An E-Newsletter for International Medical Graduates Pursuing Graduate
Medical Education in the United States
Issue 144 – September 11, 2009
**********************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
- ON-LINE POSTING OR DISCUSSION OF USMLE CONTENT CONSTITUTES IRREGULAR
BEHAVIOR
**********************************************
ON-LINE POSTING OR DISCUSSION OF USMLE CONTENT CONSTITUTES IRREGULAR
BEHAVIOR
If you post or discuss United States Medical Licensing Examination
(USMLE) examination content via the Internet, you will be in violation
of the USMLE Rules of Conduct, as outlined in the USMLE Bulletin of
Information. Examination content includes, but may not be limited to,
questions, case content, and answers.
The Bulletin specifically advises that, “you will maintain the
confidentiality of the materials, including the multiple-choice items,
and the case content for Step 2 CS and Primum CCS. You will not
reproduce or attempt to reproduce examination materials through
memorization or any other means. Also, you will not provide information
relating to examination content that may give or attempt to give unfair
advantage to individuals who may be taking the examination. This
includes postings regarding examination content and/or answers on the
Internet.”
The USMLE program continuously monitors Internet forums and chat rooms.
Examinees who post information about examination content are identified
and referred to the USMLE Committee on Irregular Behavior. If the
Committee finds that you posted examination content, your scores may be
delayed and you may be subject to the following sanctions:
- Permanent annotation of your USMLE transcript (such annotations will
read “Irregular Behavior/Security Violation” and will be seen by any
entity that receives your transcript, i.e., residency training programs,
state licensing authorities, etc.);
- A report to the Federation of State Medical Boards Board Action
Databank (a central repository for formal actions taken against
physicians and available to licensing and disciplinary boards, the
military, governmental and private agencies, and organizations involved
in the employment and/or credentialing of physicians);
- A bar from taking future administrations of USMLE.
A determination of irregular behavior can put your medical career in
jeopardy. Do not endanger your career: Do not post information from
exams you have taken and do not solicit others to provide such
information.
For more information, refer to Testing Regulations and Rules of Conduct
and Irregular Behavior in the USMLE Bulletin of Information, available
on the USMLE website at www.usmle.org.
*********************************************
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION
As an organization, ECFMG is committed to providing information on
issues of importance to international medical graduates. We realize that
many individuals would like updated information on developing issues
related to ECFMG Certification and entry into graduate medical education
in the United States. As a result, ECFMG has developed The ECFMG(r)
Reporter to provide international medical graduates worldwide with
timely, objective information on current topics of interest. It is our
hope that this newsletter will allow physicians educated outside the
United States and Canada to make informed choices on issues that shape
their careers.
Previous issues of The ECFMG(r) Reporter are available on the ECFMG
website. Subsequent issues will be posted to the ECFMG website as they
are published. To access previous issues, visit the ECFMG website at
www.ecfmg.org/reporter/.
Interested individuals can join or leave The ECFMG(r) Reporter mailing
list at any time. To join or leave, visit The ECFMG Reporter home page
at www.ecfmg.org/reporter/.
Please do not reply to this message. Messages received at this address
will not receive responses.
We hope you find these updates helpful. Thank you for your interest in
ECFMG.
Copyright (c) 2009 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
Graduates (ECFMG(r)). All rights reserved.