From real tutoring sessions · Physician-led tutoring
The same questions come up on tutoring calls week after week. Here are the ones students ask most, answered the way Sean answers them.
These are the study questions students ask Dr. Shauhin “Sean” Moazezi, DO, most often during sessions, with his answers kept close to how he gives them. Everything here describes general advice; your own plan is set with your tutor. For questions about tutoring itself, see the tutoring FAQ.
A few facts shape how many questions you need and how you schedule practice tests. From May 2026, USMLE gives Step 1 in fourteen 30-minute blocks and Step 2 CK in sixteen 30-minute blocks, with no more than 20 questions per block (USMLE, Step 2 CK). Practising at that block length is part of any daily question plan.
NBME's self-assessments, the Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment for Step 1 and the Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment for Step 2 CK, are the official way to check where you stand, and USMLE publishes free sample questions as well (USMLE). See our NBME practice exams guide for how we schedule them.
If you want those decisions made with you, book a free intro consult or see Step 1 and Step 2 CK tutoring.
The exact number of blocks depends on your stage: early in a study period, fewer blocks with longer review; close to the exam, more full blocks to build stamina.
Most of these questions do not have one right answer for everyone. The right daily number, the right time to switch to random blocks and the right Anki load all depend on your test date, your baseline and how much time you really have each day. That is what we work out with each student in the first sessions, and then adjust every week from the results.
Quoted word for word from our student reviews, with the source of each one.
Sahith and Sean were both great! They helped me look at questions from a different perspective and use Anki properly. When students are struggling it also helps to have an ally and both were very supportive and nonjudgmental. It helped me mentally to know I had support and I got the score I wanted today!
reviewPassionate and knowledgeable
Sean was enthusiastic about my success and is very passionate about teaching. He helped create a study schedule for me as well as set me up with a personalized Anki deck. We also went through questions together and dissected them to learn how to review them. I recommend him as a tutor to other people who want to succeed on their exams!
Quoted word for word from our student reviews.
During a full study period, Sean’s daily checklist starts with “did I hit my 80 to 100?” Those are question-bank questions, and the bank he points students to is UWorld: “I’d recommend UWorld, to tell you the truth.” He sets the day in question blocks rather than a loose count: “The goal is to reach about two to three blocks on the daily.” On lighter or busier days the number is set lower with him, and the rest of the checklist (Anki, a text to Sean, the misconcepts list) stays the same.
Not only random. Sean’s answer: “You should not be doing just random questions. Yes, that mimics game day settings.” Random blocks show you how you perform under test conditions; focused blocks go after the weak areas your misses point to. Most students do a mix of both.
When a student asked this close to a test date, Sean said once a week, with the NBME practice exams as “the biggest thing.” He suggests taking the free 120 about three days before your exam. For how many NBME forms there are and how to buy them, see NBME practice exams.
The same day. In Sean’s sessions, a practice exam is reviewed the day it is taken, while you still remember what you were thinking on each question.
No. “I would never ever physically ever tell you to write a card up.” Find the card for that concept in a premade deck and unsuspend it.
One or two per concept. If no card matches, text the concept to Sean instead.
Less than most students expect. Anki is meant to be quick, “not supposed to be a quality thing,” and Sean caps new cards in the deck settings so reviews do not pile up. As he puts it: “If I do more than an hour of Anki a day, I’m gonna start losing my mind.”
Often not. Sean regularly tells students when a detail is not worth their time, and his rule is “to prioritize the stuff that gets tested consistently.” Know the main disease, the main treatment and why it is given before chasing rare mechanisms.
Yes, and Sean asks for them: “Keep sending questions. Just keep that stream of communication open.”
When your recent practice exams are consistently above the passing standard with a margin, taken under real conditions at the real block length. One good result is not enough; a steady trend is what matters.
A dip after a hard week is normal. A downward trend over several practice tests means the plan needs to change, usually toward more careful review and fewer new questions.
Yes, but lighter ones. A short timed block keeps the habit going, and a day with less review leaves energy for the next clinical day. Consistency over weeks matters more than any single long day.
Bring your own questions to any session; there is no such thing as too basic.
A 20-minute phone call about your exam date and practice scores, before you pay for anything.
