Passing Usmle Step 1 exam is a crucial step in your medical career. This exam is also competitive as MS2 students in the US and foreign states also appear for the Boards. Learn to frame the right USMLE Study Schedule to ace the exam.

How long do you need to prepare?

Plan a Schedule according to the time requirement. Preparing for the USMLE Step 1 is quite tough unless you have learnt basic sciences during MS1 and MS2. If you concentrate in the class, then six weeks should be perfect for your preparation. But if you missed many lectures, then we recommend that you enroll in an 8-week prep course or tutorial.

How to use the allotted time?

Once you have estimated the vital time, break it into four parts:

Week 1:

Since it is the first week of your Study Schedule, jumping straight into the core topics will make you tense. This will be an introduction to your six-week schedule. Get comfortable with all the topics in the syllabus. Watch videos or skim through what you have learnt and make a note of it.

Weeks 2 & 3:

By this time, you would have identified your strength and weakness.. So, this is the time to make good use of all the available resources to excel in them. The portions for the Boards is vast, so don’t skip any topic. Learn and understand each concept. You can also watch tutorials to get a better idea. Stay focused!

Week 4 & 5:

Now, you have already mastered most topics for the USMLE Step 1 and its time to refresh. Take one topic a day and review all the concepts related to it with the help of Pathoma or First Aid. Also, go for the timed test of 46 to 50 questions at the end of the day.

Week 6:

This is the last week of the exam prep and time to stay relaxed. Don’t learn any new concepts now. If you have been sticking to the schedule, then you are prepared. Flashcards or question banks work best!

What should your daily schedule include?

The schedule for each day of the prep must include every activity you perform that day. Include the bathing time, lunch or relaxing break, time to go to bed, and so on. Studying for four to five hours may tire you, so combine videos or solving questions, etc. Also, make a manual to track notes and prepare key notes, annotations for your First Aid while you study. Take as many tests as possible and keep track of NBME score taken at the end of each week.

Don’t cram the day before the exam. Take a break, go out for a movie or relax at home. You have studied enough to pass. Good luck!