PURPOSE
To outline the deadline by which medical students must complete the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 exam, and the process for remediating a Step 1 exam failure.

SETTING/AUDIENCE
All medical students

LCME STANDARD
8.4 Evaluation of Educational Program Outcomes

POLICY

  1. All students must pass the USMLE Step 1 exam as a graduation requirement for the School of Medicine. Students are allowed a finite number of attempts at the USMLE Step 1 as specified in the School's Bylaws and Regulations. 
  2. Students who do not pass USMLE Step 1 on the first attempt will be placed on Academic Warning. Students who do not pass USMLE Step 1 on the second attempt will be placed on Academic Probation. Failure to pass the exam after the maximum allowable attempts and within 1 year of completing the pre-clerkship curriculum phase is grounds for a dismissal recommendation by the Committee on Student Promotions (CSP) as outlined in the School's Bylaws and Regulations (Regulation 80, D, 1, a, v). 
  3. Timing of First Attempt
    1. All students are required to complete USMLE Step 1 on or before the Sunday prior to the start of the Clerkship Intersessions course. The specific date will be published at the beginning of the academic year. 
    2. Students who do not meet this deadline and do not have prior written approval to defer their clerkship and extend their study period, may be eligible for dismissal and will be required to meet with the CSP to create a plan for taking Step 1. 
    3. Students planning to take a year off for research, an advanced degree, or other activity, must complete the USMLE Step 1 exam prior to beginning their year off.
  4. Entering Clerkships
    After completing the first attempt on Step 1, students are allowed to begin their first clerkship while awaiting their score. 
  5. Timing of Second Attempt and Return to Clerkships
    Students who are unsuccessful on their first attempt may complete the clerkship in which they are enrolled. They will then be removed from the next clerkship to prepare for and retake USMLE Step 1. After completing their second attempt, students will be allowed to return to clerkships before their second score posts.
  6. Timing of Third Attempt and Return to Clerkships
    Students who do not pass Step 1 on the second attempt may complete the clerkship in which they are enrolled when the score on their second attempt is posted. Students requiring a third attempt on Step 1 must post a passing score before they will be allowed to return to clerkships. (Regulation 60, A, 2).

PROCEDURE

  1. Requesting a Deferral to Extend Study period for First Attempt
    Please see USMLE Step 1 Deferral Policy.
  2. Second Attempt
    Students who do not pass USMLE Step 1 on the first attempt will be placed on Academic Warning. Students may remain in and complete the clerkship in which they are enrolled. If a student does not wish to remain in the clerkship, they must notify the Associate Dean for Students and the Curriculum Manager of this decision within 48 hours of their Step 1 score being posted.

    All students who do not pass Step 1 on the first attempt must meet with the Dean of Students and the Director of the Office of Student Learning and Educational Resources to develop a plan, including a take and complete date, to prepare for the second attempt. The plan must then be submitted to and approved by CSP. 
  3. Third Attempt
    Students who do not pass Step 1 on the second attempt will be placed on Academic Probation. Students may remain in and complete the clerkship in which they are enrolled when the score on their second attempt is posted. If a student does not wish to remain in the clerkship, they must notify the Associate Dean for Students and the Curriculum Manager of this decision within 48 hours of their Step 1 score being posted.

    All students who do not pass Step 1 on the second attempt must meet with the Associate Dean for Students and the Director of the Office of Student Learning and Educational Resources to develop a plan, including a take and complete date, for the next attempt of the exam. The plan must then be submitted to and approved by CSP.

    Students requiring a third attempt must post a passing score before they will be allowed to return to clerkships. 

RESPONSIBILITY
Associate Dean of Students
Office of Student Learning and Educational Resources
Curriculum Managers
Committee on Student Promotions

REFERENCES
UC Davis School of Medicine Bylaws and Regulations, Regulation 60 and 80

RELATED POLICIES
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Extending the MD Program Policy
Step 1 Deferral Policy

POLICY OWNER
Committee on Student Promotions

REVIEWED BY
Committee on Student Promotions*
Associate Dean of Students

REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
June 2023; annual review cycle

* indicates the policy owner