USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK on New Software: Shorter Blocks, Same Questions

Candidates who studied from older guides may be surprised on exam day: since May 2026 the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK examinations are delivered on new test software with a different block structure. The programme moved Step 2 CK on 7 May 2026 and Step 1 on 14 May 2026; Step 3 had moved on 10 March. The content, the total number of questions and the length of the day are unchanged. The blocks are not.

The new structure

• Step 1: 14 blocks of about 20 questions, 30 minutes each, replacing 7 blocks of 40 questions in 60 minutes. Total questions remain 280; the exam day remains 8 hours.
• Step 2 CK: 16 blocks of 18–20 questions, 30 minutes each, replacing 8 blocks of 38–40 questions in 60 minutes. Total questions remain 316; the exam day remains 9 hours.
• Examinees can review items only within the current block and cannot return to a block once it closes, as before.
• The interface has an updated design, improved keyboard navigation, a settings menu and per-image contrast adjustment.

What the programme says, and what it does not

The official announcement states that "the exam content, total number of items, and overall exam day duration will not change" and that the update "should not change how you study for the exams". It does not spell out how break time is distributed across the shorter blocks, and it notes that examinees with approved accommodations for extra testing or break time would receive updated decision letters. The programme's testing-experience tools and tutorials for each Step were updated; examinees should use the current tutorial rather than an older recording.

Why shorter blocks change pacing even if they do not change content

1. The clock resets more often. With 30-minute blocks there is less room to recover from a slow start: three difficult questions in a row can consume a quarter of the block. Practise a steady pace of roughly 90 seconds a question rather than relying on catching up later.
2. Flagging works differently. You can still mark questions and return within the block, but the window to do so is shorter. Decide a rule: flag, move on, and return only if two minutes remain.
3. More transitions. Sixteen block starts mean sixteen moments of settling in. Rehearse the first two minutes of a block: read the first question fully, answer, and let the rhythm build.
4. Breaks are decisions. With more block boundaries, there are more opportunities to take a break, and more temptation. Plan your breaks in advance (after which blocks, for how long) and keep to the plan.

How to practise

Set your question bank to 20-question, 30-minute timed blocks for Step 1 and 18–20-question, 30-minute blocks for Step 2 CK, and do back-to-back sets to simulate the day. NBME self-assessments already use the new software, so they are the most faithful rehearsal of the interface. Try the per-image contrast setting on practice images, particularly for radiology and dermatology items, so that using it on the day costs no time.

What this means for you

Nothing about what you need to know has changed; something about how you need to deliver it has. Candidates who have only practised in 40-question hour-long blocks should switch now. FAME's USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 question banks let you set block length and timing, and the mock tests are configured to the 14- and 16-block structure.

Two questions examinees ask

Did the number of questions change? No. Step 1 keeps 280 multiple-choice questions and Step 2 CK keeps 316; only the block boundaries moved. The programme's own words are that content, total items and overall exam-day duration do not change.

Do I need the new tutorial? Yes if your test date is on or after 14 May 2026 for Step 1 or 7 May 2026 for Step 2 CK. The programme published separate tutorials for the old and new software and asked examinees to use the one matching their date; the new tutorial is the only relevant one now.

Sources and references

• USMLE: Test delivery software updates for Step 2 CK and Step 1 coming in May 2026 (block structure, dates, what stays the same)
• USMLE announcements