USMLE, or the United States Medical Licensing Examination program, is a comprehensive evaluation system that grants licenses to practice medicine in the United States and its territories. The program is owned by two organizations, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). The FSMB represents over 70 state medical boards and is responsible for licensing physicians, investigating patient complaints, and disciplining physicians who violate the law.

The NBME offers a wide range of high-quality assessments and educational services for students, professionals, educators, regulators, and institutions involved in medical education and healthcare. The USMLE program provides a common evaluation system that allows medical licensing authorities to assess the qualifications of applicants for initial medical licensure. The program ensures that all licensed MDs meet the same standards, regardless of their training background.

USMLE is governed by a committee comprising members from the ECFMG, FSMB, NBME, and the public. This committee oversees the program's direction, scoring procedures, pass/fail standards, and significant policies. The mission of USMLE is to support medical licensing authorities by delivering high-quality assessments that provide meaningful information on physician characteristics crucial for safe and effective patient care.

The program aims to engage medical educators, clinicians, and licensing authority members in assessment design and development. USMLE also strives for fairness, equity, and continuous improvement in its assessments. Overall, USMLE plays a vital role in ensuring that physicians in the United States meet rigorous standards to safeguard patient care and safety