Blueprint Med School Blog (formerly Cram Fighter & Med School Tutors)
The blog for Blueprint Medical, supporting your MedEd journey with our exam study planner, tutoring, residency consulting, and advanced boards.

5 Self Care Tips for Medical Students
In commemoration of Valentine’s Day, we think it’s the perfect time to explore a gesture of love that med students neglect far too often: self-care. And no, staying up all night slurping ramen in preparation for USMLEs doesn’t count. Moreover, self-care for medical students entails much more than slapping on a face mask or binge-watching
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Why Asking For Help Is Your Greatest Strength in Med School
Everyone needs help at one time or another, and med school is no exception. In fact, entering medical school is most likely going to be a significant (and stressful) change from your schooling and work prior to entry. Unless you are in the minority of medical students who transitioned from a high-pressure corporate job and
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What’s the Best Med School Study Planner?
Matriculating into medical school is an exceptional feat, and all who manage it should feel an enormous sense of pride and accomplishment. Once you enter those hallowed halls of preclinical lectures, small group sessions, physical exam essentials, and patient interactions, many students wonder one thing: “How do I succeed on Step 1 and Step 2?”
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How Long Should You Study for Step 1?
“Your Step 1 score is the most important part of your application.” For many medical students, this was the message we heard throughout our preclinical years. According to a 2021 NRMP survey, residency program directors cited USMLE Step 1 scores as the number one factor in granting an interview. Now, you may be wondering: if
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How to Use Flashcards to Prepare for Board Exams
Flashcards can be a great adjunct to your studying, but only if you know the right ways to use them. Read on to learn a few tips to make the most out of the time you spend working through flashcards. Flashcard Decks: Your Options Anki is well-known among medical students for its use of spaced
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The Most Popular USMLE Step 2 CK Resources for 2022
USMLE Step 2 CK, which stands for “Clinical Knowledge”, is tailored to test your ability to think like a clinician. Although cramming for Step 1 is relatively straightforward, Step 2 is somewhat trickier. It has also become more important now that USMLE Step 1 scores have been eliminated, because USMLE Step 2 CK performance is
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Top USMLE Step 1 Resources for 2022
Navigating the top picks for Step 1 studying At the end of every year, Cram Fighter tracks which resources students add to their Step 1 study schedules to reveal the most popular choices of the year. Based on thousands of students’ schedules in 2021, you can use this list to prepare for the upcoming changes
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How to Survive and Thrive in Your Core Clerkships
13 key tips to help you be successful (and avoid getting overwhelmed) in your clinical rotations. Introduction Clinical rotations are an incredibly formative experience—a precious and finite time dedicated to learning what it means to become a physician. Yet, the experience can be stressful and downright overwhelming. You will likely feel high pressure to impress
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