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.

Dealing with Step 1 Exam Cancellations and Rescheduling

Coronavirus has led to a lot of uncertainty about Step 1 exam dates. We polled our Campus Heroes to learn more. While many of us are adjusting to this so-called “new normal” in the wake of coronavirus, medical students are experiencing a whole other level of disruption. Students who have been studying intensely for weeks,

Apr 27, 2020

How to Use Practice Tests in Your Step 1 Study Plan

We discuss using practice tests as part of your USMLE Step 1 prep, paying special attention to UWorld Self-Assessments. No Step 1 study plan is complete without practice tests, but there are many to choose from. For example, popular qbanks like UWorld and AMBOSS both offer self-assessments, and many students incorporate NBME practice tests when

Apr 14, 2020

How This Med Student Handles Studying for Step 2 CK and Level 2 CE While Staying at Home

We interviewed Joselyn M., a member of the class of 2021 at VCOM, about how she changed her approach to studying in light of COVID-19. How was your Step 2 CK exam date affected by the testing center closures? I plan on taking the USMLE Step 2 CK/COMLEX Level 2 CE in June, which (fingers

Apr 08, 2020

Tips for Creating an Effective Step 1 Study Plan

Need some advice for building a Step 1 study schedule? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a summary of some of the best study tips we’ve received over time. Every great Step 1 score starts with a plan, but starting the process can be intimidating. That’s why we are always looking for the best practices and

Mar 26, 2020

How to Study for Shelf Exams: Sticking to a Schedule Can Help You Conquer M3

To help you prepare for shelf exams, we interviewed a med student who made a study plan for M3 and frequently contributes advice on Reddit to help his peers. In a popular Reddit post, /u/DukeofBaggery explains that M3 can feel disorienting because you no longer have the reliable structure of the UFAP study strategy. At

Mar 18, 2020

Best Practices for a 3-Month Step 1 Study Plan

Our research shows that June is the most popular month to take the USMLE Step 1. For students who have 3 months to prepare, we share some advice and best practices. With 3 months to fill, there are many different ways to build a board exam study plan. Here are 3 techniques for effectively creating

Mar 11, 2020

How to Study for the USMLE Step 1: Med Student Interviews, Part 4

We asked Areeka M. (VCOM Class of 2021) to share her advice for successfully preparing for the boards Below she gives a breakdown of the study resources that worked best and how she applied them throughout her study schedule. What resources did you use for Step 1 and Level 1 and how effective were they?

Feb 25, 2020

How to Build an Effective 3-month Study Plan

We provide some guidelines for creating your own USMLE study schedule if you have 3 months to prepare. Suppose you want to create a 3-month schedule to study for the boards. What will your study plan look like? It might be hard to imagine at first, so let’s consider a few key questions to help

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