The 5 Best USMLE Step 2 CK Resources in 2025
Your USMLE Step 2 score directly impacts your residency application. With the passing score rising to 218 in July 2025 and competitive specialties requiring scores of 250-260+, choosing effective study resources isn't optional—it's essential.
The challenge? Hundreds of prep materials exist, each claiming to be "indispensable." Medical students face decision paralysis while their bank accounts drain and study time disappears. Some resources genuinely improve scores. Others waste months and thousands of dollars.
This guide cuts through the noise. Here are the five best Step 2 resources that consistently help students achieve their target Step 2 CK scores, with honest breakdowns of effectiveness, pricing, and strategic implementation for each.
1. UWorld USMLE Step 2 CK: The undisputed gold standard
UWorld remains absolutely essential, used by over 90% of medical students and universally considered the single most important Step 2 CK resource, if not for the whole USMLE prep. The consensus is overwhelming: students who thoroughly complete UWorld score significantly higher than those who don't, and UWSA2 (UWorld's second self-assessment) predicts actual scores within 5-10 points.
The platform features 4,250 + USMLE-style questions with exceptionally detailed explanations written by practicing physicians. Questions are organized into dual modes—"Shelf Review" for rotation-specific preparation and "Step 2 CK Review" for dedicated study. Each explanation includes step-by-step clinical reasoning, detailed rationales for all answer choices, integrated visual aids, and high-yield summary tables. The new Medical Library adds 1,000+ peer-reviewed articles and 2,500+ ReadyDecks flashcards.
Pricing ranges from $319-389 for 30 days to $719-749 for two years. The 1-year subscription ($559-599) is the most popular, as it includes three self-assessments, one question bank reset, and a study planner. While expensive, students consistently report that this is the one resource worth the full investment—many high scorers primarily used UWorld and still achieved scores of 260-270+.
What makes UWorld uniquely effective is its similarity to the actual exam in format, difficulty, and clinical reasoning approach. Questions mirror NBME's style better than any competitor. The biostatistics module has become increasingly valuable as these topics appear more frequently on recent exams. Students scoring 45-50% on their first pass typically pass Step 2 CK comfortably, while scores of 70-80% correlate with scores of 250-260+.
The winning strategy: Begin UWorld Step 2 CK prep during clinical rotations by using shelf review mode for each specialty, and then complete the remaining questions during dedicated study time. Most successful students finish 80-100% of the question bank, with many reviewing all incorrect questions before exam day. Reading explanations for correct answers, not just incorrect ones, proves crucial—UWorld's explanations often serve as primary content review rather than supplementing a textbook.
2. AMBOSS: The comprehensive challenger disrupting the market
AMBOSS functions primarily as a supplementary resource to UWorld, though it has gained serious traction among medical students. While UWorld remains the primary question bank for most students, AMBOSS excels as a targeted supplement—particularly for ethics, quality improvement, and biostatistics. The platform combines 3,300+ Step 2 CK questions with an integrated clinical library containing 1,300+ high-yield articles, creating a unique learning ecosystem. AMBOSS's own research claims users score 10.4 points higher on average than non-AMBOSS users, though this data comes from company surveys rather than independent verification.
Most students use AMBOSS strategically rather than comprehensively. The most common approach is to use UWorld as the primary question bank and AMBOSS selectively for weak areas and high-yield topics that AMBOSS covers better than competitors. In the final 2-3 weeks before the exam date, many students specifically drill AMBOSS ethics and QI questions regardless of which was their primary question bank—these topics appear in almost every exam block, and AMBOSS's coverage is superior.
The question bank features difficulty ratings (1-5 "hammers"), with most exam-relevant questions at difficulty levels 1-4. Questions are exceptionally detailed and often harder than UWorld, which can lead to overthinking but provides deeper conceptual understanding. The integrated library functions like UpToDate for boards, allowing instant deep-dives on any topic. Performance analytics and a score predictor help track progress, though students report the predictor sometimes overestimates actual scores.
AMBOSS's Student Life package offers extraordinary value at $1199 (one-time payment), providing access until the end of PGY-1 and covering Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, and all shelf exams. This includes 5,800+ total questions, the complete library, mobile apps with offline access, and all clinical tools. Individual plans range from $378 for a 6-month access to $448/year. A 5-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee reduce risk.
The primary drawback is the difficulty of the questions—5-hammer questions can be too detailed for exam preparation and may cause overthinking. Students report AMBOSS questions, while educational, don't match the actual exam style as closely as UWorld. However, the comprehensive library and exceptional ethics/QI content make AMBOSS worth considering either as a primary resource or an essential supplement.
3. NBME Practice Exams and Official Assessments: Essential reality checks
Practice exams from NBME (the organization that creates the actual test) are non-negotiable for proper preparation. These assessments use retired real exam questions and provide the most accurate score predictions and authentic question style. With Step 2 CK now determining residency competitiveness, students cannot afford to walk into test day without knowing where they stand.
NBME offers seven Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessments (Forms 9–15) at US $62 each, with Forms 12–15 often viewed by students as most representative of the current Step-2 CK style. Each assessment contains a total of 200 questions, arranged in four 50-question blocks, to mimic the exam’s pacing. The Free 120 comprises 120 retired USMLE questions (originally for Step 1), released freely by NBME. Many students take it 2–3 days before their test as a final practice run. Anecdotally, examinees report encountering similar concepts or question styles on the real exam.
UWorld’s self-assessments (UWSA1 and UWSA2) are generally bundled with USMLE QBank subscriptions (with longer subscription durations, including one or two UWSAs). Many students regard UWSA2, when taken 1–2 weeks before exam day, as one of the most predictive internal practice exams, often estimating final scores within ~5–10 points (by anecdotal reports).
AMBOSS offers a standalone Step 2 CK Self-Assessment for $49.99 (if not included in a “Student Life” membership). While AMBOSS asserts their self-assessment is representative of the real exam, some students and reviewers perceive it as less predictive or less widely validated compared to NBME and UWorld assessments.
The optimal assessment strategy involves taking one NBME form early (weeks 1-2 of dedicated study) as a baseline to identify weak areas, then spacing additional forms throughout dedicated study—typically one per week. Save the most recent NBME forms and UWSA2 for the final two weeks as your best score predictors. Most students scoring 250+ take 5-7 full practice exams before test day.
Total assessment investment typically runs $240-484, depending on how many forms you take, but this is crucial spending. Practice exams serve multiple functions: identifying knowledge gaps, building test-taking endurance for the grueling 9-hour exam day, calibrating your pacing, and—most importantly—providing realistic score predictions to inform your residency application strategy. Students who skip adequate practice testing consistently underperform their potential or face unpleasant surprises on score release day.
4. Divine Intervention Podcasts: The best free resource by far
In a Step 2 prep landscape dominated by costly resources, Divine Intervention Podcasts, created and hosted by Dr. Divine-Favour Anene, stand out as completely free while still delivering exceptional value. The show now includes hundreds of episodes covering Step 1, 2 CK, and 3 topics in an audio format ideal for passive learning during commutes, workouts, or daily routines.
The content shines in its Rapid Review series, which condenses high-yield topics into focused sessions. Dr. Anene covers essentials like vaccines, preventive medicine, ethics, biostatistics, quality improvement, perioperative medicine, and comprehensive organ-system reviews. He also produces detailed walk-throughs of NBME’s Free 120, offering explanations for the official practice questions. His teaching style often leans on the Socratic method—posing questions and prompting listeners to self-test rather than passively absorb.
Many students report that Divine Intervention has helped them nail questions on exam day, particularly edge cases and unusual presentations often missed by question banks. Popular episodes include the geriatrics and military veterans series, comprehensive rapid reviews, and dedicated sessions on ethics and biostatistics. High scorers often incorporate 1–3 episodes daily in their final review period.
The podcasts are free on all major platforms (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the website divineinterventionpodcasts.com), and typed community-created notes circulate widely in Google Docs for students who prefer written material. For those wanting structured guidance, Dr. Anene also offers paid Zoom courses that cover biostatistics, ethics, and comprehensive Step 1, 2, and 3 prep.
This resource is a reminder that effective preparation doesn’t have to drain your wallet. Students consistently credit Divine Intervention with boosting shelf exam performance across M3 and securing crucial points on Step 2 CK—all at zero cost.
5. AnKing Step 2 Deck: Spaced repetition for long-term retention
Anki remains a powerful tool for Step 2 CK preparation, with many high scorers crediting spaced repetition as essential to their success. While Step 2 CK emphasizes clinical reasoning over pure memorization, Anki helps students retain the vast amount of clinical knowledge, diagnostic criteria, treatment algorithms, and high-yield facts needed for the exam. The AnKing Step 2 Deck has emerged as the most comprehensive pre-made option, containing approximately 19,000 Step 2 CK-specific flashcards (out of 30,000+ total cards covering Steps 1-3). The deck is tagged by major resources, including UWorld, AMBOSS, First Aid, Boards and Beyond, and OnlineMedEd, allowing targeted review.
AnKing now operates through AnkiHub, providing real-time collaborative updates from thousands of medical students worldwide. New cards are added weekly based on current exam trends. The platform includes integration with UWorld question IDs through add-ons, making it easy to create workflows like "unsuspend cards for missed UWorld questions." This allows efficient, targeted review rather than overwhelming comprehensive decks.
AnkiHub pricing includes: a free tier with limited features, Core at $6/month for full access, Premium at $10/month, which adds AI features, smart search, and access to additional content from Boards & Beyond and First Aid Forward, or Lifetime at $450 for a one-time payment. A scholarship program exists for students unable to afford a subscription.
The most effective Anki strategy for Step 2 involves selective use rather than comprehensive deck completion. Instead of attempting all 19,000+ AnKing cards, successful students unsuspend cards based on missed UWorld questions, create custom cards from challenging concepts, or focus on high-yield memorization topics like vaccines, screening guidelines, and clinical algorithms. This targeted approach provides spaced repetition benefits without overwhelming time commitment.
Time investment matters—Anki reviews can consume 1-2 hours daily if pursuing comprehensive decks. Students with 4-6 week dedicated periods often find this time better spent doing more UWorld questions. However, students who started Anki with UWorld during rotations and maintained daily reviews often find that the spaced repetition pays dividends during dedicated study, with less need to re-learn previously covered material.
Invest Wisely in Proven Resources
With residency programs increasingly using Step 2 scores as a significant filter for interview invitations and the exam directly influencing your specialty options, this isn't a test you can afford to wing. But here's the good news: thousands of students before you have navigated this successfully, and the roadmap is clearer than ever.
The difference between hitting your target Step 2 score and falling short rarely comes down to intelligence or which resources you bought. It comes down to execution. Students who thoroughly complete one high-quality question bank with careful review consistently outperform those who buy five resources and only partially finish each one. Your Step 2 prep deserves the same focus and discipline you've brought to everything else that got you this far in medical school.
If you're struggling to create an effective study plan or want personalized guidance to achieve your target score, consider working with an experienced tutor. At MedBoardTutors, our Step 2 CK tutors have an average score in the 260+ range and have helped hundreds of students optimize their preparation strategies. We offer one-on-one Step 2 CK tutoring that identifies your specific weak areas, creates customized study plans, and provides accountability throughout your preparation. Schedule a free Step 2 tutoring consultation now so we can chat about how we can help you.