USMLE is a joint program of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). COMLEX-USA is a registered trademark of The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Inc. Until Your Test access limited to 12 months. Test names and other trademarks are the property of the respective trademark holders.
The USMLE Step 1 is a one-day computer exam taken by most medical students at the end of their second year of medical school. It is also taken by thousands of international medical graduates (IMGs) who wish to practice medicine in the United States. The Step 1 includes no more than 280 multiple-choice questions and spans 8 hours of testing, broken down into seven 1-hour blocks of 40 questions each.
The USMLE Step 1 emphasizes basic science principles, specifically anatomy, behavioral science, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology. Interdisciplinary areas such as genetics, immunology, and nutrition are also tested.
The test is administered by appointment on a year-round basis. When planning your USMLE prep, factor in 6 to 9 months for Step 1 review.