Free USMLE practice questions, clearly explained by Dr. Ray Makar
Every year, thousands of students sit for the USMLE, and every year the exam tests many of the same core ideas. The questions are never copied word for word, but the concepts behind them come back again and again. Students who learn to recognize these patterns have a real advantage. Why Does the USMLE Repeat … Read more
Acid-base questions appear on every USMLE Step 1 exam. Use the same steps every time: pH, then the primary disorder, then expected compensation, then the anion gap. Try these three questions, then open the explanations. Question 1: Several days of vomiting A 34-year-old woman has had repeated vomiting for 4 days due to a viral … Read more
Anemia questions on USMLE Step 1 start with the MCV (microcytic, normocytic or macrocytic) and then ask you to pick the right lab finding or underlying defect. Here are three practice questions. Pick your answer first, then open the explanation. Question 1: Very small red cells with normal iron studies A 24-year-old woman of Mediterranean … Read more
Hypersensitivity reactions are one of the most reliable Immunology topics on USMLE Step 1. You need to match each clinical picture to its mechanism: IgE, antibody against cells, immune complexes or T cells. Pick your answer first, then open the explanation. Question 1: Dark urine and swelling two weeks after a sore throat An 8-year-old … Read more
Poisonings and their antidotes are reliable points on USMLE Step 1. The exam often asks for the mechanism of the antidote, not just its name. Here are three practice questions. Pick your answer first, then open the explanation. Question 1: A farmer with pinpoint pupils, drooling and muscle twitching A 45-year-old farmer is brought to … Read more
Diuretics are tested on USMLE Step 1 through their site of action, their electrolyte effects and their side effects. If you know where each one acts in the nephron, most questions become easy. Pick your answer first, then open the explanation. Question 1: A diuretic that raises calcium and glucose A 60-year-old woman with hypertension … Read more
These seven pharmacology questions cover high-yield topics that USMLE Step 1 tests again and again: drug toxicities, drug interactions, pharmacokinetics, autonomic drugs and teratogens. Pick your answer first, then open the explanation. Question 1: Heart failure after chemotherapy A 58-year-old woman completed chemotherapy for breast cancer 8 months ago. She now has shortness of breath … Read more
Diarrhea-causing organisms appear on almost every USMLE Step 1 exam. The questions usually test the exposure clue, the toxin mechanism or a lab feature of the organism. Here are three practice questions. Pick your answer first, then open the explanation. Question 1: Watery diarrhea after antibiotics in the hospital A 72-year-old woman is hospitalized for … Read more
Since USMLE Step 1 moved to pass/fail reporting, many students assume it has become easy. It hasn’t. The exam still covers the same basic science content, and a fail stays on your transcript permanently. Residency programs see it, and it can follow you through every application you submit. The goal now is simple: pass once, … Read more
The skin often gives the first clue to a disease inside the body, and the USMLE loves these connections. These three dermatology practice questions cover acanthosis nigricans, erythema nodosum and dermatomyositis. Pick your answer first, then open the explanation. Question 1: Velvety dark skin on the neck of an obese teenager A 15-year-old obese girl … Read more