Medical students can gain firsthand knowledge about the Step 2 Clinical Skills examination by participating in a preimplementation pilot examination, or PIPE. The exam will be available this year to students who have registered for the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Skills exam. Each clinical skills test center -- in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston -- will accommodate 400 participants for PIPE.
The pilot tests will closely resemble actual exam situations by presenting a series of encounters with standardized patients. Though the number and mix of cases may differ for live examinations, PIPE will enable participants to see what the test centers are like and how the testing day will unfold, said the USMLE announcement. In addition, students will receive limited feedback on their examination performance.
Contact information on registering for the Step 2 Clinical Skills exam is at http://www.usmle.org/applicationmaterials/default.htm#contact. USMLE will direct registrants to a Web site or a telephone contact that will give them more information about PIPE, test locations and dates. Participation in PIPE is free, but participants must pay for travel and lodging expenses.
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