1. (1) Requirements relating to the administration of Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination by the Board:

   1. (a) The Board will administer USMLE Step 3 to applicants for a certificate of qualification who are applying for initial licensure in the State of Alabama and who meet all qualifications for administration of Step 3 of the USMLE. The Board will not administer the examination to physicians other than qualified applicants for licensure in Alabama.
   2. (b) To be eligible to sit for USMLE Step 3, an applicant must have obtained the M.D. or D.O. degree, as provided in Rule 540-X-3-.02.

   3. (c) To be eligible to sit for USMLE Step 3:

      1. 1. An applicant who graduated from a college of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the American Medical Association or a college of osteopathy accredited by the American Osteopathic Association must either be currently enrolled in a post-graduate/residency training program or have completed one (1) year of post-graduate/residency training, as provided in Rule 540-X-3-.03(1).
      2. 2. An applicant who graduated from a college of medicine not accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the American Medical Association or a college of osteopathy not accredited by the American Osteopathic Association must either have completed two (2) years of post-graduate/ residency training and be currently enrolled in the third year of post-graduate/residency training or have completed three (3) years of post-graduate/residency training, as provided in Rule 540-X-3-.03(2).

   4. (d) To be eligible to sit for USMLE Step 3, an applicant must:

      1. 1. Have successfully completed both USMLE Steps 1 and 2; or
      2. 2. Have successfully completed combinations of FLEX components, NBME parts and/or USMLE Steps, as established in Rule 540-X-3-.04(4).
   5. (e) To be eligible to sit for USMLE Step 3, an applicant must otherwise possess the qualifications for licensure as a physician in Alabama.
   6. (f) An examinee who fails USMLE Step 3 may be re-examined at any subsequent examination upon payment of the required fee and submission of any required applications.
   7. (g) A failure of any USMLE Step, regardless of the jurisdiction in which the examination was administered, shall be considered a failure of that step for purposes of Alabama licensure.
   8. (h) Examination scores will be reported using a two-digit scaled score. A score of 75 or better on each Step (1, 2 or 3) shall constitute a passing score on that Step. Rounding up of scores shall not be allowed.
   9. (i) Each USMLE Step must be passed individually in order to successfully complete the USMLE examination. Individual Step scores shall not be averaged to complete an overall score.
   10. (j) Step 3 of the USMLE will be administered as designated by the USMLE program.

Author: Wendell R. Morgan, Patricia E. Shaner, Attorneys for the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-24-53; Act No. 93-148.

Editor’s Note: Rule 12 was renumbered to .13 as per certification filed October 15, 2008; effective November 19, 2008.

History: Filed May 20, 1993 for publication. See also Notice of Intended Action dated 5/20/93 repealing existing Chapter 3. Amended: July 21, 1993; effective August 25, 1993. Amended: September 15, 1993. Filed for publication: September 20, 1993. Amended: Filed November 17, 1993; effective December 22, 1993. Amended: Filed July 21, 1995; effective August 25, 1995. Amended: Filed December 17, 1997; effective January 21, 1998. Amended: Filed July 26, 1999; effective August 30, 1999. Amended: Filed March 22, 2002; effective April 26, 2002. Amended: Filed October 17, 2003; effective November 21, 2003. Amended: Filed October 15, 2008; effective November 19, 2008.