Top 5 USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Strategies to Help You Score High

Preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is often thought of as strenuous and stressful for medical students as it determines a medical student’s success in becoming a doctor. The USMLE is divided into three sections. The exam assesses one’s ability to utilize concepts and knowledge previously attained. 

Below are the minimum scores needed to pass each step of the USMLE:i

Step 1: 194 

Step 2 CK: * 209 

Step 3: 196 

*Step 2 CS is reported as Pass/Fail 

Examinees usually apply for residency after taking and passing both the USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 CK. Scores obtained on these exams do not guarantee residency. However, they do make a resident applicant more attractive to residency programs, which therefore increases the chances of the applicant receiving a match. 

To determine if an exam score is competitive, many medical students reference the National Resident Matching Program’s “Charting Outcomes in the Match: U.S. Allopathic Seniors” document, which is released yearly. This document breaks down average test scores by specialty, including both USMLE Step 1 scores and USMLE Step 2 scores. For example, per the 2018 version of the document, a Step 1 exam applicant aiming to match a neurology residency program should aim to achieve a score above 231, as 231 was the mean USMLE Step 1 score.ii If you receive low scores on Step 1 or Step 2, it is advised to avoid highly competitive specialties. 

At this point, you may be asking yourself how you should prepare to receive high scores. Below are our top 5 USMLE preparation tips to help you not only pass but to help you conquer the exams:

1. Set a Study Schedule

Determine how long you would like to spend each day studying. Are you going to study for two hours a day or try to study for six? When would you like to review biostatics, neuromuscular physiology, or immunodeficiencies? When creating a studying schedule, it is very beneficial to determine when you want to study each topic. That way, you will guarantee that you will get through all of the subjects during your schedule. Make sure to schedule some buffer days to go over subjects you struggle with. 

2. Study with Notecards 

Notecards are great tools to study with as they engage active recall and metacognition. Using notecards with USMLE sample questions are actually more effective than rereading a passage in a textbook because they essentially force you to remember something if you continue to practice the cards that you fail to remember. As you go through a notecard stack and continually ask yourself what the correct answer is and compare your answer to the correct answer, you are essentially ingraining memories into your head. This process is known as metacognition.iii

3. Find a Tutor 

Various academic studies have been performed to evaluate the effects of online tutoring. Tutoring has been shown to not only increase exam scores but also has been proven to help students grasp difficult topics at a faster rate compared to students who were not tutored on a specific subject, increase confidence while taking an exam, and improve overall studying skills. 

4. Take National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Assessments 

Practice exams featuring USMLE questions are a proven strategy to being successful because they are an essential tool in determining what you know vs. what you need to study more. After you have studied all of the topics that will be on your exam, take an NBME. Dr. Alexander Alsadi, a doctor who scored a 254 on the USMLE Step 1 Exam, recommends taking multiple NBMEs to ensure success on the actual exam. During his preparation, Dr. Alsadi took six NBMEs before he was confident that he would obtain a high score on the exam. After each assessment, he would evaluate the NBME score breakdown to determine what he needed to review again. 

“[In the NBME score breakdowns] you see what your weaknesses are. So if I was studying for the exam & did very well on a lot of the categories but I noticed my biochem was at below average/ average, or my anatomy was below average/average, I would take the next 3 or 4 days to just hammer those topics... I would constantly be working on weaknesses over and over and over again until my weaknesses were my strengths,” Dr. Alsadi said in a MEDspiration® video.iv

5. Sign up for a USMLE Exam Review Course 

Finding and signing up for a review course that offers a structured study schedule, study materials, tutoring, and NBME assessments is the perfect way to prepare for a USMLE exam. 

PASS Program offers USMLE exam review courses and has been helping students pass their exams since 1996. With more than 1,000 students entering their programs each year, PASS Program is considered to be one of the top exam prep providers for the USMLE exam.

To receive 10 percent off USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 PASS Program review courses, use code EduMind10 when registering. Register now for a USMLE course to start preparing to score high on the exams. 

References:

i. United States Medical Licensing Examination. Scores and Transcripts. Retrieved from
https://www.usmle.org/transcripts/

ii. The Match National Resident Matching Program®. Charting Outcomes in the Match: U.S. Allopathic Seniors. Retrieved from
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Charting-Outcomes-in-the-Match-2018-Seniors.pdf

iii. Are Flashcards an Effective Learning Tool? Retrieved from
https://voxy.com/blog/2011/05/are-flashcards-an-effective-learning-tool-infographic/

iv. Alsadi, A (Narrator). How I scored a 254 on SSMLE Step 1. [Video] Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WQakYNRmss