When after year 2 do people take the USMLE Step 1? Is there one set date when...

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monkeyMD

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When after year 2 do people take the USMLE Step 1? Is there one set date when everyone takes it? Actualll, from doing some searches, I can derive that people sign up for a set date. But where can I find info regarding the dates available (just out of curiosity)?

So, do people end year 2, study for a while, take step1 and then resume school later in the summer when M3 starts? What is the average time that schools give so you can study?

Sorry in advance if this is a dumb question.

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When after year 2 do people take the USMLE Step 1? Is there one set date when everyone takes it? Actualll, from doing some searches, I can derive that people sign up for a set date. But where can I find info regarding the dates available (just out of curiosity)?

So, do people end year 2, study for a while, take step1 and then resume school later in the summer when M3 starts? What is the average time that schools give so you can study?

Sorry in advance if this is a dumb question.

....These are pretty much all questions you should ask in medical school interviews.

Edit: I see you're starting medical school in the fall. Call your school and ask. The time for dedicated prep varies by the school and the time you take it depends on the curriculum setup of the first two years.
 
When after year 2 do people take the USMLE Step 1? Is there one set date when everyone takes it? Actualll, from doing some searches, I can derive that people sign up for a set date. But where can I find info regarding the dates available (just out of curiosity)?

So, do people end year 2, study for a while, take step1 and then resume school later in the summer when M3 starts? What is the average time that schools give so you can study?

Sorry in advance if this is a dumb question.

Its at prometric like the MCAT, you take it whenever you want.

We get 2 months, you can take it anytime. When you are done you are on vacation. 3rd year starts at the beginning of July.

Most M2/soon to be M3s take it sometime in June. I am taking it this Saturday...
 
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....These are pretty much all questions you should ask in medical school interviews.

Edit: I see you're starting medical school in the fall. Call your school and ask. The time for dedicated prep varies by the school and the time you take it depends on the curriculum setup of the first two years.

Good idea. Thanks.

Its at prometric like the MCAT, you take it whenever you want.

We get 2 months, you can take it anytime. When you are done you are on vacation. 3rd year starts at the beginning of July.

Most M2/soon to be M3s take it sometime in June. I am taking it this Saturday...

So the "there's no break after M2" is sort of false. So it's around all year?

Good luck on the exam!
 
Good idea. Thanks.



So the "there's no break after M2" is sort of false. So it's around all year?

Good luck on the exam!

You get a scheduling permit/window from your school and the USMLE...this is approx a 3 month window which you can schedule with prometric. So "technically" you could take it whenever you want in that time frame.

However, this is a massive test...you will likely use every extra day you can get...which effectively means you get no vacation (I will get ~2 weeks). Nobody just takes it the day classes are done and gets 2+ months of vacation.

Also schools often have their own polices on the latest date they want you to take it on.
 
Good idea. Thanks.



So the "there's no break after M2" is sort of false. So it's around all year?

Good luck on the exam!

Many need at least 6 solid weeks to study for this test. It is the most important test to date of your medical career, and will largely decide what group of residencies you will be competitive for. So you will finish classes and launch into 13-15 hour days of studying, nearly every day, until this test. You aren't prepared coming out of med school. It. Hard test on a ton of subjects. You will be reviewing multiple books and doing thousands of problems. Some people are comfortable taking the test a bit earlier and getting a few days extra off. Others wish they had more time to study. So basically you will be using most to all of the "vacation" after second year for this test. Followed by rotations of third year where you may start living in the wards 80 hours per week. You can pretty much write off a summer vacation that year.

At most schools you must take this test before third year starts so the "all year long" comment only applies to IMGs, folks who are out for a year (eg due to childbirth), and folks who failed. Your window of useful dates to take this test is otherwise quite small.
 
.............hahahahahahaha


Many need at least 6 solid weeks to study for this test. It is the most important test to date of your medical career, and will largely decide what group of residencies you will be competitive for. So you will finish classes and launch into 13-15 hour days of studying, nearly every day, until this test. You aren't prepared coming out of med school. It. Hard test on a ton of subjects. You will be reviewing multiple books and doing thousands of problems. Some people are comfortable taking the test a bit earlier and getting a few days extra off. Others wish they had more time to study. So basically you will be using most to all of the "vacation" after second year for this test. Followed by rotations of third year where you may start living in the wards 80 hours per week. You can pretty much write off a summer vacation that year.

At most schools you must take this test before third year starts so the "all year long" comment only applies to IMGs, folks who are out for a year (eg due to childbirth), and folks who failed. Your window of useful dates to take this test is otherwise quite small.
 
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