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📈 NBMEs
Order, timing, review, and fixing your scores. 14 guides.
By Dr. Marish Asudani · Published · Updated
How do I take and review NBMEs for Step 1?
Start with The Exact NBME Order: Exact Step 1 NBME sequence 26-33 in 4 groups, what to finish before each, block format, what scores mean, pairing with Free 120. Then Taking Your First NBME and NBME MCQ Protocol.
Start here · NBME strategy
The Exact NBME Order
Exact Step 1 NBME sequence 26-33 in 4 groups, what to finish before each, block format, what scores mean, pairing with Free 120
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Day-by-day plan · 7-10 days
Taking Your First NBME
7-10 day consolidation protocol before first NBME (Sketchy daily, Foundation Anki, 2 NBME 26 blocks/day), 2-pass block method, then NBME 27 simulation
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Method
NBME MCQ Protocol
4-phase method for answering every NBME question: which images/labs to look at, reading the stem, decoding last line, whispering answer; plus SIRS bonus
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Method
NBME Review Protocol
Same-day NBME review system: score check before answers, stem-only re-attempt, practice gap vs knowledge deficit, system-wise one-liner notebook, checklist
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NBME strategy
How to Score More Than 75% on Your NBMEs
5 moves to go from 68% to 75%+ on NBMEs: pacing, fix systems, same-day review, NBME Anki before next form, Neil Randy PDF + HY Arrows
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NBME strategy
Stuck at 62–65% on NBMEs
3 moves to break a 62-65% NBME plateau: Mehlman + AMBOSS for weak systems, Randy Neil and Mehlman Arrows PDFs, NBME Booster deck system-wise
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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, one full 14-block day
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Inside the Vault · 1-2 weeks
The NBME Booster — The Exam Is Already Published. Fourteen Times.
The NBME Booster Anki: forms 20-34 as 4,374 tutored one-line cards by system, run system-wise in the final 1-2 weeks
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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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Inside the Vault
The Step 1 Assessments
Explains the 2 Vault full-length 280-question Step 1 assessments (Assessment 2 free): format, harder stems, report, and when to take each
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Real schedule · 34 days
Dr. E's Exact Schedule: 59% Baseline NBME to a Step 1 Pass in 34 Days
US MS3 in rotations goes from 59.5% baseline NBME to a Step 1 pass in 34 days: Foundation Anki, Sketchy deck, NBMEs in 20-question blocks, Booster
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Real schedule · 8 weeks
Ashna's Exact Schedule: NBMEs Stuck at 67% to a Step 1 Pass in 8 Weeks
NBMEs stuck at 67-68% and burnt out to a Step 1 pass in 8 weeks: Sketchy micro, First Aid + FA Guide by system, FA Foundation Anki, NBME Booster Anki, Vault Assessment
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Inside the Vault
Anki, Rebuilt — NBME 34, Timed Mode and First Aid on Every Card
Release notes: NBME 34 added to Booster, new Timed mode (60s per side), First Aid page linked on 6,474 cards, and where each deck goes
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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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