If you’re a medical student deep in clinical rotations, you’ve probably heard the constant chatter about shelf exams and USMLE Step 2 CK. Maybe you’ve even asked yourself: Are shelf exams harder than Step 2 CK? Does Step 2 feel like a bunch of shelf exams stitched together? Can I...

So You Failed Step 2 CK—Now What?   Alright, take a deep breath. Failing Step 2 CK is not the end of your medical career. It’s a setback, sure, but setbacks happen. We all have them. The important thing is how you bounce back. Let’s go step by step to...

What is the USMLE Step 2 CK Exam?   USMLE Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) is an examination conducted by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) in the United States. It is one of the steps required for medical licensure in...

As you prepare for the high-stakes USMLE Step 2 exam, practice exams are a crucial tool to gauge your progress and identify areas for improvement. While many students rely on NBME and UWorld self-assessments, the AMBOSS Step 2 CK self-assessment offers another valuable tool for gauging readiness and reviewing key...

Almost all students preparing for the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 will take at least one (hopefully more!) practice test leading up to test day. While various practice tests are available to assess your performance, many students will turn directly to the NBME practice tests to estimate their chances...

Having scored above the 90th percentile on Step 2, students often ask “How do I get a 90th percentile score on Step 2?”, “How long should I study for Step 2 CK?”, and “What’s the best study plan for Step 2 CK?”   Mastering this exam is a combination of...

The USMLE Step 2 CK percentiles provide a benchmark to evaluate your performance compared to other test-takers. With Step 1 now pass/fail, Step 2 CK scores play an increasingly important role in residency applications, making a high percentile score critical for competitive specialties. This guide breaks down the latest percentile...

USMLE Step 2 is often compared to running a marathon. While I would argue that one could run two marathons (and perhaps even start a third) in the time it takes to sit for Step 2, the analogy nonetheless starts to capture the endurance required to sit for such an...

If you are about to start your dedicated study period for the USMLE Step 2CK, you may be asking yourself, “what are the best study books I should use to prepare for this test?” Well, look no further! Here at EMP, we provide a comprehensive review of the best study books for Step 2CK!

This blog was originally posted on January 17, 2023, and updated in December 2024.   Growing up, my studying always seemed to follow a natural sequence: learn new content, review that content, and then quiz yourself on that content with practice questions. The idea of beginning with the end, i.e.,...