CLASS OF 2009

Your class is scheduled to take the College of Medicine’s Clinical Practice Exam (CPX) in July and early August. The purposes of this exam are to ensure that you have requisite clinical skills and knowledge prior to graduating and to assist your preparation for the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) exam. Attached you will find the schedule for your exam date and time. Instructions about changing your assigned time are included. 

You are required to pass the examination for graduation. If you fail, you must remediate with a MUSC faculty member and re-test. Additionally, if you fail the exam, this will be stated on your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE – “Dean’s letter”). Students with a score 1½ standard deviations above the average will receive Honors for their performance and this will be stated on the MSPE. A passing score on the exam is projected to be 70%, though it may be lower based upon the group’s overall performance. It is possible for everyone to pass the exam and it is our desire for everyone to do so.

The exam has been designed to simulate the USMLE Step 2 CS as much as possible. Station tasks will address common clinical skills and knowledge that you have acquired during the third year. Standardized patients have been trained like the standardized patients are trained for the Step 2 CS, and the standardized patients will document your performance. After each standardized patient encounter, you will be asked to complete a writing station associated with the patient’s complaint. The writing station will require you to write a brief history (significant positives and negatives), pertinent positive and negative physical exam findings, 5 possible diagnoses, and 5 plans for a diagnostic work up. This writing station is the same format used on Step 2 CS. 

On behalf of the Dean’s Office, I wish everyone the best of luck on the CPX and with the start of your fourth year!