Office of Curriculum Management and Testing
YOUR TESTING HEADQUARTERS
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office.
Susan M. Kies, Ed.D.
Associate Dean - Testing and Curriculum Management
M1
- Exam Schedule
- Grading (My Grades)
- Academic Calendar
- TA's for 2007-2008
- TA Information & Tips
- Recommended Textbooks
- Practice Exams
- Rescheduling Exams (Early/Delayed Exam Form)
- Life-Long Learning Course
- Official Testing Policies
- About Decompression
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA Form)
- What is USMLE Step 1 and How Do I Prepare for it Now ?
- M-2 Preparation
- Testing Sessions for Neuro
- Testing Sessions for Behav Sci/Physio
- Testing Sessions for IMM
M2
- Academic Calendar
- USMLE Registration (Student Advice, Example Study Calendar, Kaplan Q Bank)
- USMLE Homepage (Log In, NBME Practice USMLE)
- Equipment List
M3-M4
- Core Clerkships (07/08)
- Subject Exam Schedule (07/08)
- Asking for Letters of Recommendation
- Residency Interviewing
GRIPE PRESENTATIONS
Useful Information for M1 Students
Advice from an M2 about how to survive the M1 year.
How does grading work?
Grading is based on a pure point system. This means that 120 points in a semester with 200 points is a score of 60%. Classes that last for two semesters (Physiology, Immuno/Micro, Anatomy, IHD, Histology) are usually counted as one class. Click here for more information on grading and click here for the exam schedule and point totals for each course.
Where can I go for advice?
The M1 year can be quite daunting, and it is natural to be seeking the advice and comfort of a seasoned professional. So, if you have any questions about academics or your personal life, talk to Dean Kies, anyone in the Student Affairs Office (1st floor by the west entrance), the UIUC Counseling Center, or McKinley's staff are all trained in couselling and referrals. Believe it or not, they WANT to offer you advice, so don't be shy, just ask.
What exactly is 'Step 1'?
Throughout your medical school career, there will be a series of United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE). The first exam is known as 'Step 1' and it is taken in the summer after M2 sometime between May and August. It tests upon all of the information that you have learned during M1 and M2. Registration begins in Nov/Dec of your M2 year and you get to choose the date that you would like to take it.
What can I do during M1 to prepare for Step 1?
There are three things that you can do during your M1 year to prepare for USMLE Step 1:
- Learn information to the best of your ability whenever you get the chance.
- Purchase top-rated review books as guides: FIRST AID FOR THE USMLE STEP 1, STEP-UP, The PRE-TEST series, LIPPINCOTT Biochemistry, MICROBIOLOGY MADE RIDICULOUSLY SIMPLE. For advice on what books students have found helpful in the past, click here.
- Spend some time in the summer during M1 to review important pieces of information listed in books such as FIRST AID. This will provide a solid foundation for when you begin M2.
