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
Step 3
5 guides on Step 3 from Steps Ladder.
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
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.
- Step 1
- Step 2 CK
- Step 3
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
Planning the USMLE sequence across three years
The exams are spaced years apart but the decisions interact. A view of the whole sequence, and the choices that are cheap early and expensive late.
- Step 1
- Step 2 CK
- Step 3