If you’re in the thick of USMLE prep, you already know—it’s brutal. No matter how prepared you think you are, this exam has a way of making even the most dedicated students feel like they’re falling short.
You might be scoring lower than expected on UWorld.
You might be falling behind on your study schedule.
You might feel like an imposter, like you don’t belong in medicine at all.
You might miss questions you know you should’ve gotten right.
You might have already faced the heartbreak of not passing a practice NBME.
And at some point, you might have broken down crying from sheer frustration.
Guess what? That’s all completely normal.
This is what studying for the USMLE actually looks like. The struggle isn’t a sign that you’re failing—it’s a sign that you’re growing.
My Own USMLE Journey: The Lowest Point in Med School
When I was studying for USMLE Step 1, it was one of the hardest times of my life. It felt like no matter how much I studied, I wasn’t making enough progress. I fell behind my schedule constantly—there were just too many things to review, too many practice questions to do, and too many weaknesses to fix.
There were nights when I lay awake, wondering if I was really meant to be a doctor. I would see classmates breezing through questions while I was stuck reviewing the same topics over and over again. And the worst part? I thought I was the only one struggling.
But after becoming a doctor and working as a USMLE tutor for the past 2.5 years, I’ve seen firsthand that every student—no matter how brilliant—goes through the exact same struggles.
You are not alone.
If you feel like you’re drowning in books, videos, and question banks, I want you to pause for a second and remind yourself:
🌟 This is temporary.
Studying for USMLE feels like it’s never-ending, but it’s just a phase of your journey. One day, it will be behind you, and you’ll be wearing that white coat with pride.
🌟 Every doctor before you has struggled too.Yes, even the ones who seem effortlessly smart. Even the ones posting their top-percentile scores on social media and forums. Behind every high score is a student who struggled but didn’t give up.
🌟 You are capable of improvement.
If your scores are low right now, that doesn’t mean they’ll stay that way. USMLE isn’t about innate talent—it’s about growth, persistence, and strategy. Every hour you put in is an investment in your future. (Of course, make sure you are using effective, active learning strategies all of the time!)
How to Navigate the Toughest Parts of USMLE Studying
While the struggle is real, there are ways to make this process a little easier. Here are some of my top tips to help you push through:
1. Stop letting low UWorld scores define you
Your UWorld percentage is not a reflection of your future score—it’s a learning tool. Too many students panic when they see low percentages, but the real goal is improvement. Instead of stressing about your score, focus on understanding why you got a question wrong. Do not let low percentages deter you from doing more questions.
📌 Tip: Use active recall and spaced repetition when reviewing incorrect questions. Make Anki cards for your incorrects in your own words, and quiz yourself on key concepts later.
2. Adjust your study schedule without guilt
Falling behind? You’re not alone. Med students are notorious for setting unrealistic study schedules. Life happens, and sometimes, you won’t get through everything you planned. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Allow yourself to take breaks, and push back your exam if you need to.
📌 Tip: Instead of stressing over what you didn’t finish, focus on making progress. Prioritize high-yield topics, and give yourself buffer days to catch up.
3. Don’t be afraid to study the same topic multiple times
Some concepts take multiple passes to truly sink in. If you keep forgetting something, that doesn’t mean you’re not trying hard enough—it just means you need more reinforcement. Research shows that we need to learn and review something around 5 times to commit it to long-term memory.
📌 Tip: Try explaining the concept out loud, as if teaching a friend. Teaching forces you to process information at a deeper level.
4. Learn to manage imposter syndrome
Feeling like you don’t belong in medicine? That’s imposter syndrome talking. And here’s the truth: Every successful doctor you admire has felt the same way at some point.
📌 Tip: Keep a journal of small wins—improvements in practice questions, concepts you finally understood, or even just days you pushed through despite exhaustion. These victories add up. Look back on your journal any time you feel down.
5. If you miss “easy” questions, don’t panic
Missing questions you should have gotten right is one of the most frustrating parts of USMLE prep. But instead of beating yourself up, use it as an opportunity to fine-tune your test-taking strategy.
📌 Tip: Ask yourself: Did I misread the question? Did I overthink? Did I let anxiety take over? Identifying patterns will help you correct them before test day.
6. Accept that breaking down sometimes is normal
There’s no shame in feeling overwhelmed. This exam demands a lot from you, and sometimes, the pressure gets to be too much. But one bad day doesn’t define your entire journey.
📌 Tip: When you feel like giving up, step away for a bit. Take a short walk, talk to a friend, or do something that reminds you of why you started this journey in the first place.
Keep Pushing Forward
You might feel exhausted.
You might feel behind.
You might feel like you’re never going to get there.
But you will.
This struggle will pass, but your career as a doctor will last a lifetime. Every day you push through is one step closer to achieving your dream.
So keep going. Keep believing in yourself. And keep using the best study strategies to make your progress as efficient as possible.
You got this.
I’m here to support you every step of the way.
Thanks for reading,
Dr. Alina
📩 P.S. If you found this helpful, make sure you check out my Step 1 Strategies eBook here —a complete guide to studying efficiently, avoiding burnout, and boosting your score with scientifically backed techniques. Don’t waste hours on ineffective methods—start using the strategies that actually work!