Free USMLE guides
📚 Resources & tier lists
What to use, what to skip, and how to use it. 8 guides.
By Dr. Marish Asudani · Published · Updated
Which resources do I actually need for USMLE Step 1?
Start with 4 Resources, Not 40 — The Only Step 1 Stack You Need: The 4-resource Step 1 stack (First Aid, UWorld, Sketchy, Mehlman for systems under 65%) run through USMLE Vault. Then The Resource Stack — Step 1, 2 & 3 and Five Resources. Not Forty..
Start here · Resources
4 Resources, Not 40 — The Only Step 1 Stack You Need
The 4-resource Step 1 stack (First Aid, UWorld, Sketchy, Mehlman for systems under 65%) run through USMLE Vault
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Resources
The Resource Stack — Step 1, 2 & 3
5 resources per exam for Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3, in order of use, with each one's rule
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Resources
Five Resources. Not Forty.
Step 1 needs 5 resources: USMLE Vault, First Aid, UWorld, NBMEs, Mehlman + Neil Randy, each one's job; drop Kaplan, B&B, Bootcamp
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Resources
4 Resources I Would Never Use Again
Why Marish dropped Boards & Beyond, Kaplan, USMLE Rx and Pixorize for Step 1, and what replaces each
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Resources
How to Use Mehlman Medical
How to use Mehlman Medical: videos not PDFs (HY Arrows the exception), full system playlist in ~1 day as a fixed step in every system
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Resources
The Seven Sheets
7 free Step 1 sheets/decks (Sketchy, HY Pharm PDF, FA Guide, Neil Randy PDF, Mehlman Arrows, Foundation Anki, NBME Booster) with when each enters prep
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Method
How to Use the Vault Anki Decks
How to use the 2 Vault Anki decks: Foundation (FA page-by-page, 400/day, 5-6 day full pass) and NBME Booster (system by system, final 1-2 weeks), plus Pick & Mix
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Resources
How to Use YouTube for Step 1
5 free YouTube resources for Step 1 (Mehlman, Neil Randy, Dirty Medicine, antimicrobials video, Vault page-mapped videos) and how to avoid rabbit holes
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First Aid guide, Anki, NBME booster and assessments, in USMLE Vault.
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