The USMLE assesses a physician’s ability to apply knowledge, principles, and concepts, and to determine fundamental patient-centered skills that are important in disease and health and that constitute the basis of effective and safe patient care. Examination committees composed of medical educators and clinicians from across the United States and its territories prepare the examination materials each year.

Students and graduates of U.S. or Canadian medical school programs accredited by the LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education), leading to the M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) degree, or by the AOA (American Osteopathic Association), leading to the D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) degree, register for Step 1 and Step 2 of the USMLE with the NBME.

Students and graduates of medical schools outside the Canada or United States register for Step 1 and Step 2 with the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates). Graduates of medical schools in and outside the United States and Canada register for Step 3 with the FSMB or with a medical licensing authority in the United States. Each of the three steps of the USMLE examination complements the other; no step stands alone in the assessment of readiness for medical licensure. The USMLE program recommends that for Step 3 eligibility, licensure authorities require the completion, or near completion, of at least one postgraduate training year in a program of graduate medical education accredited by the ACGME (Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education) or the AOA (American Osteopathic Association).

1.Student loans
2.Grants and scholarships

There are a number of loans that can be very convenient for your purposes. You can borrow a loan and when your studies are over and you are a well-paid professional you can pay back.

Regarding grants, you should take them under careful consideration, as they abound in the terms of great demand on nurses. Grants are in any case better than loans, for the sole reason that you will not have to pay back.

Here is the list of some of these grants; there are more of them, but these ones will show you the trends:

1. The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses Foundation gives a $500 grant to nurses interested in their development. It means that nurses studying to advance in their career have a chance to get this grant. The grant is given if a nurse changes from LPN to BSN, from LPN to RN, from RN to BSN and from RN to masters.
2. The Oncology Nursing Students Association offers scholarships (up to $10,000) for students bachelor’s nursing degrees.
3. Exceptionalnurse.com gives a $500 grant to a qualified nurse with a disability.
4. The Native Alaskan Native American Indian Association awards ten grants $500 each annually.
5. The National Association of Hispanic Nurses offers scholarships.
6. Grants (from $500 to $2000) are offered by the National Black Nurses Association. To get a grant a student is to qualify: to be in good standing, have a full year of school remaining and be enrolled in a nursing program.
7. There are Pell Grants available to students without a bachelor’s or professional degree. In 2007-2008 the maximum grant was $4,310. The grant is calculated according to the program and to the students needs.
8. There are grants and scholarships offered to minority groups’ members. It should be ascertained in each particular case.
9. The National League for Nursing gives grants for students who intend to pursue nursing careers in the areas of research and education.
10. The National Student Nurses Association offers a scholarship program to students enrolled in various types of nursing programs.

Nursing School Grants

As you see there are many grants and scholarship available to students pursuing nursing career. However, you should understand that none of these grants is going to be enough to pay tuition fees to the full extend. Consider the option of taking out some students loans as well.

Taking out students’ loans shouldn’t be confusing as there are ways out of stressful situation caused by paying back after your graduation. Many employers would agree to pay back your loan if you would sign an agreement to work with for them for a particular period of time. For example, in Florida, registered nurses are to be repaid up to $4,000 a year for four years as part of the Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness Program, in exchange for working at an appointed place with the acute need for nurses.

All states have programs of the kind; all you need to do is to be attentive and ready to use all possible means: grants, loans and other opportunities (such as paying back your student loan through you employer). It will be the financial basis of your nursing student career.