Hi everyone! I'm a non-US IMG.

I took Step 2 CK earlier this month and just got my score back: 258

Throughout my preparation, I gradually improved from 50% on AMBOSS → 65% on UWorld → around 80% on CMS forms and NBME CCSSAs.

During this time, I also compiled around 100 pages of high-yield notes from CMS forms and NBME CCSSAs, focusing on important concepts and commonly tested topics.

I will NOT be sharing the notes directly due to copyright concerns. I also don't have any free or unofficial QBank materials, as I purchased all my resources through official websites. I also DO NOT share any recall questions. Every test takers should be respected for their effort !!!

However, I'd be happy to share what I've learned and discuss high-yield concepts, clinical reasoning, and test-taking strategies while everything is still fresh in my mind!

Feel free to DM about the lesson. (teach in English or Chinese)

Good luck to everyone !

Results are out!

For those who received their Step 2 CK scores today, let’s share our results and experiences here!

Feel free to share your:
Test date:
Actual Step 2 CK score:
NBME / UWSA / Free 120 scores:
How you felt walking out of the exam:
Any advice for future test takers:

Congratulations to everyone who made it through! 🎉

I will share my experience after I have a good sleep!

(PLEASE SHARE YOUR RESULTS, THE INFORMATION MIGHT BE OF HELP TO ANOTHER PERSON:)

US MD or US IMG or Non-US IMG status:

Date tested:

Uworld % correct:

NBME 9: ( days out)

NBME10: (days out)

NBME11: (days out)

NBME12: ( days out)

NMBE13: (days out)

NBME14: ( days out)

NBME 15: (days out)

UWSA 1: ( days out)

UWSA 2: (days out)

UWSA 3: (days out)

Old old Free 120: ( days out)

Old New Free 120: ( days out)

New Free 120:( days out)

CMS Forms % correct:

Predicted Score:

Total Weeks/Months Studied:

Actual STEP 2 score:

Hi everyone! I have about 5–6 weeks left until Step 2 CK. I’ve just started working through the CMS forms and currently have the flexibility to study full-time. I’m aiming for 260+.

I’d really appreciate the community’s thoughts on a few things:

1. CMS forms: Is doing the last 2 forms for each subject sufficient, or is it worth going further back? What’s the most effective way to use the CMS forms ?
2. Retired NBMEs: Are these still useful/necessary for Step 2 CK preparation? If so, where can I find them?

I know the logical answer is probably “do everything,” but with only ~5 weeks left, I obviously can’t fit in every resource. I’m trying to prioritize the HY and use my time efficiently.

Would really appreciate advice from you all..Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone!

I'm a Non-US IMG preparing for Step 2 CK and hoping to secure USCE in the US in April 2027, preferably at reputed university hospitals, without spending thousands of dollars on paid rotations or agencies.

I'd love to hear from IMGs who have successfully secured USCE through cold emailing.

A few questions:
1. Whom did you email—individual physicians, department heads, or program coordinators?
2. What did you include in your email, and did you attach your CV or USMLE scores?
3. Which universities or hospitals accept cold emails from IMGs for Internal Medicine or Pediatrics?
4. Did you receive a visa invitation letter, and how long did the process take?
5. How useful was your LOR for residency applications? Was it personalized?
6. How many physicians did you contact before getting a positive response?
7. Any tips or requirements I should know about beforehand?

Most importantly, *if I cold-email physicians at reputed universities such as Yale, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, or other academic medical centers, is there a realistic chance of securing an opportunity? Or do these institutions generally require applicants to go through formal application portals?*

I'd be extremely grateful if you could share your experience, successful email templates, names of institutions that accept visiting IMGs, or any tips that helped you.

Thank you!

Is there any way to get your scores rechecked or something because i feel like there mustve been some mistake!! How can i score something that was way out of my amboss predicted range

Ive heard amboss is best for qi, patient safety, biostats
I only need that and amboss HY , do i still purchase the whole qbank?

Just wrote nbme 12 and got 61.5%.
My baseline uwsa 2 was 242, nbme 10 was 75.5% and nbme 11 was 71.5%
I am currently doing cms forms but I am really scared regarding the downward trend of my scores !
Is there any way to improve my studying, resources or anything !? My target is 255+ & to write the exam by nov and I am really scared about how things are going now !
I’m done with uworld with 57% and am doing an king’s deck for incorrects and everything !

Any good way to review nbme explainations and not get bored .

Finished one pass of UW. What next before I start NBMEs? Which CMS form worth doing? I feel like I retained nothing tbh

The exam was mostly vague, and honestly, it felt like I was doing UWorld for the first time. Time pressure was intense.
I think 40 questions per block would’ve been better because you could save more time on shorter questions.
It was heavy on preventive medicine, QI, and ethics.
Feel free to ask me anything!

NBME 10-12 222-223 August

NBME 13 231 Sept. 10th

NBME 14 241 October 10th

NBME 15 239 Oct 17

NBME 16 244 Oct 22

Free120 70% Right now 😔 (I was wishing something around 80%)

3 Blocks are

78%

60%

73%

I really want 250 ... Not sure what should I do.

Thanks for anyone who can help in anyway.

Hi.

I started prep 4½ months ago.

Started with uworld, first pass done (72%).

Nbme 9, 54 wrongs, 73% (240).

38 CMS forms.

Nbme 10, 35 wrongs, 82.5% (260).

5 days of random stuff (random uworld and a few review sheets), basically spent time doing nothing

Nbme 11, 52 wrongs, 74% (241) TODAY

What should I do? I got a little less than 8 weeks. I want 260+ so bad. Dropping so much in nbme 11 comparing to 10 is devastating. Does it mean was nbme 10 just a lucky day? I'm so anxious.

I'm thinking of high yield amboss before next nbme, and then some divine intervention in next interval and mehalman's pdf in next to next interval (supplemented with uworld incorrects). Will this push my scores enough (to 260s)?

I’ve done almost all the CMS forms (average has been an 80 overall) and focused on AMBOSS HY q packs and divine podcasts. Been stuck in the 240s (forms 9-14) and haven’t broken 250 for the last 5 weeks. Goal is 250+. Thinking of switching from CMS forms to Uworld/Amboss blocks on weak subject areas. Any thoughts/ advice greatly appreciated. Really beating myself up since I haven’t moved or broken 250 and time is running out. Thank you 😔

Hi,

I have been studying for step 2 off and on for the last 3-4 months but I took a lot of breaks, I'm done with 80% of uworld but still making stupid mistakes and the knowledge gap is evident.

Is it possible for me to get done with it in the next 4-5 months if I study full time without breaks from now on. Am I being too optimistic?

How should I take my studies from here? When to go for CMS, what to do next?

Please explain as if you are helping a 5 year old 😂 ( as I'd say to chatgpt )

PS: YET TO BOOK A TRIAD.

Every single concept was something covered on NBMEs or Uworld so I couldn't even tell what was supposed to experimental

I either got a 290 or a 150...

Hi
Tested 10/18 .My Usmle portal says score release 10/28. I was relaxed knowing I won’t get my results for another week. Just opened myusmle for funsies and there it was.

I was wondering if test scores really get reported on the 10th day when you could file a complaint regarding your testing conditions? Tomorrow would be the 10th and last day to report any exam issues.

Edit : got my scores

took Step 2 on Oct 12.
expecting scores to be released tomorrow, right?
anyone else in the same boat?
Let’s pray together! 🙏🙏

Took f120 today
Scored 72%
Idk where i stand
Aiming for 255 plus
Exam in 5 days
Ps: nbme 15 was 250 and 16 was 246

Hi all,
What do you recommend for reviewing best next step for step 2?
Do you think Mehlman free stuff are good for review?
If yes which one?
Thanks

plz share ur ideas.. I did uworld (untimed)
-couldnt finish blocks on time in timed mode and thought it was weak concepts the cause fr it)64% 1st pass for 2months and made error notes and reviewed time to time… then started nbme on the third month alongside with cms forms

Nbme 9 - 211 reviewed it and cms through the week along with uworld error revision in evenings(did this 4/7days with cms)

Nbme 10-208 the second week -reviwed +cms
(started listening to divine along with error revision )-studied 12-15hrs/day from this weak took less break than usual

Nbme 11 - 223 (repeated wat i did the second week since i thought it worked amd started innercircle review alongside) i also saw test taking statergy by alec -though its late to see those now -i thought test taking and time management was my prblm

Nbme 12- 218 -took this week (completely devastated) just pass has become my baseline and im not improving .
i asked my good friend abt wat else to do since i was struck he recommended doing uworld weak concepts and cms many passes and this was knowledge gap more than test taking/time management

I also noticed that time management has always been my problem in all these tests.. i got struck mid exam with a difficult q (wasted time and then flagged them).. then rushed last 10-15qs in10-15min in 3/4blocks in nbmes

I was planning on doing weekly nbme /uwsa with revision and cms till nov end and take the exam
But since nbmes going nowhere -extended date to one more month
Now i have two months in hand and 4nbmes and 3uwsa yet to do…
i plan on reviewing the last test and start uworld incorrect weak areas and those which i marked in previous usage in mixed timed mode for a month and then take a nbme after… but idk whether im in the ryt direction and im exhausted … i have been studying full time and yet havent moved a bit … its frustrating

After a long block there are too many wrong answers to review. I mean the rule you use to decide, not the tool.

Do you make a card only when you missed it twice, only for high-yield topics, or something else?

Hi can someone let me know what 157/200 (78.5%) equates to for a 3 digit score on NBME 10?