I have a valid ECFMG certificate. I passed Step 1 and 2 and the English test of USMLE in 1997. I did not take The Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA), which is part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2. The CSA was not introduced until 2004, and it is only required for candidates who graduated from medical school after that date. I took the USMLE Step 1 and 2 in 1997, before the introduction of the CSA, I did not need to take the CSA to obtain ECFMG certification. The USMLE announced on January 26, 2021, that they have decided to discontinue Step 2 CS. They replaced it with OET.
GMC started to accept ECFMGC for registration stating that ''United States Medical Licensing Exam: Step 1, Step 2 clinical knowledge and Step 2 clinical skills.; For Step 2 clinical skills, your pass must be on or before 13 March 2020. If your pass in the clinical skills component of an acceptable overseas registration exam is more than two years old, to be eligible for this application, you will need to have carried out medical practice for three out of the last five years, including at least six out of the most recent 12 months before you submit your application. You will need to provide consultant reports to evidence this. If your pass is over two years old and you haven’t completed this pattern of medical practice, you will not be eligible for this application.’’
However I have never need to take Step 2 CS for certification and Step 2 CS exam does not exist anymore. I have passed OET. I have European Board exam pass which is also an accepted exam in UK.
Last week, I made a phone call with a consultant of GMC and she told me that I do not fulfill the requirements for registration because I did not take Step 2 Clinical skills. She told me that, I could only apply if I pass PLABs. Is there someone I can communicate about my current situation?
Thanks a lot
Sevgili Elif, 
Dear Elif,
With your level of highest quality medical education and several years of experience in your speciality, they should be begging you to be a consultant to prepare the related sections of that PLAB exam that they told you that you need to take.
What a narrow sightedness!
UK is suffering and in a deep deep deep crisis in healthcare, in all means.
I may only advise you to think again millions of times, to totally understand the situation of the healthcare environment in the UK and if you really would enjoy to continue your highest level of profession in such circumstances.
Sevgiler,
Dr.Hakan Mutlu
Do you meet the criteria for acceptable overseas qualifications? Additionally, PLAB would not be your only option if you did not- Royal College exams would still be a feasible route.
Hello Elif,
I may be in a similar situation. I am currently switching from PLAB to MRCP in order to get GMC registration. The MRCP seems easier to schedule because registration is not released so early. I graduated Tufts in 2001 and did USMLE before clinical skills portion was added. I did confirm with GMC that I could not use my USMLE step one and so skip to step 2 of PLAB.
Also of interest possibly: I am currently reading about the International Induction Programme and also the CEGPR. It seems that these are steps to be taken after the testing that gets you to GMC registration but can be used to replace CCT (Certificate of completion of training) so that I may get specialty (GP for me) registration and be inducted to the NMPL (National Medical Performers List).
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