additional md requirements

CSI and Step 2CK info for MD-PhD students

Info and scheduling tips provided here based on a typical Penn MD-PhD curriculum (eg 6 months of clerkships and step 1 completed before the PhD; return to the clinics in the fall semester the year before anticipated MD graduation).

CSI – Clinical Skills Inventory

Overview: Clinical Skills Inventory is a school run 8 to 12 station standardized patient exam which is taken after the vast majority of clerkships have been completed. The test assesses clinical skills. You will interview and examine SPs and write a patient note after each encounter. CSI is very similar to the OSCE exam at the end of the medicine/family medicine block, except you won’t get immediate feedback from the SPs. You will, however, receive a written score report a few weeks after the exam. You will receive more information in an email from the SP Program about a week prior to your scheduled exam date.
Timing of exam: Jan-April of penultimate year or fall of MS4 year
Info about scheduling: handled by the Registrar’s office through OASIS

Step 2CK

Overview: Step 2 CK assesses medical knowledge, skills, and understanding of clinical science. It is a one-day examination, administered in a 9-hour testing session. All students need to complete the Step 2CK exam as a graduation requirement.
Timing of exam: Now that Step 1 is Pass/Fail, it is recommended that students take Step 2 CK by mid-August at the start of MS4 if their schedules permit. The deadline for taking the exam is in mid-November. If a student is unsure whether to prioritize an additional clinical elective vs. taking step 2 in the summer before residency applications go out, they should seek faculty advice from specialty advisors and/or Dr. Jen Kogan.
Info about scheduling: recommended deadline to register is no later than August 1
Study time: With Step 2 becoming more important now that Step 1 is Pass/Fail, many students will study ~4-6 weeks for this exam.