About the Author

Kathleen Oakes

Katie has extensive experience tutoring at all levels in various subjects throughout college and medical school, as well as experience helping students with standardized test preparation.

When to Take Step 2 CK for the 2026 Residency Match

9 min

19324 Views

A group of medical students studying for their Step 2 exam, sitting in front of a lap top.

19324 Views

The Step 2 CK exam score is one of the top factors residency programs use when selecting candidates to interview. Most students in the United States take the USMLE Step 2 CK after their third-year clinical rotations—typically between May and July—to align with residency application timelines. This schedule ensures you...

How to Make the Most of UWorld USMLE Step 1 Flashcards

11 min

4955 Views

A medical school student studying for the USMLE Step 1 using UWorld flashcards, sitting at a desk in front of a laptop and notebook.

4955 Views

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that is very useful for learning and remembering information over an extended time. Many students find it to be essential to their study habits in medical school. It can be especially important when preparing for Step 1, which tests all the basic science knowledge...

Understanding Cloze Deletion for MCAT Studying

8 min

2561 Views

A medical school student studying for USMLE Step 1, using UWorld's flashcard feature, in front of a laptop.

2561 Views

Cloze deletion is the concept of removing key information from a statement and using active recall to come up with the missing detail. This is essentially a fill-in-the-blank question, and it can be a very effective way to study for the MCAT.   Flashcards are the best vehicle for creating...

When to Take the NBME Practice Exams

7 min

7702 Views

A medical school student taking an NBME practice exam in a library on her laptop.

7702 Views

Deciding when to take practice exams is a dilemma that many students face when preparing for USMLE Step 1. Practice NBME exams are undoubtedly one of the most useful and important resources you will use in your Step 1 preparation. They can help you assess your own readiness to pass...

Which USMLE Step Exam is the Hardest?

7 min

23309 Views

A frustrated medical school student studying for the USMLE in front of a pile of textbooks.

23309 Views

The USMLE Step exams are one of the most important and anxiety-inducing aspects of medical training. Step 1 is an exam that most medical students take in their second or third year of school, which tests basic science knowledge relevant to the practice of medicine. Students generally take Step 2...

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