USMLE & COMLEX Tutor in Washington, DC

Washington, DC has three MD schools, all private: George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences (1825), Georgetown University School of Medicine (1851) and Howard University College of Medicine (1868) (school list). Few students come from DC itself: in 2025-26 the share was 3.8% at George Washington, 3.4% at Georgetown and 1.6% at Howard (AAMC FACTS).

Applications far outnumber seats: George Washington had 17,194 for 130 first-year places, Georgetown 14,542 for 203 and Howard 8,908 for 128 (AAMC FACTS).

Medical schools in Washington, DC

School list: LCME and COCA accreditation lists, via the list of medical schools in the United States, checked October 2026.

Teaching hospitals in Washington, DC by city

• Washington: George Washington Univ Hospital; Howard University Hospital; Georgetown University Hospital; Sibley Memorial Hospital; Providence Hospital; Washington Hospital Center; National Rehabilitation Hospital; Children's Hospital; St. Elizabeths Hospital

Facts about Washington, DC

Accreditation: LCME directory; applications, places and in-state share: AAMC FACTS, Table A-1.

ABIM internal medicine certification exam by residency program: ABIM residency program pass rates; ABIM says to read rates from under 25 takers with caution.

• GW's clinical phase starts in April of the second year with a two-week Foundations of Clinical Practice course, then clerkships in internal medicine, pediatrics and surgery (8 weeks each), psychiatry and obstetrics/gynecology (6 weeks each) and primary care (4 weeks). (GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• GW's final phase, Transition to Advanced Clinical Practice, runs from the end of April of the third year to graduation, with 18 weeks of electives, an acting internship and unscheduled time for USMLE study and residency applications. (GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Georgetown's third-year clerkships are internal medicine and surgery (10 weeks each), obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics (6 weeks each), family medicine and psychiatry (4 weeks each), neurology (2 weeks) and a 2-week selective, followed by an OSCE before the fourth year. (Georgetown University School of Medicine)
• Georgetown runs two longitudinal integrated clerkships: a 22-week Baltimore LIC at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center for up to 12 students, and a 20-week DC Health Equity LIC at federally qualified health centers and hospital affiliates for up to 10. (Georgetown University School of Medicine)
• Howard University College of Medicine requires a pass on USMLE Step 1 for promotion to the third year, and a pass on Step 2 CK to take part in the NRMP Match and to graduate. (Howard University College of Medicine)
• Howard's 2025-2026 schedule has second-year students sit the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Exam on April 17, 2026, study for Step 1 from April 18 to June 9, and names June 10 as the recommended day to sit Step 1 for the Class of 2028; a passing score was due by July 8 to begin third-year rotations in July 2026. (Howard University College of Medicine)

Sources: LCME, directory of accredited U.S. programs (checked October 29, 2026); AAMC FACTS, Table A-1, 2025-2026 (checked October 29, 2026); GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, MD Curriculum (checked November 1, 2026); Georgetown University School of Medicine, Third Year Clerkships (checked November 1, 2026); Howard University College of Medicine, Schedules Booklet 2025-2026 (checked November 1, 2026); ABIM, residency program pass rates 2023-2025 (checked October 29, 2026).

When DC students sit Step 1

Howard is explicit: a Step 1 pass is required for promotion to the third year. Its 2025-2026 schedule has second-year students sit the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Exam on April 17, 2026, gives a Step 1 study period from April 18 to June 9, and names June 10 as the recommended test day for the Class of 2028, with a passing score due by July 8 to begin third-year rotations (Howard schedules booklet).

That is about seven and a half weeks of dedicated study and four weeks between the recommended test day and the score deadline. The CBSE at the start makes a useful baseline; our NBME CBSE guide explains how to read it, and a student whose CBSE is well short of passing should talk to the school early rather than test on June 10 regardless.

At GW the clinical phase starts in April of the second year with a two-week Foundations of Clinical Practice course, and the final phase, from the end of April of the third year, includes unscheduled time for USMLE study (GW curriculum). GW's curriculum page gives no Step 1 date, so ask the school when it expects you to test; the April clerkship start is the edge any preclinical study plan has to fit inside.

DC clerkships and shelf exams

Georgetown's third-year clerkships run internal medicine and surgery for 10 weeks each, obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics for 6, family medicine and psychiatry for 4, neurology for 2 and a 2-week selective, with an OSCE before the fourth year (Georgetown). GW's internal medicine, pediatrics and surgery clerkships are 8 weeks each (GW curriculum), so the same medicine shelf arrives after different amounts of ward time depending on the school.

Georgetown also runs two longitudinal integrated clerkships: a 22-week Baltimore LIC at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center for up to 12 students and a 20-week DC Health Equity LIC at federally qualified health centers and hospital affiliates for up to 10 (Georgetown). LIC students meet several disciplines' objectives at once, so their shelf review for those subjects runs in parallel rather than one block at a time.

Howard adds a Step 2 CK requirement: a pass is needed to take part in the NRMP Match and to graduate (Howard schedules booklet). Plan Step 2 CK early enough in the fourth year for the score to be back before rank lists close.

Which board exams Washington, DC students take

All three DC schools, George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Georgetown University School of Medicine and Howard University College of Medicine, grant the MD, so their students take the USMLE: Step 1 (pass/fail since January 26, 2022), Step 2 CK and Step 3 (USMLE). Step 3 carries DC's own attempt rule, three tries before one more year of postgraduate training is required (FSMB).

DC has no osteopathic college of its own, but DO students from other states who train in its hospitals take COMLEX-USA (NBOME), which DC's board does not limit by attempts or time (FSMB).

Residency adds the ABIM exam for internal medicine graduates: in 2023-2025, four DC programs reported first-time pass rates between 85% and 98% (ABIM).

Washington, DC licensing rules that affect your exam plan

The FSMB lists one set of rules for DC. Its attempt rule targets Step 3 alone: three attempts, after which one additional year of postgraduate training is required (FSMB). The USMLE must be completed within seven years, COMLEX carries no limit, and a first license needs one year of training, or three for international graduates (FSMB).

Source: FSMB state licensure requirements, checked October 2026; confirm with the board before relying on them.

What Washington, DC's rules mean for how you study

• FSMB lists DC's attempt rule for Step 3 only: after three attempts, one additional year of postgraduate training is required (FSMB). Treat Step 3 as the exam to sit only once practice scores hold steady.
• For Step 1 and Step 2 CK, FSMB's DC entry lists no attempt rule, so the USMLE program's limit of four attempts per Step applies (USMLE eligibility rules). Treat that ceiling as a safety net, not a plan.
• DC gives seven years to complete the USMLE and sets no limit on COMLEX (FSMB). A research year or leave of absence can use up part of that window, so line up all three Steps before you pause.
• A first DC license needs one year of postgraduate training, or three for international medical graduates (FSMB). IMGs aiming for DC programs should build that longer training requirement into their timeline from the start.

Many Washington, DC students rotate, interview or match next door. Washington, DC's neighbors on our list: Maryland (3 MD, 1 DO), Virginia (4 MD, 2 DO).

How much Washington, DC searches for board prep

DC ranks first of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for “USMLE”, “USMLE Step 1”, “USMLE Step 2” and “Shelf exam”, and 31st for “COMLEX” (Google Trends, United States, October 2021 to October 2026). A rank reflects share of searches, not headcount, so a compact city with three MD schools can outrank much larger states. The soft spot is COMLEX, which fits a city with no DO college.

Source: Google Trends, United States, past 5 years, retrieved October 2026; ranks show relative interest, not student numbers.