Medical License Examination

United States Medical Licensing Examination - USMLE 

The United States follows a federal structure of governance. This means that the states of the country have their own set of rules for governance. Health is one such issue that falls in the purview of the state legislature. This has resulted in each state having its own set of rules for accreditation of doctors. Each medical licensing authority sets its own rules and regulations and requires passing an examination that demonstrates qualification for licensure. Since 1992, The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) has become a common evaluation system for those wanting to get an initial license to practice medicine in USA. 

USMLE is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Board (FSMB) of the United states and the National Boards (FSMB) of the United states and the National Board of Medical Examiners ( NBME) . The USMLE results are reported to the licensing authorities for use in granting the initial license to practice medicine to a doctor.

Examination Eligibility for USMLE

STEP 1  and STEP 2

Students or graduates of, a US or Canadian medical school program which is accredited by the Liaison committee on Medical education (LCME ) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA ). 

Medical students or graduates of a medical school outside the United states and Canada and eligible for examination by the ECFMG ( Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates )

STEP 3:

All Medical students who have passed STEP 1 & STEP 2. Certification by ECFMG for graduates or medical students outside the United States and Canada.

 USMLE consists of three steps:

1.STEP1: Basic Sciences

2.STEP2:  Clinical CK  and CS  

3.STEP3 : Patients managements skills 
 

Australia - AMC  MCQ Exam 

IMGs who wish to be licensed in Australia must apply to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) to arrange an appropriate assessment pathway. The standard pathway involves an IMG sitting a series of assessments, including AMC MCQ Exam and AMC clinical exam.  AMC MCQ Exam consists of 150 MCQs organized through computer adaptive scoring.

For AMC clinical exam, a candidate is required to pass 12 out of 16 cases including one compulsory case in each of Gyne and pediatrics.

Those IMGs who have passed the necessary exams and obtained AMC certification can then apply to an Australian specialty training positions.

Australia is in the process of establishing a national registration process for all the doctors under Medical Board of Australia.

In 2010 the Minister for Health and Ageing (Australia) launched an Inquiry process into registration and accreditation processes for international medical graduates

Medical Council of Canada (MCC) -  LMCC QE Exam

Medical Council of Canada (MCC) is an organization that is charged with assessing medical candidates, evaluation of physicians through exams and granting a qualification called Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) to those who wish to practice medicine in Canada.

MCC is governed by a 51-member Executive Board of Council, who meets once a year to discuss budgets, policies and assets. 

Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE)

 UK- GMC PLAB EXAM

.The General Medical Council of UK ( GMC ) is the regulatory body for doctor's licensing in the UK. Currently, there are two types of basic registration: "provisional registration" and "full registration", and two types of specialty registration: "specialist registration" and "GP registration". In November 2009, the GMC introduced the "licence to practise", and it is required by law that to practise medicine in the UK, all doctors need to be registered and hold a licence to practise. The registration information for all doctors holding or that have previously held a license in the UK is available online at the GMC website.

Passing the PLAB test is one of the ways in which an individual can satisfy the General Medical Council (GMC) that they have the knowledge and skills which are necessary to practice medicine in the UK. 

PLAB is known as Professional and Linguistic assessments Board Test (PLAB) .

The PLAB test is relevant for international medical graduates. Those who wish to take up a period of limited registration (which you can do only if you are in supervised employment) and who need evidence that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to practice medicine in the UK. The PLAB test is designed to test ones ability to work safely in a first appointment as a senior house officer in a UK hospital in the National Health Service (NHS).

Qualifications required for PLAB ?

- A primary medical qualification (PMQ) for limited registration. Please check the GMC website to see if your qualification is acceptable.

- Allowed qualifications are those listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the World Health Organization. 

- Relevant scores in the IELTS test (academic module): a minimum of 7 as an overall score and in the speaking section, and 6 in each of the other sections

 Medical Council of New Zealand ( MCNZ) - NZREX Exam

To work in New Zealand, you first have to confirm eligibility for registration as a doctor. All matters to do with registration and examination are administered by the Medical Council of New Zealand.

By passing NZREX Clinical, we then know you are competent to have provisional registration in New Zealand. All doctors wanting to practice medicine in New Zealand must first gain registration from us.

A pass in NZREX Clinical is valid for 5 years from the date of the examination.

Registration exam - NZREX Clinical

You are required to sit and pass NZREX Clinical, our registration examination, if you are not eligible for registration under any other pathway.

If you have passed the NZREX Clinical, you may be able to do a ‘clinical observer-ships with the DHB of your choice. Observer-ships are organized by the DHB and you will need to approach them directly if you are interested in taking part.