APMA News - May/June 2019 - 28

Podiatric Physicians' Access to USMLE Testing
*

In 2017, second-year students at the California School
he podiatric medical profession has consistently heard
of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt University took
the message from our allopathic and osteopathic colthe Comprehensive Basic Science Exam (CBSE) adminleagues that the best way to demonstrate that our eduistered by the NBME. This exam is open for anyone to
cation and training are comparable to theirs is to pass their exregister and take. It gives a good picture of how a stuaminations. The Catch-22 is that our students and graduates do
dent will do on Step 1 of the USMLE and helps the stunot have access to take either the United States Medical Licensdent identify areas in which he or she may be deficient.
ing Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic
The CSPM students took this exam without any prepaMedical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) examinations.
ration, and by agreement the
In response, the 2019
results were kept confidential
APMA House of Delegates
The
goal
is
to
have
the
National
as they were being used to aspassed Resolution 4-19, which
sess strengths and weaknesses
resolved "that the [National
Board of Medical Examiners
and what areas might need to
Joint Task Force of Orthopedic
(NBME)
allow
podiatric
students
be better emphasized in prepaSurgeons and Podiatric Surration for the USMLE should
geons] work with AMA to faand graduates to take the
podiatric medical students
cilitate discussions with the
examinations.
If
we
are
successful
eventually be granted access.
National Board of Medical Exin gaining that access, our next
The Western University of
aminers to allow podiatric
Health
Sciences College of Pomedical students to be eligible
step will be to prepare our students
diatric
Medicine
has embarked
to take the United States Medto
take
and
pass
the
examination.
on a three-year project regardical Licensing Examination."
ing the CBSE. Western students
So what exactly does this
are taking the same prep classes as their osteopathic
resolution mean for our profession, and what is the anticipatcolleagues for the USMLE. In 2018, they had limited
ed path forward? Currently only students at allopathic and
preparation. In 2019, they will have more preparation,
osteopathic medical schools and foreign medical school
and in 2020, they will have had the full prep for the
graduates may take the USMLE. The USMLE mirrors the
exam. The CBSE has a crosswalk to translate the score
American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination (APMLE)
on the CBSE to the predicted score on Step 1 of the
administered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical ExUSMLE. This project will provide a good indication of
aminers in that it includes several components: Step 1, Step 2
potential performance by podiatric medical students
and Step 2 Clinical Skills Examination (CSE), and Step 3.
on the USMLE and identify areas where there may be
The APMLE includes Part 1, Part 2 and Part 2 CSE, and Part 3.
educational deficiencies that must be addressed.
Resolution 4-19 is a first step. The goal is to have the Nation-

al Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) allow podiatric students
and graduates to take the examinations. If we are successful in
gaining that access, our next step will be to prepare our students to take and pass the examination. This effort may require
some curriculum changes at our podiatric medical schools and
different methods of preparation. To be clear, however, these
changes would not affect the degree conferred upon graduates
of podiatric medical schools. We would still be DPMs.

Addressing Misinformation
There has been a great deal of discussion about this process
in podiatry forums recently, and some of it has been misleading.
Here are the facts:
No podiatric medical students have taken the USMLE-
they are not eligible.

28 APMA News May/June 2019

So, if we can achieve access to the USMLE and/or COMLEX,
what are the ultimate goals?
Recognition that the education and training of DPMs
are comparable to MDs and DOs and, therefore, that
podiatrists should be universally recognized as physicians and have parity with our allopathic and osteopathic colleagues
If and when states establish a plenary license for doctors
of podiatric medicine to practice to the full extent of their
education and training within their scope, obtaining this
license will require passage of either the USMLE and/
or COMLEX exams

This process will be long and evolutionary. Resolution 4-19
is the beginning of a long journey by gaining access to the tests.
Watch APMA News and your other APMA communications for
regular updates on our progress.
n

APMA News - May/June 2019

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