How Long Is Step 2? Step 2 CK Timing, Breaks & Scoring

Every number on this page comes from USMLE’s own pages, linked in each section and listed under Sources. Where USMLE does not publish something, we leave it out. The Boards Professor is led by Dr. Shauhin “Sean” Moazezi, DO, a board-certified internist.

By Dr. Sahith Valluru. For The Boards Professor, founded by Dr. Sean Moazezi, DO. Published October 12, 2026, updated October 28, 2026.

Step 2 CK at a glance

Checked October 28, 2026. Rules change; the linked page is the authority.

Topic	Official rule	Source
Length	One day, one 9-hour testing session: sixteen 30-minute blocks, at least 55 minutes of break time and a 5-minute optional tutorial (exams on or after May 7, 2026).	USMLE Step 2 CK
Questions	No more than 20 per block across 16 blocks; the 2027 Bulletin says approximately 316 multiple-choice questions.	USMLE Step 2 CK
Passing score	218 on the three-digit scale, for exams on or after July 1, 2025.	USMLE: results and scoring
Fee	$695 for students and graduates of LCME-accredited US schools (2026 and 2027 fees).	NBME: USMLE fees
Results	Typically within four weeks of the test date; USMLE advises allowing at least eight weeks.	USMLE: results and scoring
Official practice test	NBME Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment: seven forms, from $62, 200 questions in four sections of 50, with an estimated probability of passing.	NBME: CCSSA
First-time pass rate, 2024-2025	98% of 22,249 takers from US MD schools; 96% of 5,025 from US DO schools; 90% of 16,186 from non-US schools.	USMLE performance data

How long is Step 2 CK?

For exams on or after May 7, 2026, Step 2 CK is a one-day examination divided into sixteen 30-minute blocks and given in one 9-hour testing session. The day also includes at least 55 minutes of break time and a 5-minute optional tutorial (USMLE Step 2 CK).

How the 9-hour day adds up

Both bars use the same 9-hour scale. Exams on or after May 7, 2026. You take breaks between blocks, when you choose; the chart shows totals, not an order.

Testing: 8 hours

Breaks + tutorial: 1 hour

0 h3 h6 h9 h

• Optional tutorial: 5 min
• 16 blocks × 30 min = 8 hours
• Break time: at least 55 min

Exams before May 7, 2026 used eight 60-minute blocks of up to 40 questions each, no more than 318 questions in total, with at least 45 minutes of break time and a 15-minute optional tutorial (USMLE).

How breaks work

Any time between blocks counts as break time, whether you stay at your seat or leave the room. If you finish the tutorial or a block early, the leftover time is added to your break time. Once a block starts you may not leave the room except in an emergency, and break time you go over is taken out of your testing time (USMLE break time).

How is Step 2 CK scored?

Step 2 CK is reported on a three-digit score scale with a pass or fail outcome. The passing standard is 218 for examinees testing on or after July 1, 2025, up from 214 (USMLE announcement). USMLE reviews passing standards on a schedule, typically every three to four years.

USMLE says no set percentage of examinees passes or fails. The share of questions you must answer correctly varies by form, but in USMLE’s words, “examinees typically must answer approximately 60% of questions correctly to achieve a passing score” (USMLE Bulletin). Different forms are made comparable through equating, which adjusts scores for the difficulty of the questions you saw (USMLE score questions).

When are scores released?

1. Test dayYour responses go to NBME to be scored and checked.
2. Typically 2 to 4 weeksWhen USMLE says results are usually available. You get an email from the organization that registered you.
3. Allow at least 8 weeksUSMLE’s advice when you pick a test date, because some reports are delayed.
4. About 365 daysHow long the score report stays on your registration organization’s website. After that it is available only as a paid transcript.

USMLE does not give scores by phone, email or fax, and does not speed up scoring for anyone (USMLE Bulletin).

When should you take Step 2 CK?

USMLE says Step 1 and Step 2 can be taken in any order, and that in LCME-accredited schools most students take Step 2 in their fourth year. You must pass Step 1 and Step 2 CK before you can take Step 3 (USMLE common questions).

Step 2 CK is offered year-round at Prometric test centers, but you must test within the three-month eligibility period assigned when you apply. You can ask once for a three-month extension, for a fee. USMLE recommends scheduling as soon as you get your scheduling permit. To be eligible, you must be enrolled in or a graduate of an LCME- or COCA-accredited U.S. school, or an eligible school outside the U.S., both when you apply and on test day.

Picking your own date

USMLE leaves the order and the timing to you, so the real decision is about your score and your applications. The score matters: in the 2026 Main Residency Match, US MD seniors who matched had a median Step 2 CK score of 253, against 244 for those who did not match (NRMP Charting Outcomes 2026). That gap is why most students we work with take Step 2 CK when their knowledge is freshest, not when the calendar is emptiest.

Our planning advice, not a USMLE rule. Your school may set its own deadline.

Timing	Works well when	Watch out for
Right after core clerkships (third-year spring or summer)	Your shelf knowledge is fresh and your score can be on your residency application.	A dedicated period squeezed between rotations; protect at least four to six weeks.
Early fourth year	You need a stronger score to balance Step 1 or shelf results, and have sub-internships that leave study time.	Results take up to eight weeks; check them against your application timeline before booking.
Later in fourth year	Your application is already strong and you want Step 2 CK off the list before graduation.	Programs may ask for the score; Step 3 also needs Step 2 CK passed first.

Book the date from a practice score, not from hope. Take an NBME self-assessment four to six weeks out and move the date if the estimate is close to 218. The Step 2 CK study plan shows a six-week dedicated schedule.

Can you retake Step 2 CK?

Rule	What USMLE says
Attempts per 12 months	No more than three attempts at the same Step.
Fourth attempt	At least 12 months after your first attempt and at least 6 months after your most recent one. Incomplete attempts count.
Lifetime limit	Four or more attempts at a Step without passing makes you ineligible for any Step.
After a pass	You cannot retake a passed Step, except to meet a time limit set by a U.S. licensing authority.

Source: USMLE eligibility requirements. USMLE also prohibits taking a Step just to see the format, or for any reason other than to pass.

Step 2 CK resources and books

Most students over-buy for Step 2 CK. Start with the free official material and one question bank, then add only what fixes a weakness your practice scores show.

Official items checked October 28, 2026. Book and question-bank choices are our advice; USMLE and NBME endorse no commercial resource.

Resource	What it is	Use it for
USMLE sample questions and tutorial	Free sample multiple-choice questions and a software tutorial for each Step (USMLE practice materials).	The real interface, early and again the week before.
USMLE content outline	The official list of systems, disciplines and physician tasks (USMLE content outline).	Checking that your review covers what the exam weights.
NBME CCSSA	Seven forms, from $62, each with an estimated probability of passing (NBME).	Baseline, midpoint and final readiness checks.
NBME Clinical Science Mastery Series	50-question self-assessments by discipline, $21 each (NBME).	Shelf prep during clerkships, and spot checks on one weak discipline.
A question bank (most students use UWorld)	Our UWorld review covers what it lists and costs.	The core of daily study: timed blocks with full review.
Review books	Many students keep one concise review text, such as Step-Up to Medicine or First Aid for the Step 2 CK.	Looking things up after a missed question, not cover-to-cover reading.
Anki	A spaced-repetition deck you build from your misses; see best Anki decks.	Keeping facts from earlier blocks alive.

If you are in clerkships now, the same bank and the NBME forms carry you through your shelves and into dedicated. The one resource worth adding late is a biostatistics and ethics review, because those questions are fast points that clinical rotations do not teach.

Want help preparing for Step 2 CK?

Dr. Moazezi and the team tutor Step 2 CK one-on-one, online by live video (Zoom or Google Meet), with a study schedule built around your rotations.

Book a free intro consult

Or read about our USMLE Step 2 CK tutoring.