r/USMLEindia

Hi everyone,
I’m a non-US IMG from India who graduated in mid-2025. My original plan was to pursue the USMLE pathway, but due to some personal reasons, I wasn’t able to study consistently for Step 1. Now, in October 2026, I’m considering starting my preparation again from scratch.
I’m confused about whether continuing with USMLE is worth the time, money, and uncertainty, especially since almost a year and a half has passed since graduation and I haven’t taken Step 1 yet.
A few details about my situation:
●I graduated in mid-2025.
● I haven’t taken Step 1 and would need to restart my preparation properly.
● I have a valid B1/B2 US visa, which could be helpful for pursuing US clinical experience later.
● My original goal was to pursue residency in the US, ideally through the 2028 Match cycle.
● I’m also considering NEET PG in India and the German medical licensing pathway as alternatives.
My main concerns are:

1. Is USMLE still worth pursuing at this stage? How much of a disadvantage would my graduation gap be if I start preparing seriously now?

2. Is the 2028 Match still a realistic target? Considering Step 1, Step 2 CK, US clinical experience, letters of recommendation, and building a competitive CV, what would a realistic timeline look like?

3. How difficult is it for a non-US IMG to match nowadays? I understand that passing the USMLE exams doesn’t guarantee a residency position, and I’m concerned about investing years and a significant amount of money without a guaranteed outcome.

4. Would it be wiser to focus on NEET PG instead? I could pursue postgraduate training in India rather than spend the next few years navigating an uncertain pathway abroad.

5. What about Germany? I’m willing to learn German if necessary. Would starting the German language and licensing process now be a more practical long-term option, considering the time required to reach medical proficiency in German and obtain a residency position?

6. For people who were in a similar situation, what would you do differently? I’d especially appreciate advice from Indian IMGs who started USMLE preparation one or two years after graduation, matched successfully, or ultimately chose another pathway.

I’m not looking for reassurance just for the sake of it. I’d appreciate honest opinions about the financial investment, opportunity cost, career prospects, and risks of each option.
I want to make a well-informed decision now rather than lose another year going back and forth between different pathways.
Thank you!

hello! I’m reeya and i’m looking for someone who’d be willing to mentor be throughout the process of usmle. from the resources to study from for usmle step 1 to step 2 and also someone who’d help me review my CV for the matching process. i also need someone who’d help me land clinical experience in the US. it’s a very tiring and gruesome process if not guided i was looking into other academies that could offer the same but none feel legitimate to me. any suggestions/comments would be super helpful. any people who have already cleared the entire process of USMLE kindly dm too!!

Hi everyone,
I’m really confused about what direction to take and would genuinely appreciate some advice from people who have been through this or are currently on a similar path.

I’m a 2019 batch graduate and graduated in March 2025. I recently got around 15,000 rank in NEET PG.
I have also given USMLE Step 1 and am currently preparing for Step 2 CK. My long-term goal has been to pursue residency in the US, but I’m now seriously questioning whether I should continue with the USMLE journey or take a PG seat in India.

My dilemma is basically:
I have a decent enough NEET PG rank to potentially get a seat in India.
On the other hand, I’ve already invested time and effort into the USMLE pathway and cleared Step 1.
I’m worried about the uncertainty of matching in the US, especially as an IMG.
At the same time, I’m scared that if I take a seat in India now, I’ll always wonder whether I should have given the USMLE journey a proper shot.
Since I graduated in 2025, I also don’t want to lose valuable time without making a clear decision.
For those who have gone through this decision, what would you do in my situation?
Would you recommend taking a PG seat in India and building a secure career here, or continuing with Step 2 CK + US clinical experience + applications and giving the USMLE pathway a serious attempt?

I would especially appreciate advice from Indian IMGs who have matched recently, people who chose India after considering USMLE, and anyone who has experience with both pathways.

Please be honest about the financial, time, career, and matching risks involved. I’m genuinely looking for perspective rather than validation.

Thanks in advance!

For someone starting their residency in Radiology (DNB) and planning to pursue a fellowship in the US what should the timeline look like. Haven't given any steps. Have no idea of the know hows of usmle. Would be grateful if some kind soul could guide me regarding the same.

I need a Step1 study partner to study together on google meet everyday.

Time zone : GMT +5:30

Please check the time zone if it works for you.

Thanks.

So I'm in a peripheral pvt college in india , I'm in 2nd year rn , and there are some 2 -3 seniors per batch who are probably gonna give the steps but I haven't heard about any research groups , or anything like that in our college , I also don't know if our proffs are approachable although in 1st yr they were really happy if someone shows interest in studying more. Also I want you guys to guide me on how exactly research , LORS , CV stuff is done cuz I'm genuinely clueless, I want to do usmle as my main priority but these college factors were making me think of neet pg more , please guide me on how exactly these things are done and if they can even be done in my college ?