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.

Believe it or not, scoring greater than the 99th percentile on Step 2 CK is possible for a select few who prepare well, take care of themselves, and get a little lucky. In this brief article, I’ve included eight steps I personally used to score a 270+ on Step 2 CK.

The NBME, or National Board of Medical Examiners, writes practice exams for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3. The NBME exams contain questions similar to those found on your step exams and are one of the best ways to practice your test-taking skills for Step 1, 2, or 3. But what is the best way to use the NBME practice exams?