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Final weeks & exam day
The last month, the last week, the last day. 14 guides.
By Dr. Marish Asudani · Published · Updated
What should I do in the last month before Step 1?
Start with The Last Month Before Step 1: The Exact Day-by-Day Plan: Day-by-day 33-day Step 1 plan from NBME 27 to exam: repair round, NBME Booster, full 14-block days, NBMEs 28-33, final week. Then How to Know You're Actually Ready and Delete Reddit Before Step 1.
Start here · Day-by-day plan · 33 days
The Last Month Before Step 1: The Exact Day-by-Day Plan
Day-by-day 33-day Step 1 plan from NBME 27 to exam: repair round, NBME Booster, full 14-block days, NBMEs 28-33, final week
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NBME strategy
How to Know You're Actually Ready
When you're ready to book Step 1: above 68% trending on NBME 31-33, ~25-min block pacing, 1 full 14-block day
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Mindset
Delete Reddit Before Step 1
Why Reddit's '60-65% on NBMEs is fine' advice and fear-mongering hurt IMGs; restates the readiness bar (above 68% on NBME 31, 32 and 33, offline) and lists the guides to read instead
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NBME strategy
3 Tips to Avoid Failing Step 1
3 rules to avoid failing Step 1: never take it below 68% on NBME 31-33, a fixed last-2-weeks plan, and 1-2 full 280-question assessments
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Day-by-day plan · 1 month
The Month Before Step 1
Last-month Step 1 router by NBME score: 65-68% push (Booster, Foundation Anki, Mehlman, Neil Randy, Arrows), NBME roads, readiness checklist
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Resources · 14 days
The Final 14 Days
5 consolidation resources for the last 2 weeks before Step 1: Randy Neil PDF, Mehlman HY Arrows, NBME Booster, antimicrobials video, biostats PDF
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Day-by-day plan · 6 days
All the NBMEs in 6 Days
6-day split running the NBME Booster (forms 20-34, ~540 cards/day) system by system before your next form, e.g. before NBME 32
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Day-by-day plan · 6 days
The Whole of First Aid in Six Days
Revise all of First Aid in 6 days with the Foundation Anki (~2,400 cards, 2 systems/day, 350-400 cards), as pre-NBME reset or mid-system fix
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Resources · 4 days
2 PDFs = a 10-Point Jump
Neil Randy PDF and Mehlman HY Arrows: how to run each (sections, 40 arrows/day) and when, before NBME 32/33 or on a plateau, for ~10 points
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Inside the Vault
The NBME Booster, Pharmacology Only
The pharmacology-only NBME Booster deck: every NBME pharm question as flashcards, run on days 28-29 of the final week
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Inside the Vault
The NBME Images Anki: Every NBME Image, as Flashcards
Explains the NBME Images Anki deck (every NBME image as flashcards) and when to run it: final week, days 30-31 of last-month plan
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Day-by-day plan · 1 week
The Week Before Step 1
Final-week Step 1 checklist: 68% gate on NBME 31-33, then Neil Randy, HY Arrows, NBME Booster+Images Anki, Foundation Anki, Rapid Review, bookmark rule
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Day-by-day plan · 24 hours
The Final Day Protocol
Final Day Protocol: the day before Step 1 hour by hour: sleep at 3 AM prior night, supplies, bookmarks only until 5 PM, walk, lights out 9 PM
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Day-by-day plan · 48 hours
Step 1 Exam Day: Breaks, Glucose and the 20-Question Rhythm
Exam day for Step 1: 20 questions, 3 breaths, 20 questions, then a 5-7 minute glucose break; plus a short version of the day before
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Every guide here runs on one app
First Aid guide, Anki, NBME booster and assessments, in USMLE Vault.
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