Step 1 Passed With Minimal Resources — Especially for Students Who Struggle With Memorization

Passed Step 1 — From 38% NBME to Consistent 70%+ With Limited Resources
I passed USMLE Step 1! 🎉
I wanted to share this especially for non-US IMGs and students who struggle with memorization.
My first NBME was NBME 21 — 38%.
Over time, I worked my way up and was able to score 70%+ on my last 3 NBMEs consecutively before taking the exam.
What was different about my preparation?
I didn’t use an extensive list of resources. I didn’t try to memorize every single line of First Aid, and I wasn’t someone who could retain huge amounts of information through pure memorization.
Instead, I focused on understanding concepts, recognizing patterns, and learning how to approach questions.
I’ve recently started mentoring students who have difficulty memorizing large amounts of information, and I’ve realized that a lot of students may simply be using a study method that doesn’t suit them.
If you’re a non-US IMG struggling with Step 1 and feel like you can’t memorize everything, I can share exactly how I prepared, what resources I actually used, how I went from 38% to 70%+, and how I approached studying with minimal resources and without trying to memorize everything.
If anyone is interested, feel free to reach out. Happy to share what worked for me. 🙌