Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between the live program and the online program?

The main difference is that the live lectures are very interactive. This means that the instructor interacts with the audience. We watch the face of the participants to be sure that the participants understand the lecture. Students are allowed to ask questions; and the instructor also asks questions to the audience. With the on-line course, obviously this is not possible. In addition, the one on one tutoring that is an important part of the live course is not part of the on line course.
In short, the on line course is NOT a substitute for the live lectures. We encourage you to attend the live course if at all possible. However, for those who are NOT able to attend the live course, this is the next best option.

Who benefits most from the online course?

Those who have previously attended the PASS Program can easily review a lecture in order to prepare for a presentation, or simply to keep up to date with the basic medical sciences and their clinical application. The student who already has strong test taking skills and merely needs to review the sciences again will also beefit.

Who will NOT benefit from the online course?

Students who have had difficulty in their past with test taking skills will need more intensive instruction by one of our instructors to acquire excellent test taking skills. Students who have failed the exam previously will benefit most from one on one private tutoring to address all of their academic difficulties. Finally, any student who is unsure of what the USMLE exam is about will do better by attending the live course.

How do you sign up for the online course?

You first need to decide whether you want to sign up for the entire course or for just part of it. If you want to sign up for the entire course, you need to do so as soon as possible. There is a limit on how many people can enroll for the entire course each month. After twenty five people have enrolled each month for the entire on line course, any other person requesting the entire course will be offered a spot in the next month. However, there is no limit on partial purchases of the course. So, register early.

What if there is difficulty with viewing the lectures on my computer?

A phone number will be provided for you to call for any questions or technical support.

Does this online course help with USMLE Step 2 and 3 prep?

The answer is a resounding yes. The basic science information, the concepts, and the clues that a student must know and master are the same for all of the USMLE exams. A lot of students are not aware of this. This is the reason why the PASS Program has continued to enjoy the highest scores and pass rate in the nation. You can ask otherstudents at your medical school who have attended our program for USMLE 2 and 3. We have many success stories to tell you about. We hope that you will be the next one.

Does this online course help with the COMLEX exam?

The answer is also a resounding yes. We have had many students attend our program for help on the COMLEX, part one and part two. We are averaging an increase to a student's score of 130 points. Remember that eighty percent of the COMLEX exam is the same basic medical sciences that the students taking the USMLE exam have to know. The on line course will strengthen your knowledge on the basic medical sciences so that you will get most of these questions correct.

After I complete the online course, what if I find that I need help with my test taking skills?

If you would like to purchase one on one tutorial sessions after you have completed the on line course, these can be purchased in one week packages (5 sessions per week) by calling our office. Unfortunately, at this time, this requires that you plan on coming to our classes in Champaign, Illinois. In the future, we plan on providing on line one on one tutoring. But, it is not yet available.

What if I have constructive feedback or the online course?

You will be able to link to a site where you can provide us constructive feedback that may help us provide even better service to our clients.

How many times can I watch/access a lecture?

You can watch a lecture that you have purchased as many times as you want during the 60 day time period that you have been given. Your access code allows you access for 60 days from the date of purchase. But, during that time period, you can watch the lecture more than once.

Is the information provided on the online course up to date?

All the information provided is current. Our plan is to update all the lectures by rerecording all of them every two years so that we can provide our students with all the latest changes in clinical management.

What is different about this online course compared to others?

The clear difference of the PASS Program is that we do not simply review diseases, drugs and details. We try to TEACH you the how and why of medical knowledge. In other words, we try to teach you how to think for yourself rather than give you endless details to memorize. As we say at the PASS Program, " we enlighten, encourage and empower."

Our Philosophy: The mission of the PASS PROGRAM is to inspire, encourage and empower medical students and physicians who enter our doors. We will not only teach them the basic medical sciences, but we will teach them how to clinically integrate their knowledge. In other words, we will encourage them not to merely memorize medical information, but empower them to clearly and clinically master that knowledge. We will maintain a positive learning environment at all times so that no student will feel ashamed or be embarrassed of his or her academic situation. For, in the end, our true mission is to show other medical institutions that even when a student may not look so promising with a poor academic history, with the individualized teaching sessions we have with all of our students, most of them can be helped to develop into academically strong, spiritually empowered, and outstandingly confident clinical physicians. With God as our inspiration, this will always be our mission.
Francis Emeka Ihejirika, M.D.

Our pass rate: is due to our ability to concentrate more time on the highest yield information so that time is not wasted. But, most of all, it is due to the fact that we spend one on one time with each of our students to help sharpen their understanding as well as their test taking skills. By observing how a student approaches a question we are able to discern their strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, we systematically help the student correct the areas that are creating poor academic test scores.
At PASS we strive to enlighten, encourage and empower students so that they are able to have a much better understanding of the medical sciences and the many clinical applications of that knowledge.

Is it possible to pass taking only the online course? It certainly is. If a student already has adequate test taking skills but simply needs to have a better understanding of the medical knowledge required to do well, the online course will provide you the information that you need.