SUNY Downstate Medical Students Excel: Surpass National Pass Rate on Board Examinations
Sep 23, 2011
SUNY Downstate College of Medicine students secured a 99.5 % pass rate on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) exam, compared to the national average of 97 %. This year at Downstate, 197 of 198 students taking the test for the first time passed.
Ian L. Taylor, MD, PhD, senior vice president for biomedical education and research and dean of the College of Medicine, said, “Once again, our students are exceeding the national norms and I wanted to express my thanks to the Downstate community for their contributions to the continued success of our outstanding medical students.” Dr. Taylor added, “We continue to deliver a superior medical education here in Brooklyn and everyone should take pride in that fact.”
The Step 2 CK test is the multiple-choice portion of the second part of the three-part USMLE exam, commonly known as “the boards.” In contrast to the USMLE Step 1, the focus of Step 2 is more on clinical application of medical knowledge. Step 2 is usually taken during the fourth year of medical school. The USMLE is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards and National Board of Medical Examiners. Physicians are required to pass all three portions of the exam before being permitted to practice medicine in the United States.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.