Step 3 assesses whether you can apply medical knowledge and understanding of biomedical and clinical science essential for the unsupervised practice of medicine, with emphasis on patient management in ambulatory settings. Step 3 provides a final assessment of physicians assuming independent responsibility for delivering general medical care. A principal organizing dimension for Step 3 design is normal conditions and disease categories. Second and third organizing dimensions are the clinical encounter frame and physician tasks. Step 3 content reflects a data-based model of generalist medical practice in the United States.
The purpose of the test is to assess the knowledge and skills of physicians who intend to practice, independently in the future.
- Evaluating severity of patient problems and managing therapy are also assessed.
- Most of the cases for the examination are patient centric and more emphasis is given to the case of ambulatory patients.
STEP : 3 is divided into 2 areas,
- Clinical Encounter frame : -
- Physicians task : - It concentrates on various elements that are critical in a patient physicians encounters, such as patient problems that are new or ongoing, any underlying problem, chronology of events and urgency of intervention etc.
The physicians task : It is further divided into six categories.
- History taking & performing physical examinations.
- Formulating the most likely diagnosis.
- Making use of laboratory and diagnostic studies.
- Evaluation of the nature & severity of the patients problems.
- General management of the patient.
- Applying basic science concepts in dealing with the patient.
A major part of the test material is related to continuing care as it is intended to challenge the candidates to consider the severity of illness effective management of ambulatory patients and those suffering from frequently occurring / chronic disease.
STEP 3 Is a 2 day examination , each day consisting of an 8 hour test session. The first day of testing consists of approximately 336 Multiple choice questions divided into blocks of 48 Questions each, with a 60 minute time period for each block.
Candidates will also be provided two breaks one consisting of 45 minutes and the other of 15 minutes.
The second day of testing consists of the 144 multiple choice questions consisting of 36 Questions in each block , which have to completed in a time frame of 45 minutes per block involving a total of 3 hours. The next part of the second day consists of 9 case simulations which has to completed in a period of 4 hours.
