Applying to residency and contemplating the likelihood of securing interviews can be stressful. You've dedicated your entire medical school career to studying, conducting research, taking exams, and presenting your best self on applications. With the transition of USMLE Step 1 to a pass/fail grading system, medical students now face heightened...

Beginning your journey of medical licensing exams can be a tough experience. As a recent DO graduate, I know the challenge of combining studying for the USMLE and COMLEX. For many, the dichotomy between the USMLE Step 2 and COMLEX Level 2 poses a unique set of hurdles—one that goes...

What is Anki   If you are a new medical student, you have undoubtedly been bombarded with Anki since starting. Its application has spread like wildfire among medical students countrywide and with good reason. Anki is a spaced repetition flashcard program that works on both mobile devices and your computer....

In my first clerkship, I quickly learned that the information medical students were expected to know was suddenly very different from the knowledge that got me through my pre-clerkship curriculum. Instead of the emphasis on basic science and foundations, the clerkship year and shelf exams required much more focus on...

Are you thinking about preparing for the USMLE Step 2 CK exam? Feeling overwhelmed about where to start or what resources to use? The USMLE Step 2 exam is a big hurdle for medical students, and there are seemingly endless resources available to prepare, leaving many students wondering where to...

Preparing for USMLE Step 2  is no small feat. You have spent hours dissecting UWorld questions and crushing your Shelf exams. All while still diligently learning how to be an exemplary physician in your classes and clerkship rotations. With so much on your plate, you may forget that one of...

Understanding the New NBME Score Reports for USMLE Step 1 and 2 Preparation   So you just finished an NBME practice exam and the score report pops up. Most students immediately focus on the big score reported at the top. However, there is a wealth of information you can glean...

Having scored in the 270-280 range on Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 of the USMLE, I am often asked by students questions like “What’s your secret?”, “How can I plan my study schedule to…

The USMLE Step 2CK is the second written medical school board exam and it is typically taken after one year of clinical rotations. With USMLE Step 1 becoming a pass/fail exam this coming January, reaching your Step 2CK score goal may become more important than ever.

There has recently been a wave of change where some medical students are opting to take USMLE Step 1 after clinical rotations either simultaneously or back-to-back with Step 2CK. Here are the pros and cons of taking this route.