About the exam
The United States Medical Licensing Examination or USMLE is a multi-day, three-step examination. The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) sponsor USMLE.
The examination has three steps:
• Step 2 divided into two parts
o Clinical Knowledge (CK) and
o Clinical Skills (CS)

• USMLE has Prometric Test Centres for Step 1 and 2 around the world, while test centres for Step 3 is only available in the US
To get the degree, most of the US medical schools require students to clear step 1 and in some schools step 2 as well. The format of Step 1 and Step 2 (CK) are essentially multiple-choice questions and are computer-based.
Step 2 (CS) comprises of a simulated patient or sample patient encounter.
Step 3, the final test of medical licensure, is a computer-based clinical simulation test. Students typically appear for Step 1 in the second year of the medical school and Step 2 during the third and fourth year. You can appear for Step 3 only after you have cleared Step 1 and 2 and have obtained your degree.

How to prepare for the exam?
USMLE evaluates your basic medical science comprehension and ability to apply clinical knowledge and clinical skills that are vital in understanding diseases and examining and curing patients. So, before you even begin, you need to plan and strategize meticulously for medical exam Prep. Although there is no set rule or guide to pull off USMLE, following steps will surely give you an edge:
• Plan – You need to plan at a micro level before beginning the medical Exam prep. You need to outline your study hours, marking specifically the time duration for studying new topics and subsequently reviewing them. You may opt to study alone or collectively with friends as well. Planning for the examination is the best way to make yourself prepared in advance. It allows your mind to understand the concept and work towards it.
• Resources – Books and study material are crucial in self-study. So, depending upon your learning level, select the resources. You should embark your medical exam prep with First Aid books and Rapid Review books, and you may also want to invest in flash cards. You must subscribe with a question bank which will prove beneficial during the later stages. Check online to some good resources of books to prepare and accordingly work over it. You can even seek advice from medical experts about the right resource.
• Goal – Each step in the USMLE has a specified passing mark, and you can also find the average scoring marks. You should set your target score above the average passing marks to excel in the exam. Set a proper goal and work towards it to get highest possible mark in the medical exam.
• Practice – Practice scores of questions on daily basis. Question bank subscription comes handy here. Give yourself a target of solving a specific number of questions per day and follow it religiously. At the end of the day, review your results. Practice is the best way to understand every topic and accordingly work on it.
• Test yourself – To assess your progress, you must test yourself with the practice tests. After each practice test, compare your score with your ‘target score’ and identify your weak areas. Analyse the number of questions you answered correctly and identify the number of right answers you need more to surpass your ‘target score’. Mock testing is the best and help you prepare for the exam way in advance.
• Rest yourself – Medical exam prep demands rigorous hard work. But you also must ensure the continuity of your preparation for which you must award yourself with sufficient rest and recreational activities. This way, you will remain motivated. Resting your mind and body is the best way to keep you moving ahead.

You may devise your own method for your medical Exam prep, but the one key thing which you must maintain throughout your preparation is discipline.

Conclusion
Not all students have same learning level. So, determine your abilities and select what is best for you. You may study by yourself or choose to join a study program as well. In either case, an efficient medical exam prep plan followed by a dedicated and focused approach will take you successfully to the finishing line. The aim is to ace the exam with flying colours.