Med school, research, an MPH, a residency, a green card interview. These students fit the USMLE around real life in the US, and passed. Here they are, in their own words.
4 weeksDr. K, from joining to passing Step 1
8 weeksDr. Sahil, an MPH student, to a Step 1 pass
Dr. K: stuck in the 60s on every NBME, passed 4 weeks later
Doing research in the US, he came to Dr. Marish on August 20 after a full year on his own, having done every NBME without getting past the mid-60s. So we didn't throw more questions at him. We rebuilt his foundation, with a daily accountability partner.
August 27: Vault Assessment 1, 67%After a week of FA Foundation Anki with the First Aid Guide
September 8: Mehlman self-assessment, 73%His first time ever above 70%
Eli: 59% on his baseline NBME, a Step 1 pass 34 days later
An MS2 at a US MD school, now an MS3. He took his baseline NBME on August 25 and scored 59.5%. He didn't add more resources. He got a plan for every single day, and someone checking in on him every single day. In his words: "You can just shut your brain off and trust someone."
August 25: Baseline NBME, 59.5%31, 27, 24 and 37 out of 50 on the 4 blocks
September 6: 74.5%11 days later
September 14: NBME 32, 78%18 days after the baseline
September 28, 2026: PASS34 days after his first NBME
Dr. Marish posted every one of these scores on X while it was happening, and predicted the pass before the result came out.
Watch his story
Watch the full conversation
Step 1 score report: PASSSeptember 6: 59.5% to 74.5%, posted on XSeptember 14: 78% on NBME 32September 30: "Watch him get that pass"October 15: the pass, as promised
Step 1In the USOld graduate
Dr. Rana: 2 years stuck alone, then a pass
She had practised as a physician in Iraq, then spent 2 years trying to get through Step 1 on her own. She joined in March 2026 and passed on her exam date, October 2. Her words after the exam: "I can't believe I wasted 2 years on this. It was much easier than I thought."
2 yearsstudying alone before joining
Daily calls"talking to you pushed me"
PASSOctober 2, 2026
Hear it from her
Watch the full video
Step 1 score report: PASS
Step 1In the USMPH student8 weeks
Dr. Sahil: years after medical school, a pass in 8 weeks
Years after medical school, he was doing his MPH in the US, with a green card interview right in the middle of his preparation. He almost didn't do the USMLE at all.
50% → 75%UWorld, within 2 weeks
75.5%his first NBME, week 4
85%his last block
PASSMarch 26, 2026
Hear it from him
Watch the full video
Step 1 score report: PASS
Step 3PGY-2, New YorkPrevious attempt16 weeks
Dr. Esra: failed Step 3 once, passed with a 219 while 8 months pregnant
An internal medicine resident in New York. She failed Step 3 as an intern, then spoke to 10 to 15 mentors who had no real plan. We built hers around her weak topics and her residency hours. Her exam got cancelled 3 times, and she passed 16 weeks later, more than 20 points higher.
10–15mentors she spoke to first
3 timesher exam got cancelled
219Step 3, January 2026
Hear it from her
Watch the full video
Step 3: PASS, 219
FAQs
What students in the US ask first
When are the calls?
In the US morning, between 7:30 and 10:30 AM Eastern.
Can I do this while working, in research or in residency?
Yes. Eli was in medical school, Dr. K was doing research, Dr. Sahil was doing an MPH, and Dr. Esra was a full-time PGY-2. Your plan is built around your real hours.
I've already failed once.
So had Dr. Esra. She failed Step 3 as an intern, then passed with a 219, more than 20 points higher, in 16 weeks.
Before your call
Bring these, so we can start where you are
Which Step you're preparing for, and when you'd like to take it
Any UWorld, NBME or CBSE scores, however old
How many hours a day you can realistically study right now
USMLE Vault
