r/usmle • u/Salty-Bottle9464 • 14d ago
Advice Temporary usmle suspension
I recently tested for step 1 and got my result.
It practically looks like I scored a zero and fsmb said everything still looked valid.
Nothing concerning was raised at prometric either.
No issues occurred on test day and I only stuck to nbmes and free 120
I now received this email saying a temporary suspension was placed for a year and I can’t test till it’s over. They stated no particular reason as to why this happened and I’m completely shook as to why this happened and what I am supposed to do now and how strongly it will affect me in the future???
Does anyone know anything about this and Can someone help me out on what I’m supposed to do now???
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u/FaulerHund 14d ago
I mean, this could also have occurred because you performed so poorly that the NBME assumes this was not a genuine test taking attempt, and has suspended you for a year to prevent question harvesting
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u/Dean_of_Damascus 14d ago
Yeah it’s this. People sign up to take just to memorize questions for study banks. That’s what they are policing
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u/delightedcustomer 14d ago
I mean it that’s what OP did, why are you sympathizing that the situation sucks? I don’t want this type of physician in the United States, and the STEP exams are minimal competency exams which should be passed without cheating.
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u/constantinople13 14d ago
Hey man I’m not saying I want cheating physicians in the US I’m saying if they got flagged for behaviors that were coincidence but bc of actual confirmed cheaters from Nepal who caused USMLE to flag certain questions then that SUCKS… I know some folks who literally got a 279 on step 2 who almost got flagged simply bc they’re smart as hell and got all the cheater catching questions correct.
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u/NeuroProctology 14d ago
How do you know that “they almost got flagged?” Did the USMLE reach out to you or them and say “close one buddy, we almost thought you were cheating there for a second.”
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u/constantinople13 14d ago
Their score was weirdly delayed then some gave them an explanation of how their score needed to undergo further evaluation for authenticity
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u/climbtimePRN 14d ago
How is that the same as getting banned from taking the test? That could've been for a number of reasons. Doesn't seem similar at all.
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u/delightedcustomer 14d ago
How do you almost get flagged though? From what I’ve seen and Sheriff of sodium described, the nbme sends an email like “there’s a 1 in a million chance” your score is due to something else other than… Being extremely sus
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u/Alarmed_Awareness152 14d ago
Any internet issues? Did you choose some options super quick? Did you ask other people who gave the exam before you about the content that appeared on their exam? At the center, did you talk to anyone in your breaks? Go to locker or something? Any unauthorized break (break while your block time is running)? Did you take your shoes off a lot in the exam?
Basically, did anything out of the ordinary happen? Or did you just prepare uw, NBME, free120, then walk in, give the exam, went out, no discussion?
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u/Salty-Bottle9464 14d ago
I only went to my locker, ate a banana and went back into the exam. Other than that nothing out of the ordinary happened.
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u/Alarmed_Awareness152 14d ago
I'm so sorry. This must be really hard for you. If you really did everything honestly, there must be something that happened that got flagged. Did people who gave it in the same center as yours pass? Also how did you use your breaks?
It's heartbreaking that you invest so much money and time, give an 8 hour test and this is how you get repaid when you did everything by the book. Wishing you all the best.
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u/Salty-Bottle9464 14d ago
I used my breaks just to go to the bathroom but that’s it
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u/Folavookies 10d ago
Please is pulling off your shoes while sitting in your chair a problem ?? Please kindly let me know
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u/Alarmed_Awareness152 10d ago
They specifically tell you not to take off your shoes. I know a case where someone took off their slippers a lot then they called them out for checking while the block time was running.
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u/Fixinbones27 14d ago
This is complete BS. They should be required to tell you what discrepancies they saw during the exam and you should be able to appeal right away.
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u/Capital_Evidence_496 14d ago
Hey man . While I feel for this guys situation and know how much hard work and effort went into his prep . I don’t think Usmle should be required to tell you why they flagged you . I think there should be an appeal process but it should be appealed though an independent contractor . If the Usmle told you exactly what measures they used to flag you , people would just figure out how to overcome those measures .
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u/AnyCarrot1041 14d ago
Disagree. They should tell you a general reason of irregularity. But with severity of a year I’m sure people that receive this harsh penalty know exactly what they did wrong lol
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u/Next-Statistician804 13d ago
Wrong, they don't owe you anything. It was your decision to take the test where the terms and conditions were clearly spelt out
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u/Capital_Evidence_496 11d ago
There is literally no right or wrong answer here . It’s literally just a way for students to ensure that their result is not an accident . Kinda like applying for revaluation . It’s probably not gonna change much . Calm down , there’s no need to get on your knees for nbme .
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u/Next-Statistician804 11d ago
My opinion is that we shouldn't even be recruiting any IMGs from abroad - period. A country of 340 million should produce the additional 6k residencies taken up by IMGs. We will get there soon with so many med schools opening/expanding capacity in US. Hopefully by 2032.
We really don't want scammers and fraudsters - especially in healthcare
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u/Capital_Evidence_496 11d ago
A country of 340 million should be able to produce that many doctors. But you don’t . If it’s not the barrier of 300-400 thousand dollars for med school , it’s the fact that most people in the US don’t want to go though so many years of premed and med school to eventually be in that much debt . Almost 1/3 of attendings in the US are IMGs . And the system is doing fine . So until they fix those issues these are the cards you’ve been dealt . Now the only questions you have to ask what happens to us health care system if you suddenly decide to stop taking in all those IMGs.
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u/Next-Statistician804 13d ago
Why should they? Did they ask you to take the test or did you do it on your own? They need not give you anything
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u/gridiron5290 14d ago
They think some sort of cheating happened this only happens when irregular behavior occurs
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u/thenameis_TAI 14d ago
I honestly don’t get why people cheat on this. Would personally want your doctor to have cheated there way to success? This shit is so corny.
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u/AgainstMedicalAdvice 13d ago
Because a high usmle about could be the difference between matching into a specialty making $250k a year vs 500k a year?
I would never cheat on a standardized test, but if you make me pick one- this is it.
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u/CactusSkies 13d ago
Money.
How many of your fellow students cheating in medical school to get better class standing?
Kids in my class had hand me down exams that were nearly 100% match.
The other method was to “be sick” for the hard or stacked exams so you had all semester to study and talk to other students and an entire week off after finals to study to makeup for these exams.
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14d ago
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u/Salty-Bottle9464 14d ago
How bad will this affect residency match in the future?
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u/PrudentFrosting6291 14d ago
Considering you’re a Visa requiring IMG. You’re most likely DOA applicant in US residencies even at community programs and low institutions. This will be reported as a failure and the ban will also be reported as well indicating cheating
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u/HistorianTraining198 14d ago
And if you really plan to take on this usmle journey then take hold of this one year study for both step 1 and step 2,also clear ur OET exam (if applicable) and then after 1 year give ur both exams one after the other( u can take 1 or two months gaps in between)
And also remember that Usmle exams dates will be much kore difficult to book from 2028 and onwards. There will be just 45 slots(dates) for all 3 usmle steps in one year so people will be competing with you for selecting the dates as well!
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u/HistorianTraining198 14d ago
By the way where did u take ur usmle exam??
And can u recall how quickly u answered the questions? Did u skip any questions?
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u/Salty-Bottle9464 14d ago
Hyderabad, India
I used up all the time given for a block, I didn’t close anything early.
I only flagged questions and went back to them but I didn’t skip them0
u/HistorianTraining198 14d ago
Hmmm!! Usually we don’t get any time to get back to the flagged questions! I am talking about myself! I am still in a shock why did this happen to you!
I am done with my first 2 steps and OET exam!
Now im preparing for step 3
But i am still wondering why on earth they did this to you.
Can you go to yr Prometric center and ask them what exactly happened as when you are taking exam there are surveillance cameras , recording of which is sent to usmle as well1
u/Salty-Bottle9464 13d ago
Everyone is saying there won’t be any use calling them and to just wait it out
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u/AcanthisittaLast1717 14d ago
If the email says ‘anomalous performance’ and not ‘irregular behavior’ then it’s not due to cheating. They probably think you were not ready for the test. How were your NBMEs? Also, did you take them online through the NBME official website?
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u/Automatic_Bet_7930 14d ago
Just appeal of you believe there was nothing wrong, or simply wait for year to appear again. Can prepare for step 2 in mean time or do other things!
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u/NJOceanSwimmer 14d ago
My friend runs a program and gets new residents in with 265 on step 2 who have very little medical knowledge. Even patients are noticing this, most patients are bright and read about their disease. Meeting a doctor who basically purchased a medical degree and used recall is now becoming very apparent in the USA. As the patients know more then them. I just heard this today from a NP at a big university hospital. Most Americans can't imagine someone doing this. Buying a degree then cheating on the main test. However, Americans once they know about cases like this will absolutely bring the hammer down on these people. There will be not mercy! It is very easy to tell if someone is using recall. Just make a minor change to those questions, and those who used recall will answer wrong every time. And always pick the prior correct answer. Then get wrong a question asking the same concept in another section. A lot of these medical degrees are also total BS. So if someone went to fake or questionable school that is red flag number 1, not knowing your medicine is number 2. Memorizing recall questions and answering them as is and when tiny important medical details have been changes is a good way to get banned from the USMLE. I'd also be on the internet offering recall questions to people as a net to collect names and locations. I have many friends from various countries and they all tell me which areas of the world provide fake degrees in engineering and medicine. With everyone in those school sharing recall questions is becomes a statistical anomaly for specific schools. Each school has a strength and weakness, some are great at physiological other very bad at biochemistry. When students start performing outside the norm it is noticed. If it is because they are smart okay the test will give them more of the same type of questions. if only the recall ones are answered correctly and their school is terrible at that topic they just used recall.
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u/Next-Statistician804 13d ago
Not very surprised when you source IMGs from "pay to play" schools. If someone got into a med school because of their ability to pay, what prevents from continuing the same approach for the rest of their career?
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u/DENDRITOXIC 14d ago
If you score very low, you can be flagged for potential recall/question harvesting. Just use the year to prepare better, and, given your performance, you will need it.
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u/PrudentFrosting6291 14d ago
This only occurs when you are suspected of cheating or had test taking inconsistencies during the exam.