How to prepare for Step1 and Step 2 CK

With such a breadth of resources available, studying for the US Boards begins with determining which ones are the right for you. No two people will study the exact same way, so it's important to consider the best way that you personally learn/study. Included below is a non-exhaustive list of the resources used by a majority of students previously. Don't feel the need to use all of them! Some students get caught up trying to watch every last video lecture/do every last flashcard, and end up covering the same material multiple times!

Step 1 Resources:

First Aid for the USMLE STEP 1

While nothing in this list is necessarily mandatory, First Aid for the USLME STEP 1 is as close as it gets. This book contains quick bullet point style notes paired with well drawn diagrams and pathology slides to deliver a to-the-point summary on almost every topic you'll see in the actual board exam. Most of the other resources listed below build on this book, making it a very strong foundation.

Anki (Flashcards)

Anki by itself is a free digital flashcard software built upon the concept of spaced repetition: the idea that flashcards should be reviewed more or less frequently based upon how well a person knows them. The Anking is a medical student/resident who combined multiple Step 1 flashcard decks together to create the ultimate Step 1 deck. A variety of links are provided, where he demonstrates how to set up Anki and start memorizing!

Video Lectures

There are tons if video lecture resources online that all teach concepts in similar ways. Below are our recommendations, but again use the ones that work well for you!

Pathoma - Pathology focused lectures - High yield, very good!
Boards and Beyond - Complete lecture package; hit or miss but can be great
SketchyMicro - for visual learners, creates visual microbiology mnemonics - great!
SketchyPharm - for visual learners, creates visual pharmacology mnemonics - great!
SketchyPath - for visual learners, creates visual pharmacology mnemonics - not as good as others
SketchyBiochem - new
Osmosis Videos* - short complete lecture package; often not enough but great to build foundations on tricky concepts.
Divine Intervention podcast - While not video per se, he has hundreds of podcasts breaking down concepts. Great to listen to while exercising or on the go!

Question Banks

The final piece of your study routine! Question banks are the best way for you to test your knowledge, identify areas of weakness, and self-assess your readiness to take on the exam. It's strongly recommended to run through at least one Question Bank before taking Step 1.

In the Pre-Dedicated Period, we recommend some of the easier Question banks that may not necessarily emulate test day perfectly. These include USMLE-Rx and Kaplan.

In the Dedicated Period, We strongly recommend using UWorld and the NBMEs; These are your gold standard question banks, that emulate both the difficulty and length of the questions very well! NBME forms 20,21,22,23 and 18 are suggested. the Free 120 is also an option.

*Osmosis is more than just videos. It also offers its own set of flashcards along with an intelligent scheduling system that plans your study days for you based on the resources you tell it you have.

Step 2CK Resources:

Step 2 uses a lot of the same resources as Step 1. There are minor differences in how to study, but the main categories of resources stay the same. Here are the differences:

First Aid for the USMLE Step 2CK is not as important and more used as a reference textbook.
Anking's deck contains Step 2 specific sections which can be studied.
For Videos: Boards and Beyond has a Step 2 Section. Sketchy continues to remain relevant. A new resource called OnlineMedEd is available, which provides free/very cheap videos on the basics of Step 2 material.
Divine Intervention podcasts have great Step 2CK content.
Question Banks become the main study source, specifically UWorld and the NBMEs!! If you can only do one thing each night, do UWorld!!