Primum Step 3 Program

For questions about the Step It Up program, contact the Living Whole Wellness Program at 909-651-4007 or email livingwhole@llu.edu. United States Medical Licensing Examination Skip Navigation Test Accommodations Home Bulletin FAQs Apply Step 1 Step 2 CK Step 2 CS.

Menu of PLAS Assessment Tools
The PLAS has developed diverse, state-of-the-art assessment tools that, taken together, generate pertinent data regarding a physician's medical knowledge, clinical judgment and patient management skills in his or her current or intended area of practice. The PLAS assessment tools include multiple-choice clinical science subject exams, multiple-choice practice-based exams, and computer-based case simulations (CCS). A listing of these assessments is provided below. Physicians preparing for assessments that include CCS should run the CCS tutorial and practice with the sample CCS cases available at the USMLE website.

Clinical Science Subject Exams (multiple-choice question exams):

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Family Medicine
  • Medicine (Internal Medicine)
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Surgery
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Modular Practice-based Exams (multiple-choice question exams):

  • Ethics & Communication
  • Mechanisms of Disease
  • Pharmacotherapeutics
  • Practice-based exams (hospital care, ambulatory care)
  • Women's Health Care

Primum/CCS (Computer-based Case Simulations) & Transaction Stimulated Recall (TSR) Interview:

  • Behavioral-related care
  • Cardiovascular care
  • Children's Health Care
  • Generalist 1 Ambulatory Care
  • Urgent Intervention / Acute Care
  • Women's Health Care
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Referring a Physician for Assessment
The information provided here is intended to assist physicians, state medical boards, attorneys and other individuals and referring entities with the process of referring a physician for a clinical competence assessment; included is information on the following topics:

  • When to consider making a referral
  • How to refer a physician for assessment
  • Information requested when referring a physician for assessment
  • Scheduling an assessment
  • Encouraging compliance and a timely assessment

Collaborating Assessment Programs
The following programs have a formal collaborative relationship with the PLAS. The tools provided by PLAS complement these programs' other performance-based methods of assessment, such as medical record reviews, peer (preceptor) assessment and feedback, patient evaluations and case-based evaluations of physician care. Information about obtaining an assessment through these collaborators can be obtained directly from the programs through the contact information provided here. Physicians can obtain an assessment through one of these programs via self-referral or third-party referral (e.g., state medical board, physician practice, hospital, other healthcare entity).

  • The Center for Personalized Education for Professionals (CPEP)
  • Drexel Medicine® Physician Refresher/Re-Entry Course
  • LifeGuard
  • Physician Assessment and Clinical Education Program (PACE) at UCSD
  • Texas A&M University
  • University of Florida

Directory of U.S. Assessment and Remedial Education Programs
The FSMB, independent of its joint PLAS program with the National Board of Medical Examiners, maintains a directory of physician assessment and remedial education programs. This Directory is offered as a courtesy resource guide for physicians seeking assessment programs and remedial education opportunities. Programs listed on pages 2 - 4 of the Directory are formal PLAS collaborators (listed above). Information and details on other programs are provided solely for general informational purposes and not as a referral service.

Step 3 examinees will no longer be asked to enter information regarding a final diagnosis before ending a computer-based case simulation (CCS) case. Most examinees who test on or after January 1, 2019 will not see the final diagnosis screen at the end of a CCS case. Although the transition will occur quickly at many test centers, there may be some locations where the changes take slightly longer to complete. The overall transition period will likely last approximately 6 weeks.

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This change does not affect the scoring of the CCS cases in any way. Final diagnoses have never been used in scoring an examinee performance.

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Examinees should monitor the USMLE website for the latest information.