**Understanding the USMLE Examination System**

**1. What is the USMLE?**
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three-step exam required for medical licensure in the USA. It assesses a physician’s ability to apply medical knowledge, concepts, and patient-centered skills. Both US and international medical graduates must pass it to practice medicine in the US.

**2. Breakdown of USMLE Steps**
USMLE Step 1 focuses on basic sciences and disease mechanisms. Step 2 CK evaluates clinical knowledge and decision-making, while Step 3 tests the ability to manage patients independently. Each step increases in clinical complexity and responsibility.

**3. Scoring and Its Importance**
Although Step 1 is now pass/fail, Step 2 CK scores play a major role in residency selection. Strong scores can significantly improve interview chances, especially for competitive specialties. Programs also consider trends across steps.

**4. Common Challenges and Preparation Strategy**
Major challenges include time management, question interpretation, and long study duration. Successful candidates rely on question banks, active recall, and consistent revision rather than passive reading alone.

**Example:**
An IMG aiming for Internal Medicine may focus on achieving a high Step 2 CK score by completing UWorld twice, reviewing NBME assessments, and correlating weak topics like cardiology and infectious diseases with clinical cases.