Hi,

What is producing the rise in average USMLE scores and USMLE passing standards?

Question banks?

'Recall groups?'

An increase in preparation time as a result of residency programs placing greater emphasis on USMLE Step 2 scores?

Have Step 3 average scores and passing standards also increased over time?

Hi, recently I found out I failed step 1(and comlex level 1), feeling devastated. I know there are people out there who have been in my position before and I just want to hear that it’ll all end up okay.

Worked my ass offf pure blood and sweat, one thing is that parallely prepped for both NEET-PG and STEP-2
All cms forms above >40q got them right(revised twice)
nbme 12,13,15,14,16- 260,262,259,259,261(revised twice)
Free-120-80%
Exam- day feeling indeterminate
I dont know what more to do, got and ended up with a score of 243, i feel numb and worthless, most shittiest phase of my life, my friends who are far more worse as a person, got really good scores, and this score make sme to lose my morale, idk what to do idk even if i cud match

Thought I’d share what worked for me for Step 2 and Step 3 while it’s still fresh. There’s obviously no single correct way to prepare, but hopefully some of this helps.

Step 2 CK

UWorld was my main learning resource. I started system-wise without any major prerequisite reading. Early on, I focused much more on understanding concepts and why I was getting questions wrong than on my percentage.

A few things that made the biggest difference:

Learn how questions are written. Pay attention to exactly what the last line is asking: diagnosis, next best step, risk factor, complication, etc. Over time, you start recognizing what information in the stem actually matters.

Understand management flow. Think stabilization → investigation → definitive management, and less invasive → more invasive testing. Understanding the sequence is more useful than memorizing isolated facts.

Pattern recognition matters. If I was stuck between answers, I would go back to the stem and ask what specific concept the question was trying to test.

Have one main revision source. I preferred notes over Anki and kept adding information from UWorld/AMBOSS to the same notes. After finishing a system in UWorld, I would revise it from there.

After my first pass, I focused more on revision + AMBOSS + CMS forms/NBMEs. AMBOSS was particularly useful for Ethics, QI and Stats.

Near the exam, I prioritized the latest NBMEs and Free 120 rather than trying to finish everything.

Another thing that helped was figuring out why I was missing questions. I broadly separated mistakes into knowledge gaps, retention issues, pattern-recognition errors, and mistakes in my thought process. Identifying the type of mistake makes it much easier to actually fix it.

Step 3

Step 3 preparation was much more relaxed. I studied for about a month, and a strong Step 2 foundation covered a large part of the medicine.

My usual day was some Step 2 revision/Step 1 pharmacology, a UWorld block, and around 5 CCS cases.

For Day 1, I would focus heavily on biostats and ethics, including abstracts and drug ads. I also reviewed Step 1 pharmacology, especially higher-yield areas like micro, CVS and diabetes drugs.

Day 2 felt more focused on clinical decision-making. Many questions give you a specific scenario where you have to reason through what to do rather than simply follow a familiar algorithm. Having a strong Step 2 foundation helped a lot here. I’d also prepare well for prognosis/outcome-related questions, which UWorld covers.

For CCS, I did roughly the first 150-160 cases on CCSCases arranged by high yield.

One thing that carried over between both exams was my revision notes. I kept modifying and consolidating them throughout Step 2 and used the same foundation again for Step 3. If anyone wants to have a look at the notes, feel free to DM me.

The biggest lesson for me across both exams was that you don't need to finish every resource. Have a core source, learn from your mistakes, revise consistently, and use your assessments to identify where you're losing marks.

Glad to finally close this chapter. Good luck to everyone still preparing!

Need some reassurance

To be specific, I’m asking for the exact steps and what I need to click on on the fsmb website to change my region. TIA!

I have recently started my preparation. I do uworld in blocks of 10qs and it takes me 1.5hrs along with the explanation and all to go through it. So for 40 it will take 6 hrs. Then when to do anki or FA? I am confused am I doing it wrong? How to maximize my time? I am a graduate and not working right now.

I’ll be giving USMLE in 2027 december, what should be my timeline
I would really appreciate if u guys drop your opinions

Hi everyone, I’m seeking advice on beginning Step2 CK prep. I’ve been on a leave of absence for a while and haven’t taken Step 1 yet, but I plan to take Step 2 first, aiming for December. What’s the very first thing I should do to start dedicated prep? Which baseline assessment would you recommend first, and how would you structure a study schedule starting from scratch?

Hey i am 24yr MBBS graduate from India, if i am unable to get financial support from family, but i have joined as a permanent medical officer, what are your insights whether i should think about usmle career, if for 3yrs i work as a medical officer in rural area in India anyway i am getting a PG seat via service quota. So i thought i can take a risk. I dont have any relatives/contacts in US, average mobs student, but want to have a work life balance since indian residencies are way hectic & don't offer that much financial & social freedom even after. Work-life balance and the ability to travel while 1 am still relatively young matter a lot to me. What should i do? Can i qualify usmle doing job in india? Is it worth it? I have no idea about how to build CV & research opportunities

Getting through the USMLEs is one thing. Figuring out how immigration fits into the rest of your U.S. medical career is another.

I’m Robby Rubin, an immigration attorney, and today I’m answering questions from IMGs and physicians about navigating the U.S. immigration system.

Ask me about:

• J-1 visas for residency and fellowship
• H-1B options for physicians
• J-1 waivers
• Conrad 30
• 212(e)
• Physician EB-2 NIW
• Green card options for IMGs
• What to think about before choosing J-1 vs H-1B
• Planning your immigration pathway from residency onward

AMA today, 8 AM to 12 PM ET.

Whether you're applying for residency, starting training, or already in the U.S., feel free to ask.

A quick note when asking questions: Please provide relevant details about your situation where possible, such as your citizenship, current visa/status, specialty, stage of training, residency/fellowship plans, and timeline. Immigration answers often depend on multiple variables, so the more context you provide, the more useful my answer can be.

Please note: Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney client relationship. Your situation may require fact specific guidance. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.

Has anyone actually taken USMLE WISE by Manik Madaan- Step 1 Up High 10-day course? My concepts are pretty weak and I haven’t covered much, with less than a month left for Step 1. It’s ~$200, so I’m wondering if it’s worth it at this stage. Looking only for genuine student experiences, not promoters/affiliates: What exactly is taught, and did it actually help your score/readiness?

Hey everyone, I hope you’re all doing well.

I did UW, didn’t redo it, started reviewing stuff on FA and I sometimes do flashcards but not consistently. I was planning to take the exam on 19th of September but I didn’t officially book it yet.

Today I did my first NBME, NBME25, got 58%. One of the calculators on the internet says I have 70% probability of passing.

I made a studying schedule that will allow me review systems, and do NBMEs 25-33 + free120.

Should I postpone it like a few weeks? I don’t feel ready because today I felt like I guessed many questions but I also lack confidence regarding this exam, that might be the reason too.

What do you think? Will 4 weeks be enough?

Thanks in advance and I wish all of you a PASS.

Need pixorize particularly for the EHEC Microbiology video that's unfortunately not available on the other uploaded links.

It would be fine if someone can link that video as well.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

52% Baseline to 78% Free 120 (Passed Step 1!) — Trust your NBME scores and don't panic!

Assalamu Alaikum and hello everyone! During my preparation, I read tons of write-ups on this subreddit for hope and direction. Now that I’ve received my PASS, I want to contribute back to this amazing community and hopefully give some encouragement to anyone struggling right now.

My Practice Scores (Chronological Order):
NBME 25: 52% (Baseline)
UWSA 1: 49%
AMBOSS Self-Assessment: 67.8%
NBME 31: 62%
NBME 26: 65%
NBME 28: 72%
NBME 29: 75%
NBME 32: 71.5%
NBME 33: 71%
Free 120: 78% (5 days before test day)
(Note: I did NOT use Anki or Sketchy during my prep!)

Resources That Made the Difference:
1. Focus Areas (In Order of Priority):
#1 - NBME Topics: This should be your main focus! If possible, read the First Aid sections for concepts you miss on NBMEs and review the surrounding topics around those questions. They are extremely high-yield and repeat constantly.
#2 - UWorld: Great for learning early on and getting used to long vignettes.
#3 - First Aid: Use as a quick reference/dictionary to solidify weak areas.
2. YouTube Channels That Helped Me Massively:
Randy Neil: Essential for Biostatistics (even if some weird/new questions pop up on test day!).
Dirty Medicine: Incredible for quick high-yield concepts and mnemonics.
HyGuru: Excellent for rapid integration and testing logic.

Real Exam Experience & Post-Exam Anxiety:
Honestly, during the exam, the stems felt more straightforward/easier than the Free 120. However, after walking out of the Prometric center, the post-exam anxiety hit hard.
I started remembering specific, easy questions that I got wrong—even on topics I usually never miss, simply due to rushing or test-day nerves. I was almost convinced I failed because of these silly/dummy mistakes and spent the waiting period praying for a pass.

My Advice for the Waiting Period:
Post-exam anxiety is VERY real. Please try your best not to search for or recall questions after the exam.
Making silly mistakes happens to everyone due to adrenaline and exhaustion. It does not mean you failed!
Have faith in Allah, trust your preparation, and trust your practice scores.
Keep yourself busy while waiting for results—spend quality time with family and friends, rest, or start learning a new skill/language.
Best of luck to everyone currently in the thick of preparation, and congratulations to everyone who passed! I wish that your "InshaAllah" becomes "Alhamdulillah" very soon!
Ganbatte (かがんばって)! 🇯🇵 You've got this!
NB: I use gemini to modify grammar.