# All three Steps in under 12 months.

> A dated plan for Step 1 in 16 weeks, Step 2 CK in 6 months and Step 3 in 45 days — 11.2 months total, phase by phase.

URL: https://usmlevault.com/blog/all-steps-12-months.html
Canonical: https://usmlevault.com/blog/all-steps-12-months.html

## Summary

A compressed timeline for sitting all three USMLE Steps inside a twelve-month window: Step 1 in 16 weeks, Step 2 CK in 6 months, Step 3 in 45 days, totalling 11.2 months and leaving about three weeks of slack. The Step 1 phase is the published 16-week plan run at 10–12 hours a day instead of 8–10, with the content block ending at week 12 and the first NBME (NBME 27, offline) on day 84. The Step 2 CK phase runs notes plus system-wise UWorld for months 1–3.5, NBME 9 as a baseline around week 18, then CMS forms and NBMEs 10–16. Step 3 is 30 days of UWorld, 8 days of CCS, then 7 days of final review.

## Key facts

- Step 1 16 weeks + Step 2 CK 6 months + Step 3 45 days = 11.2 months total
- Step 1 day-by-day: days 1–7 Foundation (Sketchy Micro in 4 days at ~22 bugs/day, High-Yield Pharmacology in 3), days 8–17 Renal then Respiratory (5 days each), days 79–84 revision, day 84 NBME 27 offline (20 questions, 30 minutes per block), days 85–112 NBME phase, day 112 exam
- The 65% rule: use Mehlman only if UWorld drops under 65%; skip Mehlman and Anki if averaging above 70% on the last 4–5 blocks
- Step 2 CK sequence: NBME 9 baseline around week 18 reading 220s–230s, CMS 3–6 over 10–14 days, NBME 10, CMS 7 + NBME 11 targeting 240s, CMS 7–8 + NBME 12, NBME 13, then NBME 14 + 15 as one test day, NBME 16 and Free 120
- Step 3: days 1–30 UWorld weighted to biostats, ethics, micro, pharmacology and drug adverse effects; days 31–38 timed Dr. HY CCS cases; days 39–45 Divine plus one review pass
- Author sat Step 3 on 25 days at 5–6 hours a day and scored 230; Dr. Priyanka Ruparel did all three Steps 21 Jan 2025 → 21 Jan 2026; Dr. Sabha did Step 1 May 2025, Step 2 CK Dec 2025 scoring 259, Step 3 April 2026
- Stated 100% pass rate across students coached through Step 3 including repeat takers, highest score to date 249

## Covers

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## Source

USMLE Vault — https://usmlevault.com
Author: Dr. Marish Asudani

Updated: 2026-08-26