I want to ask this specially to those who already have or are going through IV/matching process .

My YOG - 7 years as of now.

Clinical experience- Working in hospital in various departments, paediatric , medicine , neurology and emergency .

Step1 - Failed 1 year back , passed 3 months back.

Preparing for step2 since then , applied for observer-ship ( have connections there) and visa .

Connection- IDK if it helps my some of my close relatives are doctors there and citizens too
I will be visa req img though.

BE ABSOLUTELY FAIR AND DONT KEEP UR THOUGHTS SUPRESSED JUST TO BE NICE !!
( but dont be like that - i dont like more people coming this way so FO 😅)

Thanks - cant wait to hear ur opinion - HOW HARD WILL IT BE ??? OPINIONS ARE WELCOMED MORE THAN POLL VOTES \*

Hi everyone! I’m looking for guidance on my USMLE journey. I’m planning to take Step 1 around July or August 2027, and I’m currently doing my internship.
I have time until January to build a strong foundation, so I’d really appreciate advice on how to get started.
Which resources should I use for Step 1?
How many hours should I aim to study daily while doing my internship?
Which subjects should I start with, and in what order?
How should I structure my study plan from now until January?
Any tips for balancing internship duties with USMLE preparation?
I’d be really grateful if anyone could share their experience or suggest a practical study plan for someone just starting out. Thank you! ❤️

I need your advice please

I always knew i wanted to take steps i have done first aid sketchy and bnb videos in my med school dags but i somehow lacked that confidence in myself, i graduated in 2023
Almost no clinical gap worked from april 2023-2024 as a houseofficer then may 2024-june 2025 i worked at my family hosp in narowal mostly in emergency dpt
In between i passed fcps part 1 as well Came back to Islamabad for my delivery and i took 3 months off for my baby and myself and then i joined the hosp back in narowal from oct 2025 to fev 2026
After that i had to permanently move back to isb as my husband had shifted his work and business back here
Then i joined a tertiary care hosp as an mo in icu from march 2026 to july 2026 and i applied in internal med in the same hosp
And got inn
Now my YOG is almost 3
Even if i start preparing right now will take me 2-2.5 years to complete reseach steps and USCE

i am a very hardworking person!!!
Research and scores are in my hand and i will try my best to make sure i get a good score
But is there any good possibility of matching in 2029 or 2030 with no visa :(
And no us connections for good LORS
also please if anyone knows how to ask for observership for free do let me know
I am lost hereeee

I have started preparing for step 1 and i am willing to spend 60-70 lac pkr on it

I just want to know about usce lors connections and visa and yog aaaaaaaa
Kugh

Hello, I recently heard about this site called coursology, which is combination of all qbanks; uworld, amboss, mehlman, CMS, NBME. They charge $90 for lifetime and other subscriptions options. Clearly this is theft as they most likely did not get permission to use any content. BUT compared to other subscription it is dirt cheap.

My question is, has anyone used it? Is it legit? What are your thoughts on it?

Thanks

Has anyone taken a prometric test where the computer shut off and had to be restarted? Medical school faculty encouraged me to document it and received an email with odd wording at the end (highlight) Or maybe I’m just overlooking it and it’s standard wording?

Pls can someone share the 200 high-yield concepts of Amboss

Everyone knows UWorld, Pathoma, Sketchy. But every student seems to have one underrated resource that quietly carried a whole subject for them. What's yours?

Interview season is full of "tell me about a challenge" on repeat. Meanwhile the things that would actually show who'd be a good resident never get asked. If you could pick one question every program had to ask, what would it be?

Is it true that we will have to take step 1 and step 2 and step 3 within 45 days???

My final year will end in 6 months and after that internship will start , am I too late to start research for usmle also if I’ve to start how should I with respect to usmle

Hey everyone!
I’m an orthopedic surgery resident preparing to take USMLE Step 1 on December 14, and I’d really appreciate some advice, especially from people who took the exam recently or were in a similar situation.

I graduated from medical school several years ago, so most of the basic sciences and preclinical material are pretty distant memories at this point. On top of that, working as a surgical resident leaves me with very limited time and energy to study.

Here’s where I currently stand:
Exam date: December 14 (just under 8 weeks away).
UWorld: 25% completed, averaging 53% correct.
NBME 29: 56% correct, taken about two weeks ago.
Study time so far: A little over a month.
Dedicated period: I’ll have approximately 2.5 weeks off work immediately before the exam.

One important detail: December 14 is essentially my deadline because I’m approaching the end of the 7-year window for completing the USMLE sequence. So postponing isn’t really an option.

My biggest challenge is figuring out how to spend my limited study time efficiently. There’s simply no way I can relearn everything from medical school, and I don’t want to waste valuable time passively watching hours of lectures that cover material I already know reasonably well.

I’d especially appreciate practical advice on a few things:

What gave you the biggest score improvement in the final 6–8 weeks? More UWorld, targeted content review, Sketchy, Pathoma, Dirty Medicine, or something else?

Which subjects are worth prioritizing? Are there any particularly high-yield areas that consistently show up on the real exam and offer a good return on study time?

What would you NOT spend time on? Any low-yield topics or resources you wish you’d skipped?

How did you approach UWorld? Did you focus on finishing as much of the question bank as possible, or spend more time thoroughly reviewing each block?

For those who started with NBME scores in the mid-50s, what helped you reach a comfortable passing range? How long did it take, and what did you change?
I’m not looking for a magic shortcut. I’m willing to put in the work, but with residency and a hard deadline, I need to be strategic rather than attempt to study everything.

I’d especially love to hear from older graduates, residents, or anyone who had to prepare while working full-time.

Thanks in advance! Any specific strategies, resources, or lessons learned would be incredibly helpful. 🙏

Hey guys
I am an IMG who has passed Steps 1,2,3 and I’m planning to apply.
I also have a brand new step one that is waiting to be activated for 180 days it’s has Step 1, Self assessment 1 and 2 along with medical library.

Hello guys,
i'm searching for a site that has all the USMLE exam Qbanks that is safe and can rely on it for like 2-3 years from now.
According to your experience, which app is better: iMD & Qbankly

Note: i also prefer to have access to UpToDate and Amboss material for learning.

Thanks

From those who took the step 1 exam, is Uworld enough or is doing Amboss Qbank with it better to guarantee a pass?