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The USMLE YouTube channels tier list

Free, and still where most IMGs lose a month. Which channel to open, and when.

By Dr. Marish Asudani Β· Published

Which YouTube channels are best for the USMLE?

Mehlman Medical and Neil Randy are S tier: the only 2 video resources that earn their hours. Dirty Medicine, AJmonics and Divine Intervention are A. Dr. High Yield, Dr. Najeeb, Rahul Damania and Action Potential Mentoring are B. Ninja Nerd and Dr. Nandan Joshi are C.

Read this firstEvery channel I've ever mentioned to you, ranked. The problem was never the videos. It's knowing which one, and when.

Same filter as every list: a video earns its hour only if your UWorld moves after it. Every channel name below opens the channel. Here is how to read the tiers:

2

Tier list 2 of 6YouTube channels

11 channels, 4 tiers. Tap any name to open the channel.

SMehlman. Short, dense videos, system by system, free, and the best, not even close. He teaches how the examiner thinks, builds the trap in your mind, and shows you how to eliminate the options. Watch the videos, not the PDFs.

▶How to watch Mehlman Medical videosStart here, then open your system's playlist ▶Mehlman Β· Renal playlistThe first system on the schedule

Mehlman Medical on YouTube ↗

SNeil Randy. S too, right next to Mehlman. "The most slept-on channel on YouTube", for every system, not just biostats. With Mehlman, the only 2 video resources that earn their hours. Run him before an NBME.

PDFThe Neil Randy PDFHis whole library, system by system. Free in the Vault University. ▶Neil Randy Β· Behavioral HealthStart here, not with biostats

Watch with the First Aid page openThe First Aid Guide teaches every First Aid page, with the best video for the topic on the pages that need one. Renal is free.

Open the First Aid Guide β†’
↓

Top to bottomThe other channels, and why

Foundation

ADirty Medicine

Why: "When a concept just won't click β€” this is the channel." Best for psychiatry, ethics, biochemistry. ▶Dirty Medicine Β· Ethics playlistStart here
Step 2 CK and Step 3

AAJmonics

Why: about 3 weeks of AJmonics and Divine for high-yield consolidation, screenshotting every unknown concept by system. ▶AJmonics Β· COMPLETE Step 2 ReviewStart here ▶AJmonics Β· Complete Step 3 ReviewFor Step 3
Podcast

ADivine Intervention

Why: "The podcast is enormous and most of it isn't your priority." Use the episode lists by system. ▶Divine Intervention Β· USMLE Step 1Playlist

Divine Intervention on YouTube ↗

Step 2 CK

BDr. High Yield

Why: "Pair with Dr. High Yield for fast morning recall." ▶Dr. High Yield Β· All videosStart here
First year

BDr. Najeeb

Why: "Nobody explains mechanism at that level of patience." Neuroanatomy from Najeeb in first year is "the single best thing you will do all year."

B because his job is first year: neuroanatomy and the physiology that resists. What to watch in first year β†’

NBME concepts

BRahul Damania

Why: his Top NBME Concepts playlist is a very good one, system by system. Below it: his 2-hour walkthrough of the High Yield Arrows. ▶Rahul Damania Β· Top NBME Shelf Concepts (Step 2 CK)Playlist ▶Rahul Damania Β· High Yield Arrows for the USMLE2 hours

The NBME concepts, as cardsThe NBME Booster Anki: every question from NBME 20 to 34 and the Free 120, sorted by system. Revise the forms you've taken before the next one.

Open the Booster β†’
Step 2 CK refreshers

BAction Potential Mentoring

Why: direct questions and advice from the CMS forms. Good as refreshers once you've done the forms yourself. ▶Action Potential Β· Internal Medicine Shelf / Step 2 CKStart here
Long-form

CNinja Nerd

Why: long videos. Use the single ones that earn their time, like the 31-minute autonomic nervous system video. ▶Ninja Nerd Β· Autonomic Nervous System31 min
Read-along

CDr. Nandan Joshi

Why: he reads the entire First Aid line by line with you ("Read With Me"). Good if you want someone to read First Aid with you. Check which First Aid edition it reads. Want the page taught, not read? That's the First Aid Guide.

Free PDFs, 1 tap awayThe Neil Randy PDF, the Mehlman HY Arrows, the HY Pharm and HY Biostats PDFs, in the Vault University.

Open the PDFs β†’
The top of every list, on a schedule

Want a day-by-day schedule that tells you exactly what to study next? The Vault builds it around your exam date.

USMLE Vault day-by-day schedule Build my schedule on usmlevault.com/schedule β†’
The top of every list, already in one place.
The First Aid Guide, both Anki decks (FA Foundation and NBME Booster), the free PDFs and your schedule. Renal is free.
Open usmlevault.com β†’
usmlevault.com/schedule Β· free for your first 3 days
Read next

5 channels = 0 paid courses — how to use each one.

The Step 1 playlists — every system, the right playlist.

How to use Mehlman — videos, not PDFs.

The micro tier list — Sketchy, Mehlman and the rest.

USMLE Vault Β· The USMLE YouTube Channels Tier List Β· Created 2026-10-26
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