Step 1 System
The Step 1 System coaches you from your first preclinical block to your Step 1 result. It has 7 phases, 32 phase skills, and a 7-skill memory system, all run by one root orchestrator.
Price: $29, or $39 in the Step 1 + Step 2 Bundle. Folder: step1-pack/. First line: "Set me up for Step 1".
The seven phases
The coach picks your phase from your saved state, not guesswork, and tells you when you are ready to move on.
| # | Phase | You are here when | Typical window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orientation and intake | First session, or a full re-intake | 1 to 2 sessions |
| 2 | Preclinical foundation | In organ-system courses, more than about 12 weeks before dedicated | M1 through mid or late M2 |
| 3 | Dedicated planning | Dedicated starts in 12 weeks or less, or you are choosing an exam date | 2 to 6 weeks alongside coursework |
| 4 | Dedicated execution | Dedicated day 1 | 4 to 8 weeks |
| 5 | Final weeks and go/no-go | Exam within about 14 days, or a postpone decision is needed | Last 1 to 3 weeks |
| 6 | Test day | Exam within 3 days | 1 to 3 days |
| 7 | After the exam | Exam taken | 2 to 8 weeks |
What you can ask
| You say | What happens |
|---|---|
| "What's on Step 1?" | A current, sourced fact sheet: pass/fail reporting, format, content, attempts, registration, and practice materials, with official links to verify |
| "Which resources should I use?" | A focused resource stack, so you stop collecting and start using |
| "My lectures don't match boards." | A bridge from this week's block to boards resources |
| "Help me set up Anki." | A spaced repetition system, including backlog recovery |
| "Where am I starting from?" | A baseline assessment plan |
| "Make my dedicated schedule." | A day-by-day dedicated schedule built around your self-assessment calendar |
| "I got 64% on my CBSSA." | A self-assessment debrief that updates your plan |
| "Why do I keep missing renal?" | Miss pattern analysis and a weak-area sprint |
| "My scores aren't moving." | The plateau breaker |
| "Am I ready, or should I push?" | A structured go/no-go decision |
| "I'm exhausted and behind." | The burnout guard, which protects sleep and shrinks the plan |
| "What do I bring on test day?" | Test day logistics, pacing, and a break plan |
| "I think I failed." | A calm recovery plan that loops back to dedicated planning |
The 2026 exam format
The pack's fact sheet covers the USMLE format for exams on or after May 14, 2026: one 8-hour day of 14 blocks of 30 minutes, up to 20 items per block and up to 280 items, with at least 55 minutes of break time. The stamina rehearsal skill practices those 30-minute blocks. The coach always asks you to confirm time-sensitive facts at usmle.org.
Built-in loops
- Daily check-in
- Weekly review
- Miss logs
- Printable PDFs
- A local HTML dashboard ("Show me my dashboard"), plus the optional account dashboard
Handing off to Step 2 CK
When you pass, the coach writes step1/handoff.md: your retention system, the resources that worked, your study patterns, and weak systems worth carrying forward. If you own the Step 2 CK System, it reads that file so you don't start over.
Good to know
- Not medical advice. It coaches studying and planning, and never replaces your school's advisors or official rules.
- Exam integrity. It never discusses recalled live exam questions or uses pirated materials.
- DO students. The intake asks about COMLEX Level 1 too.