USMLE Registration - Other Fees, Rescheduling Exams, and Retaking Exams

The total registration cost for all three Steps of the USMLE will be approximately $2,655 for individuals planning on taking the exam in 2008. However, these fees are usually raised annually and there are other fees that an individual may have to pay in addition to these fees in order to take a particular exam. Some of the additional fees that an individual may have to pay in order to take one of the USMLE Exams include general rescheduling fees, rescheduling fees associated with missing a test date, and fees associated with other certifications such as the ECFMG Certification if the individual that is applying for the exam is a student or graduate from somewhere other than the United States or Canada. An individual that has already scheduled a testing date with Thomson Prometric can reschedule if there is a problem with the date that the individual has chosen, without penalty, if the individual cancels the test appointment with the testing center no later than 14 days before the testing date. The individual taking the exam may also cancel the test appointment during the 14 days prior to the exam date, but Thomson Prometric will assess a $150 rescheduling fee when the individual attempts to choose another date to take the exam. If the individual attempts to cancel his or her test appointment on the day of the test or simply does not show up for the test, Thomson Prometric will assess a $400 rescheduling fee when the individual attempts to choose another date to take the exam.

If the individual taking the exam fails the exam, the individual has the option to retake the exam an unlimited number of times. However, the individual can only retake the Step II Clinical Skills Exam up to a total of 3 times in a one year period from the date that the individual first takes the exam and can only retake any of the other exams up to a total of 4 times in a one year period from the date of the first exam. There may also be limitations on the number of overall attempts an individual can make for a particular exam set by the local medical licensing authority. In jurisdictions where limits are set, the individual will only receive a license to practice medicine if he or she passes the exam before exceeding the number of attempts allowed by the local medical licensing authority for the jurisdiction that the individual is planning on working in.