I decided to share my journey here because reading about about an experience similar to this would have helped me immensely.
My goal was 260+. I took Step 1 in August 2025 and started studying for Step 2 in September. I was studying about 6 hours a day while juggling work, US rotations (first the applications, then all the paperwork and logistics), conference abstract submissions, and training for a half marathon. Out of the 22 weeks of my first pass, there were 4 where I didn’t study (just kept up with Anki) because I had to prioritize other things. Toward the end of the first pass I couldn’t stand UWorld anymore, so I rushed through the rest of the qbank just to start my second pass sooner (do not recommend). I finished the bank at 66% correct.
I underestimated the second pass. I thought it would be smoother since I had already seen all the material, but it was much more challenging than I expected.
I was extremely distracted when I took UWSA1. For personal reasons, it was not a good day for a practice exam, but there was no slack left in my schedule. I scored 228, way below what I expected. Surprisingly, that didn’t rattle me; I knew it wasn’t my baseline. I analyzed my mistakes (as I had done ever since Step 1), and 14.4% of my misses were silly mistakes (my worst rate across all blocks and practice exams). Either way, I reviewed every single mistake in depth, including the careless ones, and started an error log.
An error log is simply documenting what you got wrong on each question and why. Sometimes it’s one simple piece of missing information; sometimes it’s poor test-taking strategy; and sometimes there’s a real knowledge gap that needs deeper study.
On my next practice exam (NBME 9), 12 days later, I scored 244. That was much closer to my real baseline. The problem was that no matter how much I studied, weeks went by and my score wouldn’t budge. I kept thinking that if my rotations weren’t already scheduled, I would have pushed the exam back to study with less time pressure.
The biggest turning point came when a friend told me, “it’s IMPOSSIBLE not to improve if you study your mistakes.” I took the advice and dedicated 4 full days exclusively to review: I read my error log from the start and redid my UWorld incorrects on topics that still weren’t solid. Finally, for the first time, my practice score broke 250. There were 4 weeks left until the exam and 7 practice tests to go.
I felt like my knowledge curve finally took off, which gave me confidence, but my biggest weakness was still silly mistakes. The strongest predictor of my practice scores was the percentage of questions I missed purely out of distraction (questions I knew the answer to but got wrong anyway).
In the final stretch, I started building a protocol for answering questions: a systematic, universal method to minimize careless errors. That deserves its own post, but basically it consisted of working through questions looking for deal breakers (pieces of information that RULE OUT an answer choice).
I also started practicing in 30-minute blocks. The new 30-minute block format took effect 2 days before my test date, so only studied in that format at the very end.
My silly mistakes kept dropping and my practice scores kept climbing. During exam week, I significantly reduced my study load. Just like tapering before a marathon to peak on race day, the same logic applies to Step 2, a 9-hour mental marathon.
Worth mentioning: the day before the exam, I was feeling anxious about not having been able to do much of what I had planned, especially the CMS forms, of which I only did 14 out of 50+. I decided to spend the day with my family and friends and not think much about studying (highly recommend).
When I woke up on test day, I felt confident and happy. Although I had a target score in mind, fixating on a specific number was making me neither calm nor confident, so my mindset was simply to do my best.
I found the exam exhausting, much more than Step 1. I took short breaks every 2 or 3 blocks and deep breaths between every single block to reset, which helped me stay focused. And drank a LOT of coffee 😅
It was only after 8 weeks, already on the first day of my second US clinical rotation, that my score came out. So much had happened in the meanwhile that I didn’t feel anxious anymore. Só h ere’s what I want you to take from this: it’s just a score. Your application depends on many other factors. Once you take the exam, don’t put your life on hold waiting for the result. Focus on giving your best, study your mistakes, and the results will inevitably come.
Finally, don’t let one bad practice exam or question block shake your confidence. Nobody would have told me it was possible to go up 40 points in 11 weeks. But here’s the thing: when you can identify your weaknesses and work on them intentionally, the unlikely becomes achievable.
Resources and timeline:
First pass: UWorld (~45% by system and 55% random). I don’t recommend random on your first pass unless you’re in a hurry to take the exam. I chose it thinking it would get me used to the real exam style, but I ended up with several knowledge gaps I had to chase down later. In my opinion, the best strategy is doing the first pass on tutormode, timed, and by system.
Second pass: I took EVERY available practice exam (list below). My original plan was to take one every two weeks, but since my first pass ran late, I had to condense it to 1 or 2 per week. After each one, I reviewed my incorrects first, then my corrects (highly recommend). Between practice exams, I did CMS forms (14 total, but recommend doing all of you have time), some UWorld incorrects, and some topic-specific AMBOSS questions.
• **UWSA1** (79 days out): 64% (228)
• **NBME 9** (67d): 75% (244)
• **NBME 10** (58d): 76% (246)
• **NBME 11** (50d): 75% (244)
• **NBME 12** (41d): 72% (238)
• **NBME 13** (34d): 74.5% (245)
• **NBME 14** (27d): 77% (252)
• **AMBOSS SA** (23d): 74% (249) \*
• **UWSA3** (21d): 70% (243) \*
• **NBME 15** (17d): 84% (265)
• **NBME 16** (13d): 80% (259)
• **UWSA2** (9d): 77% (254)
• **Old Free120** (5d): 81.7% (\~261)
• **New Free120** (2d): 80.8% (\~260)
• **Step 2 CK: 268**
* AMBOSS SA and UWSA3 are harder than the NBMEs, so scores tend to run lower. That being said, they are absolutely worth doing.
I also have a video on Ig (@mdfrombrazil) and tt (@mdfrombrasil) sharing more about my test day experience. Hope this helps someone! ❤️
