Transition of test content to DSM-5 criteria and terminology
Posted: November 04, 2013

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) was released at the American Psychiatric Association’s Annual Meeting in May 2013. USMLE test content will be impacted by changes in criteria and terminology.

Because USMLE content pools are large, the transition from DSM-IV to DSM-5 criteria and terminology will need to be gradual and will likely take place over several years. The following principles will guide this transition:

The highest priority has been given to test content assessing diagnoses that do not appear in DSM-5. This content has already been removed from USMLE examinations.

USMLE will begin to transition content to include both DSM-IV and DSM-5 terminology. This process will begin in 2014. Start and end dates for this transition will vary by exam.