Guide · updated 11 October 2026
The 2026 USMLE exam format, explained
In short: since 7 May 2026 (Step 2 CK) and 14 May 2026 (Step 1), the USMLE uses new test software with 30-minute blocks. Step 1 has 14 blocks of 20 questions; Step 2 CK has 16 blocks of 18 to 20. Content, scoring, total questions and the length of the exam day did not change.
By the Argonaut editorial team. How we write and review
Before and after
What changed, exam by exam
| Exam | From | Blocks | Questions per block | Minutes per block | Total questions | Exam day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | 14 May 2026 | 14 | 20 | 30 | 280 | 8 hours |
| Step 2 CK | 7 May 2026 | 16 | 18 to 20 | 30 | 316 | 9 hours |
Before the change, Step 1 had seven 60-minute blocks of 40 questions and Step 2 CK had eight 60-minute blocks of 38 to 40 questions. Step 3 moved to the new software first, on 10 March 2026.
Source: USMLE, "Test delivery software updates: Step 2 CK and Step 1 coming May 2026", checked 11 October 2026.
The software
What else is new on screen
The USMLE program lists these changes to the test software itself:
- An updated design with improved keyboard navigation.
- A new settings menu.
- The ability to adjust the contrast of each image.
Some things are the same as before: you can review questions only within the current block, and you can't return to a block once it closes. The exam's content outline and scoring are unchanged. The USMLE website has a tutorial for each exam; work through it before test day.
Our advice
What it means for how you practice
Practice in 20-question blocks
Set timed blocks to 20 questions and 30 minutes. That's the unit you'll sit on test day, and it trains the rhythm of starting and finishing a block.
The pace hasn't changed
Thirty minutes for 20 questions is 90 seconds a question, exactly as before. If you were on pace for 40 in an hour, you're on pace now.
Expect more transitions
Twice as many blocks means twice as many starts. Practice getting back to full focus quickly at the top of each block.
Plan your breaks
With more, shorter blocks, decide in advance where you'll take breaks, and check your exam's break rules in the official materials.
Argonaut
How Argonaut's timed mode matches it
- Timed pace
- 90 s per question
- Default block
- 20 questions
- Block time
- 30 minutes
- Within a block
- Move freely, change answers
- Explanations
- When the block ends
The test screen has a highlighter, strike-out, lab values, a calculator, notes and marking, with keyboard shortcuts (A to E to answer, arrow to move, M to mark). Custom blocks can run up to 40 questions when you want longer practice, but the default matches the real exam.
See it in the Step 1 and Step 2 CK banks, or answer a free question now.
Questions people ask
01When did the USMLE exam format change?
Step 3 moved to the new test software on 10 March 2026, Step 2 CK on 7 May 2026 and Step 1 on 14 May 2026. Your test date decides which software you see.
02How many questions are in each Step 1 block now?
20. Step 1 now has 14 blocks of 20 questions, 30 minutes each, for 280 questions in an 8-hour day.
03How many questions are in each Step 2 CK block now?
18 to 20. Step 2 CK now has 16 blocks of 30 minutes, for 316 questions in a 9-hour day.
04Do I get more time per question?
No. Blocks are half as long with half as many questions, so the average stays at 90 seconds per question, the same as before.
05Did the content or scoring change?
No. The USMLE program says exam content, the total number of questions and the length of the exam day are unchanged.
06Can I go back to a previous block?
No. As before, you can review questions only within the current block; once a block closes, you can't return to it.
More guides
- The best USMLE question bank in 2026, ranked on six metricsFive Qbanks compared on accuracy, price, size, free resources, adaptivity and freshness.
- The cheapest USMLE question banks in 2026, for Step 1 and Step 2 CKStep 1 and Step 2 CK Qbanks from free to $749, with what the price leaves out.
- A USMLE Step 1 study plan you can adjustPhases, daily question targets and self-assessment timing, with a calculator.
- A USMLE Step 2 CK study plan, from clerkships to test dayUsing clerkships, shelf exams and a dedicated period, with a calculator.
Practice in 30-minute blocks.
Argonaut's timed mode runs 20 questions in 30 minutes by default, the same block length as the real exam.
$48 · once · Step 1 + Step 2 CK