RenalGIReproductiveMSKDermPsych. You asked for the exact plan. This is it: every day, every task, every First Aid page.
By Dr. Marish Asudani · Published
What is the 30-day plan for Step 1 systems?
All 6 systems in 30 days: renal (Days 1–6), GI with 1 evening of biochem nutrition (Days 7–12), reproductive (Days 13–17), MSK (Days 18–22), dermatology (Days 23–25) and psychiatry (Days 26–30). Every system runs in the same order: micro and pharm, active reading on the First Aid Guide, Mehlman, FA Foundation Anki, then UWorld for that system only, until your last 2 blocks hold above 65%.
Read this first. This plan is only for you if you have roughly 10–12 hours a day for studying, and you're either an intern or a graduate. Working, with 5–8 hours a day? Keep the same order and stretch the days: Step 1 while working →
Why I dare you to do it for 30 days.
Dr. S always struggled with renal. He told me so himself. On this method he sent me 2 UWorld renal blocks.
85%
Block 1 · average on that block 64%
95%
Block 2 · average on that block 62%
"I've always struggled with renal, so I'm really happy that it's becoming much clearer and easier for me to recall, and I'm seeing better scores. Your method really works and I will keep moving forward."
You only stay consistent once you see results. Scores give you the dopamine, and the dopamine keeps you studying. That's why this plan starts with renal: the easy system gets you the first scores.
IMGs who have done these systems back to back.
Dr. SJ, Dr. U, Dr. KVS and Dr. SP (a radiologist) have all run these systems 1 after the other, in this order, with this method.
Dr. SJ, working, started on 19 August 2026. GI, renal, respiratory, MSK and psych were done by 11 September: 5 systems in 24 days, with his UWorld blocks between 65% and 92%.
Dr. KVS passed Step 1 on 29 June 2026, 12 weeks after he started, working full time.
The rules · all 30 days
Every system, the same 5 steps
Each system attacks the same First Aid pages from 5 angles, in 1 fixed order. Every step uses the one before it.
Micro + pharm of that system, from the Micro and Pharm pills in the First Aid Guide.
Active reading. For every page: Focus On → Concept Walkthrough and ELI5 → How is this tested? (the common confusions and the trap) → the First Aid page → the Test Yourself MCQs. 10–12 minutes a page.
Active application. The Mehlman videos for that system, in order. Psych is the 1 exception: the Neil Randy playlist.
Active recall.FA Foundation Anki for that system, with the First Aid page number on every card.
UWorld for that system. Unused · that system only · tutor · untimed · blocks of 20, reviewed with RPSR. Every question of the system.
UWorld pace:a minimum of 2 blocks of 20 a day. On a full UWorld day of this plan it's 5–6 blocks. A system is done when every question is attempted, every bookmark is traced to its First Aid line, and your last 2 blocks hold above 65%. Not when a date passes.
No NBME inside these days.Your first NBME comes only after every system is done, at the end of your content, never in week 3.
99% of IMGs begin with biochemistry and quit, and the ones who skip biochem start with cardio. Don't. Renal first, because it's the easy one and it builds momentum. The rest of the order is the Vault schedule's order for these 6 systems.
Respiratory, endocrine, immunology, heme-onc and neuro come between these on the full schedule, and cardio is always last. This plan takes 6 of them in their schedule order. The full order: the 4 Step 1 hacks →
The 30 days at a glance
Days
System
First Aid
UWorld
1–6
Renal · 11 organisms, 3 drug groups
pp. 596–628
about 240 Qs, 12 blocks
7 (evening)
Biochem nutrition
pp. 63–70
none
7–12, 13 AM
GI · 24 organisms
pp. 364–408
about 320 Qs, 16 blocks
13–17
Reproductive · 14 organisms
pp. 630–676
about 160 Qs, 8 blocks
18–22, 23 AM
MSK · 7 organisms
pp. 450–480, 495–498
about 280 Qs, 14 blocks
23–25
Dermatology · 7 organisms
pp. 481–494
about 100 Qs, 5 blocks
25 (evening)
Psych pharm · 4 drug groups
Osmosis
none
26–30
Psychiatry
pp. 570–594
about 200 Qs, 10 blocks
UWorld counts are the Vault schedule's. Clock times assume an 11-hour day: 9 AM–1 PM, 2–6 PM and 7–10 PM, with lunch and dinner in the gaps. Shift the clock to your day. Keep the order.
How 6 systems fit in 30 days. The system guides give GI 7 days, repro 7 and MSK 6. Here, at 10–12 hours a day, the light days are merged, not the steps: nutrition takes GI's first evening, GI's and MSK's last 2 UWorld blocks take the next morning, repro's micro day is the afternoon after GI, the Anki and its hesitation check share 1 session, and psych pharm takes derm's last evening. Every step of every system is still here, in the same order.
Days 1–6
Renal · 6 days
33 pages11 organisms3 drug groups158 MCQsabout 140 Anki cards. Every renal page is free on USMLE Vault. Full guide: Renal in 6 days.
7–9 PMOpen the First Aid page of every card you hesitated on. Read the line and a couple above and below.
Day 5 · UWorld renalUnused · renal only · tutor mode · untimed · 20 questions a block
9–9:30 AMClear today's due Anki cards first.
9:30 AM–1 PMBlocks 1–2 (Qs 1–40): solve, log each score, then review every bookmark in First Aid.
2–6 PMBlocks 3–4 (Qs 41–80): solve, log, review every bookmark in First Aid.
7–10 PMBlocks 5–6 (Qs 81–120): solve, log, review every bookmark in First Aid.
Day 6 · UWorld renal + the finish check
9–9:30 AMClear today's due Anki cards first.
9:30 AM–1 PMBlocks 7–8 (Qs 121–160): solve, log, review every bookmark in First Aid.
2–6 PMBlocks 9–10 (Qs 161–200): solve, log, review every bookmark in First Aid.
7–10 PMBlocks 11–12 (Qs 201–240). Then the finish check: last 2 blocks above 65%?
Days 7–12 · + Day 13 morning
GI · 6 days, with nutrition on the first evening
45 pages24 organisms246 MCQs194 Anki cards. GI has no Pharm pill, so its pharm is a check of the High-Yield Pharmacology PDF on its first day and the drug pages (pp. 405–408). The last 2 UWorld blocks take the morning of Day 13. Full guide: GI in 7 days.
Biochem nutrition goes on the evening of Day 7. GI keeps coming back to vitamins and absorption, from B12 and the terminal ileum to the fat-soluble vitamins you lose in malabsorption. Do nutrition right before the GI reading and the absorption page (p. 381) and the malabsorption page (p. 388) read like a review. Full guide: High-yield nutrition.
Day 7 · GI micro + the pharm check, then nutrition
9:15 AM–1 PMMicro: the 14 GI bacteria, WRWRT. GI micro →
2–4:30 PMMicro: the 7 viruses and 3 parasites.
4:30–5:30 PMTest: the First Aid Guide MCQs for all 24 organisms.
5:30–6 PMPharm: open the High-Yield Pharmacology PDF and find any GI drugs. Any notes there, you do next to pp. 405–408 on Day 9.
7–10 PMNutrition: pp. 63–70, active reading on the First Aid Guide with the MCQs on each page · the vitamins, B12, folate, zinc, protein-energy malnutrition, ethanol metabolism. Then the nutrition guide's absorption map.
Day 8 · Active readingFirst Aid Guide, page by page, MCQs on every page
47 pages14 organisms235 MCQs205 Anki cards. Repro has no Pharm pill, so its pharm is a check of the High-Yield Pharmacology PDF and the drug pages (pp. 673–676). Its micro day is a short one, so GI's last 2 blocks take its morning. Full guide: Reproductive in 7 days.
Day 13 · Finish GI, then repro micro + the pharm check
9–9:30 AMClear today's due Anki cards first.
9:30 AM–1 PMGI blocks 15–16 (Qs 281–320): solve, log, review. Then the GI finish check: last 2 blocks above 65%?
7–10 PMBlocks 7–8 (Qs 121–160). Then the finish check: last 2 blocks above 65%?
Days 18–22 · + Day 23 morning
MSK · 5 days, no derm
35 pages7 organisms145 MCQs136 Anki cards. MSK is done without dermatology. Derm comes at the end of the MSK chapter, so people try to do both in 1 week, and neither sticks. The last 2 UWorld blocks take the morning of Day 23. Full guide: MSK in 6 days.
Day 18 · MSK micro + the pharm check, then reading7 organisms, so the reading starts the same afternoon
9:15 AM–1 PMMicro: the 7 MSK organisms, WRWRT, then the First Aid Guide MCQs for all 7. Leave the derm organisms for derm. MSK micro →
2–3 PMPharm: the High-Yield Pharmacology PDF, find any MSK drugs. Notes go next to pp. 495–498 on Day 19.
3–6 PMActive reading: pp. 450–458 · upper and lower limb nerves, rotator cuff, brachial plexus, hand, hip and knee, radiculopathy
7–10 PMpp. 459–467 · muscle contraction, fibre types, bone formation and cells, sports injuries, childhood MSK conditions, achondroplasia, osteoporosis
Day 19 · Reading, then MehlmanSkip pp. 481–494: that's derm
9 AM–1 PMpp. 468–475 · osteopetrosis, osteomalacia, Paget, avascular necrosis, bone tumours, OA vs RA, gout, Sjögren, septic arthritis, spondyloarthritis
2–6 PMpp. 476–480 and 495–498 · lupus, myositis, the vasculitides, NMJ diseases, Raynaud, then the MSK drugs
7–10 PMThe Mehlman anatomy and MSK playlist from the top, in order. Playlist →
Day 20 · Mehlman, then Anki
9 AM–1 PMMehlman, continued. Pause before he answers and answer it yourself.
2–5 PMFinish the Mehlman MSK playlist. Any gap → that First Aid Guide page, the same day.
5–6 PM, 7–10 PMFA Foundation Anki · MSK, all 136 cards. The 43 derm cards in it are an early pass. Open the First Aid page of every card you hesitate on.
Day 21 · UWorld MSKUnused · musculoskeletal only · tutor mode · untimed · 20 questions a block
9–9:30 AMClear today's due Anki cards first.
9:30 AM–1 PMBlocks 1–2 (Qs 1–40): solve, log, review every bookmark in First Aid.
pp. 481–4947 organisms57 MCQs43 derm Anki cards. Same order, smaller: the 7 derm organisms → active reading → the Mehlman dermatology playlist → the derm Anki cards → UWorld dermatology. The Vault schedule builds derm in 3 days at 10–12 hours.
Day 23 · Finish MSK, then derm micro + reading
9–9:30 AMClear today's due Anki cards first.
9:30 AM–1 PMMSK blocks 13–14 (Qs 241–280): solve, log, review. Then the MSK finish check: last 2 blocks above 65%?
2–6 PMMicro: the 7 derm organisms, WRWRT: Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, HSV, VZV, HPV, molluscum contagiosum, HHV-6. Then their First Aid Guide MCQs. Derm micro →
7–10 PMActive reading: pp. 481–487, with the MCQs on every page.
Day 24 · Reading, Mehlman, then Anki
9 AM–1 PMActive reading: pp. 488–494, with the MCQs on every page.
2–6 PMThe Mehlman dermatology playlist, in order. Playlist →
7–9 PMThe 43 derm cards in the FA Foundation Anki MSK deck, your second pass. Hesitate → open the page.
Day 25 · UWorld dermatology, then psych pharmUnused · dermatology (skin) only · tutor mode · untimed · 20 questions a block
9–9:30 AMClear today's due Anki cards first.
9:30 AM–1 PMBlocks 1–2 (Qs 1–40): solve, log, review every bookmark in First Aid.
2–6 PMBlocks 3–5 (Qs 41–100): solve, log, review. Then the finish check.
7–10 PMPsych pharm, the day before psych: the 4 Osmosis drug groups with the FWRT method. Psych pharm →
Days 26–30
Psychiatry · 5 days
25 pagesno organisms4 drug groups149 MCQs145 Anki cards. Psych is the 1 system where I change the method: you watch every video on each First Aid Guide page, and active application is Neil Randy, not Mehlman. Full guide: Psychiatry in 5 days.
Psych pharm is already done, on Day 25's evening. 4 drug groups, all from Osmosis: SSRIs, SNRIs and atypical antidepressants · antipsychotics · lithium · TCAs. If you did pharmacology up front, that evening is a quick review of the 4. Psych pharm →
Day 26 · Active reading, with every videoFirst Aid Guide, page by page, MCQs on every page
7–10 PMpp. 583–586 · malingering, somatic symptom disorders, eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, sleep, substance use, stages of change
Day 27 · Reading, then Neil Randy
9 AM–1 PMpp. 587–594 · psychiatric emergencies, intoxication and withdrawal, alcohol, psychotherapy, the psych drugs. Watch Dirty Medicine · Drugs of Abuse with pp. 588–589.
2–6 PMGet the Neil Randy PDF from the University, then the Neil Randy behavioral health playlist from the top, in order. Playlist →
7–10 PMNeil Randy, continued. Pause before he answers and answer it yourself.
Day 28 · Neil Randy, then Anki
9 AM–1 PMFinish the playlist, then the Neil Randy addiction playlist. Playlist → Any gap → that First Aid Guide page, the same day.
Solve. Do 2 blocks of 20. Bookmark every question you got wrong and every one you got right by guessing. About 10 bookmarks a block is normal.
R
Review in First Aid. For each bookmark, find the exact First Aid line it came from, highlight it, and read a couple of lines around it. 5–6 minutes a question, no more. Then the next 2 blocks.
Target:65% or above. If your last 2 blocks are under 60%, go back to the Mehlman videos for those topics (Neil Randy in psych), then the First Aid pages behind them. A system runs over by a day? Let it. The score decides, not the date.
Why 30 days in a row
If you keep taking breaks when you don't need them, the cadence breaks, and the consistency breaks with it. Only take a break when you're actually burnt out, and never feel guilty about it. That's what MrBeast does: nonstop for 30 days, then 2 days to relax.
And forgetting isn't the problem you think it is. In each system you hit the same First Aid pages 4 to 5 different ways, and every new system revises the micro and pharm you already did.
What not to do
Do not open UWorld on the first day of a system. You will score 40%, decide you're bad at it, and you're simply in the wrong order.
Do not use random mode. System-wise only, and every question of the system. The questions you "save for random" are never opened.
Do not take an NBME inside these days. Your first NBME is the finish line of your content, not a check-in.
Do not mix derm into MSK. 2 subjects in 1 week means neither sticks.
Do not read First Aid to memorise it. The reading days are for understanding. Memory is the Anki step's job.
Do not split a system across weeks. Its days in a row. A half-done system behaves like an undone one.
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