortho]

Hi,

What is the place/significance of Step III re ortho.

I am an Australian ortho resident but to keep future options have taken the USMLE step 1 and 2 exams.
Does one also need to have step III to get accreditation?

[OrthoDoc]

You have to take step III and also one or more years of post-graduate education to get a full medical license in most states in the US.

[DNR]

You have to take step III and also one year of post-graduate education to get a full medical license in most states in the US.

I thought it's 2 years in most states?

[Ozortho]

Is Step 3 an orthopaedic examination or a general physicians/surgical exam?

[OrthoDoc]

It's one year of post-graduate education in Wisconsin, but I'm sure each state is different.

Step three is general medical, so be ready to answer those pregnancy bleeding questions. I personally, didn't take it as I was grandfathered into the old FLEX exam, but I'm sure someone on the forum can tell you what it's like.

http://www.usmle.org/Examinations/step3/step3.html

[grimgrizly]

just finished taking Step III in Connecticut. All they require is an MD diploma, or an ECFMG certificate (my case) and prior passing of Step I and II.
It's not a bad exam, if you're just aiming to pass (though i'd hate to be any sort of an senior other than IM taking the exam)

[Ozortho]

grim are you also an IMG? I'm an aussie and am finding the process of gaining a US license very convoluted and confusing ...

[ortho060802]

Not confusing. Get into US residency. Finish. apply. Get license. It's easy.

[grimgrizly]

I can't speak for myself, but this is what my cousin (Trained pediatrician from Russia, currently a radiology resident at Beth Israel in Boston) did:
1. Got the ECFMG certificate.
2. Took Step I, II CK, IICS. (Note: 1 may have followed 2 -- not important)
3. Took Step III in one of the states that has no postgraduate training requirement.
4. Applied for residency, having scored a 99 on all 3 exams, after spending some time as a radiology research persona at one of the hospitals in the Longwood area.