Issue 110 - March 14, 2007
AAMC Service for Applicants Seeking Residency Positions
Offered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), FindAResident® is a web-based search tool for finding open residency and fellowship positions in a variety of accredited specialties.
Open year-round, FindAResident is an effective resource for residency candidates who:
- experienced an unsuccessful match through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) or post-Match Scramble,
- are looking for off-cycle positions or specialties not featured in ERAS, or
- want to change specialties, locations, or residency or fellowship programs.
By registering with this online service, candidates can post their resume, test scores, photo, curriculum vitae, and other pertinent information for programs to view. Users can also search a database of open training positions by post-graduate year level, specialty, and geographic preference. Programs are able to directly update vacancy information at any time, so the unfilled position information remains accurate and current.
FindAResident complements both the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®) and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP); it does not replace these services. FindAResident offers additional benefits to applicants participating in ERAS. ERAS participants can import information from their certified ERAS Common Application Form (CAF) directly into FindAResident.
Use of this service requires registration and a subscription fee; active ERAS users receive a discount on that fee. Subscriptions begin on the date of purchase and conclude at the end of the FindAResident season (September 14). For more information or to subscribe, visit FindAResident on the Web.
NBME Self-Assessments for Individuals Planning to Take Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3
The National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®) offers web-based self-assessments to help medical students and graduates evaluate their readiness for the computer-based components of the United States Medical Licensing Examination™ (USMLE™). Self-assessments are currently available for USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3.
- The Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment (CBSSA), which is built to the same content specifications as Step 1, covers material in basic science medical education courses. There are four unique CBSSA forms available, each featuring 200 multiple-choice questions divided into four sections.
- The Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment (CCSSA), which is built to the same content specifications as Step 2 CK, covers material in core clinical clerkships. There are three unique CCSSA forms available, each featuring 184 multiple-choice questions divided into four sections.
- The Comprehensive Clinical Medicine Self-Assessment (CCMSA), which is built to the same content specifications as the multiple-choice component of Step 3, features content that reflects patient-centered clinical encounters. There is one CCMSA form available, with 180 multiple-choice questions divided into five sections.
All questions have appeared previously in the USMLE, and no questions are duplicated across forms. Users can choose to take the self-assessments under two timing conditions: standard USMLE pacing or self-pacing. The assessments are available for $45.00 (USD) per form.
Users receive immediate performance feedback in the form of a diagnostic profile showing content areas of strength and weakness. For the CBSSA (Step 1) and CCSSA (Step 2 CK), feedback also includes a table that “translates” the self-assessment score to an approximate score on the USMLE scale; this feature is not yet available for the CCMSA (Step 3).
For complete information, to view a sample assessment, or to purchase an assessment, visit the NBME Self-Assessment Services Interactive Website.