STEP 2 CK
STEP 2 CK: assesses the application knowledge of clinical medicine for the provision of patient care under supervision and includes emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. Step 2 CK ensures that due attention is devoted to principles of clinical sciences and basic patient-centered skills that provide the foundation for the safe and competent practice of medicine under supervision.
Step 2 CK is a one-day examination. It is divided into eight 60-minute blocks and administered in one 9-hour testing session. The number of questions per block on a given examination will vary but will not exceed 40. The total number of items on the overall examination will not exceed 318. The examination also includes a minimum allotment of 45 minutes of break time and a 15-minute optional tutorial. The amount of time available for breaks may be increased by finishing a block of test items or the optional tutorial before the allotted time expires.
Retaking Previously Passed Steps
If you pass a Step, you are not allowed to retake it, except to comply with a time limit imposed by a US physician licensing authority for completion of all Steps or by another authority recognized by the USMLE program. Visit the USMLE website for more information.
USMLE STEP EXAM Apply for Exams
To apply for USMLE examinations, you must apply through the appropriate registration entity. Note: Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 are not offered on major local holidays. Step 3 is not administered during the first fourteen (14) days of January. Available dates will be displayed in the scheduling system.
Step 2 CK
Step 2 CK Content Outline & Specifications
USMLE Content Outline
USMLE Physician Task/Competencies
Step 2 Common Questions
Step 2 CK Sample Test Questions
Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK)
USMLE Step 2 CK Orientation Free 120
USMLE MCQs Strategies
- Read each question carefully. It is important to understand what is being asked.
- Try to generate an answer and then look for it in the response option list.
- Alternatively, read each option carefully, eliminating those that are clearly incorrect.
- Of the remaining options, select the one that is most correct.
- If unsure about an answer, it is better to guess since unanswered questions are automatically counted as wrong answers.