{"id":1026,"date":"2020-09-09T16:07:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T16:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=1026"},"modified":"2025-10-07T10:09:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T18:09:46","slug":"how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#Identify_Your_Resources\" >Identify Your Resources<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#Gauge_Your_Bandwidth\" >Gauge Your Bandwidth<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#Get_Scheduling\" >Get Scheduling<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#1_Block_Out_Important_Events\" >1. Block Out Important Events\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#2_Schedule_Practice_Exam_Time\" >2. Schedule Practice Exam Time\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#3_Remember_Time_for_Eating_Sleeping_Self-care_and_Exercise\" >3. Remember Time for Eating, Sleeping, Self-care, and Exercise\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#4_Take_Time_Off_Before_Your_Exam_Date\" >4. Take Time Off Before Your Exam Date\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#And_Of_Course_Calibrate\" >And, Of Course, Calibrate<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\/#About_the_Author\" >About the Author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Planning on taking USMLE\u00ae Step 1 in the near future? Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Gia Eapen has some tips for creating a realistic, actionable schedule for your dedicated prep period. Learn which resources to use, how to manage your time effectively, and how to recalibrate and refocus if things start to feel overwhelming.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/06\/04\/all-your-usmle-step-1-questions-answered-the-osmosis-ultimate-guide\">So you\u2019re about to start your dedicated USMLE Step 1 study period?<\/a>&nbsp;Me too. A few days ago, I was super overwhelmed about the whole scheduling process, so naturally I decided to write a blog post about it! With help from friends, classmates, and the lovely&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/reddit.com\/r\/medschool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">r\/medschool<\/a>, I was able to create a realistic study schedule for myself and wanted to share the process with anyone who might be feeling apprehensive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Identify_Your_Resources\"><\/span>Identify Your Resources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, compile a list of everything that you\u2019re planning to use during your dedicated study period. If it\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2019\/11\/13\/how-to-use-usmle-question-banks-efficiently-on-osmosis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">question banks<\/a>, note how many questions they contain. If it\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/06\/30\/studying-smarter-with-osmosis-the-best-videos-for-medical-school-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">videos<\/a>, calculate how many total minutes of watch time it\u2019ll be. If it\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/books.osmosis.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reading<\/a>, count how many pages you need to work through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gauge_Your_Bandwidth\"><\/span>Gauge Your Bandwidth<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Figure out how much you\u2019ll be able to accomplish per day. I\u2019m talking about how many hours you\u2019ll be able to devote to Step 1 studying and what resources those hours are going to be spent on. This is incredibly important, since you don\u2019t want to study 14 hours during your first week and burn out.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2021\/01\/04\/how-to-set-realistic-goals-for-2021-and-stick-to-them\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Realistic goal setting is key<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_Scheduling\"><\/span>Get Scheduling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now it\u2019s time to actually start filling in your schedule. Pull up your scheduling method of choice (spreadsheet, calendar, planner, blank piece of paper, etc.) and create sections for each day up until your exam day. Make sure you\u2019re able to schedule down to the hour, since you did all that work figuring out how much time all your resources are going to take up. Then, start filling in your schedule from your list of resources, keeping in mind how many hours you\u2019re going to use up per day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/product\/study-schedule\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"701\" height=\"251\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/make-a-schedule-banner.png?w=701\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/make-a-schedule-banner.png 701w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/make-a-schedule-banner.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s where you\u2019re going to want to keep a few things in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Block_Out_Important_Events\"><\/span>1. Block Out Important Events\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Attending a (Zoom) wedding? Is your birthday during your dedicated study period?&nbsp;<em>(Mine is\u2014I\u2019m slightly bitter).<\/em>&nbsp;Block out time for those in your schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Schedule_Practice_Exam_Time\"><\/span>2. Schedule Practice Exam Time\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Know which practice exams you have access to and how many you\u2019ll be able to take. Take at least one NBME self-assessment, since these are previous Step 1 exams and will give you a good idea of how you\u2019ll perform on the real thing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Remember_Time_for_Eating_Sleeping_Self-care_and_Exercise\"><\/span>3. Remember Time for Eating, Sleeping, Self-care, and Exercise\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Put these things into your schedule. If it\u2019s in there, it\u2019s easier to hold yourself accountable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Take_Time_Off_Before_Your_Exam_Date\"><\/span>4. Take Time Off Before Your Exam Date\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not expect to study much a few days before your exam. Factor that into your schedule so you have time to relax and get into a positive mindset.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/list-of-things-to-include-on-calendar.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1028\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/list-of-things-to-include-on-calendar.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/list-of-things-to-include-on-calendar.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_Of_Course_Calibrate\"><\/span>And, Of Course, Calibrate<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this point, you\u2019ll probably start feeling overwhelmed. That\u2019s totally normal and this is what you\u2019re going to do: cut down. Already a pro on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/learn\/High_Yield:_Cyanotic_congenital_heart_defects\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">congenital heart defects<\/a>? Maybe you don\u2019t need to watch that video. Scale your resources based on your weak points, subjects you need to review more thoroughly, and materials that may not be as high-yield.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Author\"><\/span>About the Author<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Gia Eapen<\/strong> is a second-year medical student at the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/med.uvm.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont<\/a>. She\u2019s originally from Mystic, Connecticut and is interested in a surgical subspeciality, but not sure which one yet. In her free time, she likes to read her way through the New York Times bestsellers list, do face masks, and create increasingly more complex matcha latte recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023.png?w=700\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong><em>Try Osmosis today! Access your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/login?type=create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free trial<\/a>&nbsp;and find out why millions of clinicians and caregivers love learning with us.<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Planning on taking USMLE\u00ae Step 1 in the near future? Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Gia Eapen has some tips for creating a realistic, actionable schedule for your dedicated prep period. Learn which resources to use, how to manage your time effectively, and how to recalibrate and refocus if things start to feel overwhelming. So you\u2019re [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":1029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,20,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicine","category-exam-prep","category-step-1"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Planning on taking USMLE\u00ae Step 1 in the near future? Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Gia Eapen has some tips for creating a realistic, actionable schedule for your dedicated prep period. Learn which resources to use, how to manage your time effectively, and how to recalibrate and refocus if things start to feel overwhelming. So you\u2019re [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-09-09T16:07:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-07T18:09:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gia Eapen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Gia Eapen\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/81a9f6cac7b3889e13420a9d2181eaa9\"},\"headline\":\"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-09-09T16:07:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-07T18:09:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\"},\"wordCount\":680,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Allopathic Medicine (MD)\",\"Exam Prep\",\"USMLE\u00ae Step 1\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\",\"name\":\"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period - Osmosis Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-09-09T16:07:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-07T18:09:46+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"width\":1276,\"height\":596,\"caption\":\"Osmosis Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/81a9f6cac7b3889e13420a9d2181eaa9\",\"name\":\"Gia Eapen\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1500ec8c359f1928a0001cb91e18290899b483e47d408b9cee3ae01c59ad8cf4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1500ec8c359f1928a0001cb91e18290899b483e47d408b9cee3ae01c59ad8cf4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Gia Eapen\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/giaeapen\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period - Osmosis Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period - Osmosis Blog","og_description":"Planning on taking USMLE\u00ae Step 1 in the near future? Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Gia Eapen has some tips for creating a realistic, actionable schedule for your dedicated prep period. Learn which resources to use, how to manage your time effectively, and how to recalibrate and refocus if things start to feel overwhelming. So you\u2019re [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period","og_site_name":"Osmosis Blog","article_published_time":"2020-09-09T16:07:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-07T18:09:46+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Gia Eapen","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period"},"author":{"name":"Gia Eapen","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/81a9f6cac7b3889e13420a9d2181eaa9"},"headline":"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period","datePublished":"2020-09-09T16:07:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-07T18:09:46+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period"},"wordCount":680,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp","articleSection":["Allopathic Medicine (MD)","Exam Prep","USMLE\u00ae Step 1"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period","name":"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period - Osmosis Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp","datePublished":"2020-09-09T16:07:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-07T18:09:46+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp","width":1080,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-plan-for-usmle-step-1-dedicated-study-period#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Plan For USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Dedicated Study Period"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","name":"Osmosis Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization","name":"Osmosis Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","width":1276,"height":596,"caption":"Osmosis Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/81a9f6cac7b3889e13420a9d2181eaa9","name":"Gia Eapen","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1500ec8c359f1928a0001cb91e18290899b483e47d408b9cee3ae01c59ad8cf4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1500ec8c359f1928a0001cb91e18290899b483e47d408b9cee3ae01c59ad8cf4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Gia Eapen"},"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/giaeapen"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/dedicated-study-period.webp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6387,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-use-osmosis-quizzes-to-prep-for-usmle-step-2","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":0},"title":"How to Use Osmosis Quizzes to Prep for USMLE\u00ae Step 2","author":"Mike Klug, DO","date":"May 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Prepare for USMLE Step 2 with expert tips on clinical focus, quiz use, time management, and self-care to maximize retention and exam success.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"How to Use Osmosis Quizzes to Prep for USMLE Step 2","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/How_to_Use_Osmosis_Quizzes_to_Prep_for_USMLE_Step_2.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/How_to_Use_Osmosis_Quizzes_to_Prep_for_USMLE_Step_2.jpg 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/How_to_Use_Osmosis_Quizzes_to_Prep_for_USMLE_Step_2.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/How_to_Use_Osmosis_Quizzes_to_Prep_for_USMLE_Step_2.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":357,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/all-your-usmle-step-1-questions-answered-the-osmosis-ultimate-guide","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":1},"title":"The Ultimate Guide to USMLE\u00ae Step 1 : What Every Med Student Needs to Know","author":"Marina Horiates Kerekes, MD","date":"June 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Prep for USMLE\u00ae Step 1 with Osmosis! Get key exam tips and study strategies to help you succeed on your medical journey. Start strong and boost your confidence today!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"All Your USMLE Step 1 Questions Answered The Osmosis Ultimate Guide","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/the-osmosis-ultimate-guide.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/the-osmosis-ultimate-guide.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/the-osmosis-ultimate-guide.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/the-osmosis-ultimate-guide.webp 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":974,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/7-tips-on-how-to-study-for-usmle-step-1","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":2},"title":"7 Tips on How to Study for USMLE\u00ae Step 1","author":"Yousif Hanna","date":"June 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Looking for tips on how to study for USMLE\u00ae Step 1? Osmosis Medical Education Fellow and medical student Yousif Hanna offers seven actionable steps you can take to tackle this momentous exam. The day is finally here. It is a bizarre feeling, a mix of anxiety and excitement. Throughout our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/yousif-hanna-illustratin.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/yousif-hanna-illustratin.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/yousif-hanna-illustratin.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/yousif-hanna-illustratin.webp 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":436,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/usmle-step-1-exam-dates-a-guide-for-international-medical-students","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":3},"title":"USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Exam: A Guide for International Medical Students","author":"Steph Stevens","date":"March 16, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Learn how international medical graduates (IMGs) can prepare for and succeed on the USMLE\u00ae Step 1 Exam.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"USMLE Step 1 Exam Dates in 2024 A Guide for international medical students","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/9.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/9.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/9.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/9.webp 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7856,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-breakdown-of-usmle-step-1-what-you-need-to-know","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":4},"title":"The Breakdown of USMLE\u00ae Step 1: What You Need to Know","author":"Steph Stevens","date":"September 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Prepare for USMLE Step 1 with a breakdown of exam content, format, and proven study techniques to boost confidence and performance.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Breakdown of USMLE Step 1 What You Need to Know","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/The_Breakdown_of_USMLE_Step_1_What_You_Need_to_Know.png","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/The_Breakdown_of_USMLE_Step_1_What_You_Need_to_Know.png 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/The_Breakdown_of_USMLE_Step_1_What_You_Need_to_Know.png 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/The_Breakdown_of_USMLE_Step_1_What_You_Need_to_Know.png 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":344,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-usmle-step-1-is-pass-fail-what-it-means-for-medical-students","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":5},"title":"The USMLE Step 1 Is Pass-Fail: What It Means for Medical Students","author":"Steph Stevens","date":"February 16, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"As of January 2022, the USMLE Step 1 Exam shifted from being scored to a simple pass\/fail grading structure. Learn more about the potential effects of the shift, including the benefits, challenges, and potential changes to the medical residency matching process.\u00a0 The road to becoming a physician is different for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/what-this-means-for-medical-students.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/what-this-means-for-medical-students.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/what-this-means-for-medical-students.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/what-this-means-for-medical-students.webp 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1026"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8389,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions\/8389"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}