Usmle 6 Attempt Limit

Many of you might remember when there was no attempt limit to take the usmle, except that when you pass it, one cannot retake it to increase your score.

That is the way it has been for a very longtime......

Suddenly, the NBME folks came out with the rule that from now onwards all the attempts taken before will be counted towards a 6 attempt limit per component of the USMLE.  Many of us who had taken it earlier found themselves in a very difficult position.  It is not fair to impose this rule on ANY examinee candidate who never took this exam under this pretense.

Many people who took this exam and could not pass it for various reasons (whether it be family-issues, work-related problems, etc) suddenly found themselves trapped under this NEW RULE and were rushed to take this exam as their last attempt as their previous attempts would NOW disqualify them from retaking the exam after a set date.

If one did not make it on this last attempt imposed by the NBME, all those YEARS of hardwork, time-committent, the family pressures they suffered, work-related tensions, and all the sacrifices their families and they themselves made just went down the drain.

THE DREAM OF BECOMING A PHYSICIAN JUST GOT TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.

IS IT FAIR TO PLAY WITH SOMEONE'S LIFE THIS WAY?

I ASK YOU ALL PLS TO POST YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS AND WHETHER SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO HAVE THIS DECISION REVERSED!