Examinations
All MD/DO applicants must have passed the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX), state board written examination (prior to FLEX), National Board of Medical Examiners or National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners examination (NBME/NBOME), United Stated Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada examination (LMCC), or acceptable combination, see below:
NBME Parts I, II and III |
NBME Part I or USMLE Step 1
AND
NBME Part II or USMLE Step 2
AND
NBME Part III or USMLE Step 3 |
FLEX Days I, II, and II
OR FLEX Components 1 and 2 | USMLE Step 3 |
NBME Part I or USMLE Step I
AND
NBME Part II or USMLE Step 2
AND
FLEX Component 2 |
| USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 | |
| NBOME or COMLEX Levels 1, 2 and 3 | |
State Board Written Examination (Non-FLEX)
State board written examination taken prior to FLEX, passed with an overall average of at least 75%.
FLEX
Day I, II and III examinations administered from 6/68-12/84; entire exam taken in one sitting, passed with FLEX Weighted Average of 75; or FLEX - Component 1 and 2 administered from 6/85 – 12/94; may have been taken together or separately, with scores of 75 on each Component.
- Components, whether taken together or separately, must have been passed within three attempts. After the third failed attempt, the applicant must have satisfactorily completed one year of approved training in the US or Canada prior to taking the entire FLEX examination at one sitting on the fourth and final attempt. An applicant who took more than four attempts may request a waiver based on current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS.
- Component 1 and Component 2 must have been passed within 7 years of the first attempt.
Only the applicant's scores on the most recently taken FLEX examination will be considered to determine eligibility.
USMLE
Steps 1, 2 and 3 must be passed within 7 years of having passed Step 1 or 2, whichever is passed first. A waiver of this rule may be requested if one of the following applies to the applicant:
- Current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS,
- Suffered from a documented significant health condition which delayed applicant’s medical study,
- Participated in a combined MD/DO/PhD program,
- Completed continuous approved postgraduate training with equivalent number of years to an MD/DO/PhD program, or
- Experienced other extenuating circumstances that do not indicate an inability to safely practice medicine as determined by the Board.
USMLE Steps 1 and 2 - unlimited attempts to pass; Step 3 - three attempts, then a year of Board approved postgraduate training between third and fourth (final) attempt to pass. An applicant who did not have a year of Board approved training between third and fourth attempt to pass Step 3, or took more than four attempts to pass Step 3, may request a waiver based on current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS.
NBOME/COMLEX
Levels 1, 2 and 3 must be passed within 7 years of having passed Step 1 or 2, whichever is passed first. A waiver of this rule may be requested if one of the following applies to the applicant:
- Current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS,
- Suffered from a documented significant health condition which delayed applicant’s medical study,
- Participated in a combined MD/DO/PhD program,
- Completed continuous approved postgraduate training with equivalent number of years to an MD/DO/PhD program, or
- Experienced other extenuating circumstances that do not indicate an inability to safely practice medicine as determined by the Board.
NBOME/ COMLEX Levels 1 and 2 (unlimited attempts to pass); Step 3 (three attempts), then a year of Board approved postgraduate training between third and fourth (final) attempt to pass. An applicant who did not have a year of Board approved training between third and fourth attempt to pass Step 3, or took more than four attempts to pass Step 3, may request a waiver based on current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS.
LMCC
Applicant has passed the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) and is certified as a Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC).
US/Canadian Medical School Graduates
Medical School
Must have graduated from a school a school offering a full-time resident program of study in medicine or osteopathic medicine leading to a degree of Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, such program having been fully accredited or conditionally approved by the Liaison Committee of Medical Education, or the AOA, or having been otherwise determined by the Board to meet the association standards.
Postgraduate
Must have successfully completed one year of post-graduate training (internship, residency or fellowship) in not more than one training program in the US or Canada, accredited by the ACGME, the AOA, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, or the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada.
Examination
Must have passed an acceptable examination sequence or combination (see chart above).
Graduates of Board Approved International Medical Schools
Medical School
Must have graduated from an international medical school in England, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, or Australia, which the Board considers to have medical schools equivalent to US medical schools.
ECFMG
Must be certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). This requirement may be waived if the postgraduate training was completed in Canada or prior to enforcement of ECFMG, or if the applicant has current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS.
Postgraduate
Must have successfully completed one year of post-graduate training (internship, residency or fellowship) in not more than one training program in the US or Canada, accredited by the ACGME, the AOA, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, or the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada.
Examination
Must have passed an acceptable examination sequence or combination (see chart above).
Graduates of Other International Medical Schools
Must speak English fluently and write English legibly.
Medical School
The international medical school must have:
- Been chartered in the country where it is located,
- Provided a resident course of professional instruction, and
- Been accredited by an organization acceptable to the Board or was recognized by the appropriate civil authorities of the country in which the school is located as an acceptable education program.
The Board may determine an international medical school is not equivalent if the medical school has had its authorization, accreditation, certification or approval denied or removed by any state, country or territorial jurisdiction or if its graduates were refused a license by any state, country or territorial jurisdiction on the grounds that the school failed or fails to meet reasonable standards for medical education facilities.
The graduate must have:
- Attended four full terms of instruction of eight months each, and
- Completed all courses by physical on-site attendance in the country in which the medical school is chartered.
The requirement of four full terms of eight months each may be waived if applicant has substantially met the attendance requirements and applicant has current certification by ABMS or AOA-BOS.
ECFMG
Must be certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). This requirement may be waived if the postgraduate training was completed in Canada or prior to enforcement of ECFMG, if the applicant has successfully completed a Fifth Pathway training program, or if the applicant has current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS.
Fifth Pathway Training
If applicable, Fifth Pathway program must supply evidence of successful completion of Fifth Pathway training.
Postgraduate
Must have successfully completed three years of progressive postgraduate training (internship, residency, clinical fellowship) in the US or Canada in not more than two specialties in training programs accredited by the ACGME, the AOA, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, or the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada. The following may be used in lieu of the three years of postgraduate training:
- Applicant has current certification by the ABMS or AOA-BOS,
- Applicant has been granted credit by a specialty board of the ABMS or AOA-BOS for postgraduate training completed abroad toward fulfillment of specialty board’s requirements for admission to a future board’s certification examination. Board may consider credit granted by specialty board toward fulfillment of postgraduate training requirement, or
- Applicant has completed four years of practice in Oregon under a Limited License, Medical Faculty (LLMF), or in another state under license similar to Oregon’s LLMF.
Examination
Must have passed an acceptable examination sequence or combination (see chart above).
U.S. Podiatric Medical School Graduates
Podiatry School
Must have graduated from a school or college of podiatric medicine accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).
Postgraduate
Must have satisfactorily completed:
- One postgraduate year of training served in a hospital that is approved by the CPME of the APMA, or
- One postgraduate year in a hospital residency training program not approved by the CPME of the APMA and has current certification by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM) or the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS).
Examination
Passed the examination administered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (NBPME).
Applicants who graduated from podiatric school prior to 01/01/2001 are required to pass NBPME Parts I and II. Applicants who graduated from podiatric school on or after 01/01/2001 are also required to pass the examination Part III. The requirement of Part III may be waived if the applicant is licensed as a podiatric physician in another state, or if the applicant is certified by the ABPM or the ABFAS.
Part I, II and III of the exam administered by NBPME must be passed within 7 years of having passed Part I or II, whichever is passed first. A waiver of this rule may be requested if one of the following applies to the applicant:
- Current certification by the ABPM or the ABFAS,
- Suffered from a documented significant health condition which delayed applicant’s podiatric study, or
- Experienced other extenuating circumstances that do not indicate an inability to safely practice podiatric medicine as determined by the Board.
Parts I and II – unlimited attempts to pass; Part III – three attempts, then a year of Board approved postgraduate training between third and fourth (final) attempt to pass. An applicant who did not have a year of Board approved training between third and fourth attempt to pass Part III, or who took more than four attempts to pass Part III may request a waiver based on current certification by the ABPM or the ABFAS.