The Timeline for taking the USMLE

Hello guys. Yes, here is the promised post about the timeline for taking the USMLE.


I will talk about this keeping in mind the following.


1. You have just finished your final year.
2. You have decided to skip Housejob.
3. You have done your clinical electives in the USA and have good recommendations from US Clinicians.


The key to a successful strategy in the USMLE is to have passed and have the results of as many exams as possible by 1st September of any year. Now, that would mean taking ALL of your steps by 1st September and having their results.


Suppose you are done with your final year of med school, and have your results and degrees by December, this should work like this:


Step1: Start studying from Jan and take the exam in September or October latest.


Step2CK: Since there is a lot of overlap between Step1 and Step2, therefore it should theoretically not take more then three months to take Step2CK. So, by December to January, you should be able to take Step2CK. You would in the meanwhile have also applied for Step2CS and the visit visa(If you do not have your five year multiple from the clinical electives you went for in your final year)


Step2CS: Take Step2CS by March-April. You will have your results by July-August.


Step3: Take Step3 after two months of prep. So, this will mean taking your exam in October and having the results of Step3 in November. Update each and every Program that you have applied to via email and phone call when you get your Step3 scores.  


More later....