Outstanding! Mexican obtains exceptional score on US doctors’ exam

With an above average score, Jorge Akira Valdivia hopes to be admitted to prestigious American institutions

By Emanuel Estrada | Guadalajara Campus - 02/06/2020

Jorge Akira Valdivia, a medical student at Tec Guadalajara, obtained an outstanding score that few achieve on the USMLE international medical specialty exam.

Valdivia was exceptional in that he scored 251 points, when the world average is 230 and the average required in the first stage of that particular specialty is 236.

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), is a highly competitive exam that enables doctors to practice in the United States of America (USA).

Sobresale alumno del Tec Guadalajara por alto puntaje en Examen de Residencias Médicas de Estados Unidos USMLE — Jorge Akira Valdivia, who’s studying for a medical degree (MC) at Tec Guadalajara, scored 251 points on the United States medical residency exam.

There are 3 stages to this examination:

Step One.- the first hurdle is that it can only be taken once. Basic medical science such as anatomy and genetics is examined at this stage.
Step Two.- Evaluation of clinical knowledge to facilitate choosing a specialty.
Step Three.- Personal and communication skills are evaluated in the final phase.

Thousands of international students seek to enter prestigious institutions such as the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, but only those with the highest scores in Step One do so.

Valdivia prepared for just over a year to take the test in December 2019, for admission to the Texas Medical Center or the UC San Diego Medical Center in California.

Sobresale alumno del Tec Guadalajara por alto puntaje en Examen de Residencias Médicas de Estados Unidos USMLE

“It all started when we were given an evaluation test at the Tec, and after seeing my results, Dr. René Lucano encouraged me to take the USMLE,” Valdivia said.

He told us that key to his successful result was relying on peers who had already taken the exam and recommended study material.

“These achievements consolidate our educational model, positioning our students on the international stage,” said Gabriela Vázquez, Dean of Medicine for the Western Zone.

Vázquez explained that since the USA has become an international benchmark for medicine, the most prestigious institutions in this sector are found there.

Sobresale alumno del Tec Guadalajara por alto puntaje en Examen de Residencias Médicas de Estados Unidos USMLE

This achievement adds to those of the Guadalajara School of Medicine, which obtained first place in the National Medical Residency Exam (Examen Nacional de Residencias Médicas, ENARM) in 2019.