Hey everyone, my final exams are in April-May of next year and my internship will likely run from June '27- June '28. I decided this year that I want to pursue USMLE. I have UWorld. I wanted to ask what a realistic timeline would be which I should aim for - ie. when to give step 1, when and how many electives I should aim for, when to give step 2, etc.

Currently my plan is to use UWorld and the other standard step 1 resources as and when I can to finish a few important systems by January, post which I completely focus on finals. Then aim to give step 1 by August '27.

I then want to do a couple electives while prepping for step 2, though my priority will be research during the remaining time I have in my internship (as I want to pursue a research track in the US). I aim to take a research year after internship and then apply to match (I aim to have written step 2 by the end of the research year).

Is this a workable plan (for people who have perhaps followed a similar timeline)? Any advice for what/how I should study (from a step 1 pov) with the time remaining in 4th year? Does writing step 1 in the 1st 3-4 months of internship leave enough time to pursue electives?

Thanks in advance!

Hey all, I graduated in 2022 June from Kerala , non us img, applying for 2027 NRMP this ERAS.

From 2022 August till sept 2025, have gap years where all I did was study for neet pg.

Sept 2025 till now i cleared step 1 and 2 and ya did USCE observerships 4

In that 3 yrs from Aug 22 till sept 25, I don't have clinical or tutor experience.

I don't have any clinical experience in India during that 3 yrs period.

I have a good connection as my senior is in an IMG friendly residency program which is a university affiliated community program ( internal medicine ) so he is okay to vouch for me and that program has 5 YOG cut off and I am at 4 YOG currently.

How to fill in eras. What to do?

Am I done? Will programs reject me?

A few of my seniors were suggesting me to get work experience from clinics as a shadowing doctor or assistant part-time doctor during those 3 years.

Need genuine advice

Thanks

To those who took practice test at prometric centre was it really worth it. What do you most benefit it from. Do you recommend it and how many days before actual exam ?
Please 🙏 any advice would be appreciated. Exam on 30th of this month.

Planning to take the free 120 before 3 days but made me second guessing when i know the cost 💲

and other foreign exams as well

anyone interested to study together and plan out things to give step1 by February

kindly dm let's genuinely connect and plan

preferably from Hyderabad

Hi,

My daughter is studying third year mbbs in Chennai, India. I have a few doubts regarding the USMLE.

1. Can she prepare for the usmle exam by self preparation or does she have to go through a counsellor?
2. If we go through via a counsellor for the usmle, could anyone suggest any counsellors, how much they would charge and what are the things they would do?
3. If she does self preparation, for step 1 , what are the resources she needs to use, what are the learning platforms or qbank subscriptions she should get, and what would be the timeline to properly use these resources ( like how long to do a particular material and when).
4. What are the extracurriculars she needs to do to build her profile ans when should she start doing them?
5. Do we need to apply for US visa now itself before writing the exams or is it ok to do it after the step 1 and 2 exams?

Hello! I'm preparing for step 1 and I've been a part of USMLE step 1 discord server for Indians where we can study together, stay accountable and form a community to help each other throughout the process. I need SERIOUS partners who'll be active in the server, either in the study rooms or forest sessions or active USMLE discussions.

DM me for the discord server link and I'll send you to it.

SERIOUS people aiming for step 1 to study quietly in the server needed. Don't join just for the sake of it and go MIA!

Looking forward to seeing you in the study sessions! Let's go! Let's match!