๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ญ
A lot has happened in the past few days that has created quite a lot of anxiety in the applicants. I usually do not partake in speculation but decided to write this because I have been getting a lot of inbox messages about this issue. The below are my thoughts at the time of writing this (Note: the situation has been changing fast so some of this may change).
It was recently announced that Step 2 CS has been suspended for 12-18 months. Some of the questions people have been messaging me about are discussed below. I must clarify that I am in no way affiliated with NRMP, ECFMG, USMLE or any related organization in any capacity. Also, what I am writing only reflects my personal opinion and does not reflect the opinions of any institutions I am affiliated with or work at.
๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป?
Yes
๐ช๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฆ?
At the time of writing this, No. (But read below for more)
๐ช๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐?
Yes
๐ช๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฆ?
At the time of writing this, I was informed by a medical student that the most likely scenario for US graduates is that they get to skip taking it and participate in the match as usual. (Please note that this information has not been verified by me.)
For IMGs, although the programs will interview candidates who are not ECFMG certified, It is not customary for programs to rank IMGs who are not ECFMG certified. (Please correct me if I am wrong)
The ECFMG has not yet issued a statement in this regard yet. (But read the below for more)
Now again, I am not involved in decision making for the involved regulatory and credentialing bodies but the following scenarios come to mind. Any this is pure speculation and we can all have a healthy discussion if it helps anyone. Also, I would love and appreciate your inputs on what else may be possible or any new updates.
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๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. This would mean that IMGs may be able to get ECFMG certified without taking the CS exam this year. This would be the ideal scenario.
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๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ. This should still allow applicants to apply and participate in the match.
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๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ? This is a very unlikely scenario. IMGs are an essential part of the healthcare system in the United States. It is unlikely that ECFMG, USMLE and NRMP would not address this before the forthcoming match.
ECFMG announcement mentioned that they are working on recognizing alternatives to the examination. I am unsure what that exact alternative would be and that is something that the announcement would hopefully clarify. I am positive that they will take into account any limitations of the new alternative and if those limitations justify forgoing this requirement for this particular situation.
๐ ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ: Please feel free to take it or ignore it. I have been in your shoes and I understand how it may be easy for me to say this since I am not applying this year:
Try to stay calm and stay the course. Each hour we spend speculating and being anxious is a productive hour wasted. Use it in constructive ways instead: work on your personal statement, self-care activities, making program-lists/researching programs etc.
There will be an answer to all the questions by the appropriate bodies soon. We are all physicians and have the mental strength to get through medical school, to embark upon this tough journey and, to have come so far. It is difficult not to be stressed but try engaging in constructive activities with the best outcome in mind. I promise that the time you invest constructively would not be wasted.
I will address some of these developments on the next episode of my Podcast which is available on my website and most major platforms (โThe Rank To Match Podcastโ) on June 5th, 2020. New episodes of my podcast come out on the 5th and the 20th of each month. Feel free to listen to the older episodes and subscribe for free to get the new ones. Would love to know your thoughts.
Good Luck!
Dr. Kahlon