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Fixed exam dates and your Step sequence
Designated testing dates from January 2029 turn exam timing from a preference into a constraint. What that does to planning Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3.
Read the full guide →The USMLE is a sequence, not a single exam
Planning the whole USMLE sequence rather than one exam at a time. How Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3 fit around preclinical years, clerkships and residency applications, and where the decisions actually compound.
More from Steps Ladder
news
Registration changed for Step 3 too
The January 2026 service transition moved Step 3 registration for US graduates to NBME. Easy to miss, because it lands years after you learn the process.
- Step 3
- Step 1
- Step 2 CK
news
The software change, Step by Step
The new test delivery software reached Step 3 first, then Step 1 and Step 2 CK. What it means at each stage, and why Step 3 candidates saw the biggest shift.
- Step 1
- Step 2 CK
- Step 3
A realistic six-week Step 1 study schedule
How to structure six weeks of dedicated Step 1 study, daily question volume, review time, practice exam placement and the mistakes that cost the most points.
- Step 1
- Study strategy
comparison
UWorld vs QBankly: how to choose a Step 1 question bank
Comparing UWorld and QBankly for Step 1 on question style, explanation depth and analytics, and which suits which student.
- Question banks
- Step 1
When to take Step 3, and why the timing is not obvious
Step 3 is usually a residency problem, but the timing has real consequences and for some applicants it is a decision worth making much earlier.
- Step 3
- Study strategy
- IMG pathway
How not to waste the Step 1 to Step 2 CK gap
The months between the two exams are where most of the compounding happens, and where most students quietly lose ground.
- Step 1
- Step 2 CK
- Study strategy