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USMLE Step 3 2025 Exam Dates and Costs

7 min

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A doctor wearing a lab coat holding a graduation cap after having completed his USMLE Step 3 exam.

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USMLE Step 3 is the final exam in the series for obtaining a medical license. In this blog, we'll discuss the USMLE Step 3 2025 exam dates, costs, registration, and required materials.     USMLE Step 3 Format   Unlike the prior two Step exams, Step 3 is administered over...

Creating a Personalized Study Schedule with AI

13 min

16433 Views

A doctor in scrubs holding a floating graphic of a calendar.

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The rapid advancement of AI, particularly large language models like ChatGPT, has introduced new possibilities for medical and premedical students looking to optimize their study strategies. AI is now widely used in medical education, from generating personalized study schedules to assisting with active recall and spaced repetition. In the past,...

The Hardest Residency Specialties and What to Expect

27 min

61302 Views

A resident that has matched into one of the most difficult specialties to match into standing in a hospital, wearing scrubs.

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This blog was originally published in 2023 by Dr. Alina Khil and updated for accuracy in February 2025 by Dr. Coco Stewart. The Hardest Medical Specialties to Match Into   Choosing a medical specialty is a challenging task, especially when it comes to many of the more competitive specialties. Is it...

SOAPing Into a Competitive Residency Program

9 min

3514 Views

Two medical residents reviewing a document on a clipboard.

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The last thing on most students’ minds going through the SOAP is, “how do I match into a competitive program?” The truth is, most SOAPing medical students just hope they Match into a residency program at all. But, the best applicants make the most of this tough situation. Sometimes, these...

2025 Guide to Interpreting NBME Practice Exams for Step 1 and Step 2

A medical school student taking an NBME practice test for USMLE prep in a living room in front of a desktop computer.

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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...

Step 2 CK Percentiles: What You Need to Know

19 min

33210 Views

Two medical school students on their clinical rotations studying for Step 2 CK in front of a laptop, wearing scrubs.

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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 1 2025 Exam Dates and Costs

10 min

42102 Views

Medical school students taking the USMLE Step 1 in a computer room in a Prometric testing center.

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The USMLE Step 1 exam is an important early step in the career of any aspiring US-licensed doctor. In this blog post we will review some frequently asked questions about the exam. This includes USMLE Step 1 2025 exam dates and costs, the scope and length of the exam and...

Best Study Books for the Step 2 CK 2025

A medical school student looking for Step 2 CK textbooks in the library.

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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!

Guide to Using UWorld For Step 2 CK

18 min

26354 Views

A medical school student using UWorld to study for the USMLE Step 2 CK in a library in front of a laptop.

26354 Views

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.,...

Step 2 CK Breakdown by Subject for Better Results

17 min

25297 Views

A medical school student studying for the USMLE Step 2 CK in front of a laptop at home.

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This blog was originally posted on November 22, 2022, and updated by Dr. Ria Patel in November 2024.   The USMLE Step 2 CK is a challenging exam that tests a wide range of clinical knowledge and skills across multiple subjects. Understanding the Step 2 CK breakdown by subject is...

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