Notes from the desk, the ward, and the testing centre.
Honest, specific writing on MCCQE Part I, Royal College written exams, and USMLE Step 2 CK, by residents and medical students who recently sat them.
MCCQE Part I
Format, scoring, study plans, booking and results.
- July 9, 2026·13 min read
MCCQE Part I in 2026: What the Exam Actually Tests (From Someone Who Just Wrote It)
A first-person breakdown of MCCQE1 in 2026: format, the CDM trap, what really shows up on the MCQ, and how I'd study differently the second time.
Read post - July 9, 2026·16 min read
Why Step 2 CK–Style Vignettes Are the Best MCCQE1 Prep (And When They Quietly Aren't)
Where USMLE Step 2 CK and MCCQE1 overlap, where they diverge, and a sane mixing ratio for IMGs and Canadian students preparing for both.
Read post - July 9, 2026·14 min read
A 6-Week MCCQE1 Study Plan Built Around Spaced Repetition (That I'd Actually Repeat)
A concrete week-by-week MCCQE1 schedule built around spaced repetition, body-system rotation, and the discipline to taper before exam day.
Read post - June 7, 2026·6 min read
How to Study for MCCQE1: A Realistic, Question-Bank-First Guide
A practical MCCQE1 study system built around active recall, spaced repetition, and timed mixed question blocks, with a 3-phase plan you can run in 6 to 12 weeks.
Read post - July 4, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE1 Passing Score 2026: The Current 439 Standard
The current MCCQE1 passing score is 439 on a 300–600 scale. Understand the April 2025 scoring change and why practice percentages are not scaled scores.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE1 Pass Rate 2026: What the Numbers Actually Mean
The real MCCQE1 pass rate in 2026 broken down by cohort (CMGs, US grads, IMGs), what a competitive scaled score looks like, and the study habits that move accuracy the most.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
How Many Questions Are on the MCCQE1? Full Breakdown
The current MCCQE1 contains 230 MCQs in two sections of 115, with 2 hours 40 minutes per section and no separate CDM component.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
How to Apply for the MCCQE1: Step-by-Step (2026)
Step-by-step guide to applying for MCCQE Part I in 2026, physiciansapply, source verification, session windows, Prometric booking, and the three timing traps to avoid.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE1 vs LMCC: What's the Difference?
MCCQE1 is an exam; LMCC is the credential you're granted after passing it, holding a recognized MD, and completing 12 months of accredited training. Here's the clean breakdown.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
How Long Should You Study for the MCCQE1?
Realistic MCCQE1 study timelines for Canadian graduates, IMGs, and repeat candidates, plus the question volume that actually predicts a first-attempt pass.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE1 CDM Cases: Removed From the Current Exam
The separate MCCQE1 CDM section was removed in April 2025. Learn the current multiple-choice format and avoid outdated written-answer preparation advice.
Read post - July 9, 2026·8 min read
MCCQE1 Sample Questions With Answers (2026): 10 Realistic Vignettes
Ten MCCQE1-style clinical vignettes across body systems with worked answers and Canadian guideline reasoning, plus how to calibrate your practice accuracy.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE1 Results: Timeline, Score Report, and What to Do If You Fail
When MCCQE1 results release, what the score report shows, what a competitive CaRMS score looks like, and the retake plan if you fail.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
What Does MCCQE1 Cost? The Full Budget, Not Just the Exam Fee
Every cost in an MCCQE1 year, examination fee, credential verification, translation, travel, study resources, and rescheduling, plus where it's safe to economise.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
How to Book Your MCCQE1 Exam Date (and Get the Seat You Want)
The two-stage MCCQE1 booking process, application then seat scheduling, with tactics for getting a convenient centre and choosing a date you can actually defend.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
Rescheduling or Retaking MCCQE1: How to Decide
When moving your MCCQE1 date is the right call, when it isn't, and how to turn a failed attempt into a different plan rather than a slower repeat of the same one.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
What Is a Good MCCQE1 Score?
Why a passing MCCQE1 result is a good result for almost every purpose, how much the number matters for CaRMS, and what to track during preparation instead.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
How Long Does an MCCQE1 Pass Stay Valid?
The examination result doesn't expire, but regulators, CaRMS cycles, and the MCC pathway apply their own requirements, what to verify before planning around an older pass.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
Studying for MCCQE1 While Working Full Time
A 10–12 hour per week MCCQE1 schedule for candidates with jobs: short timed blocks before work, proper review in the evening, one weekend session, and how to protect the plan.
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NAC OSCE
Station format, scoring domains, applying, and exam day.
- July 4, 2026·6 min read
NAC OSCE Prep: The 6-Week Plan IMGs Actually Finish
Week-by-week NAC OSCE prep for IMGs: the 12-station format, how the three scoring domains are marked, the 5 failure modes that sink candidates, and how to run it alongside MCCQE1.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
How Hard Is the NAC OSCE? An Honest Answer for IMGs
What actually makes the NAC OSCE difficult for international medical graduates, the clock, the global ratings, and the communication style, plus what makes it more passable than people expect.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
How to Study for the NAC OSCE: A Practical Timeline
A working NAC OSCE study method: drill the encounter structure first, build a 30-presentation case list, rehearse timed stations out loud, and fix your own failure modes each week.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
NAC OSCE Scoring Explained: Where the Marks Actually Come From
How NAC OSCE stations are scored across the three domains, why global ratings decide most results, and why you can pass a station without naming the diagnosis.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
How to Apply for the NAC OSCE: Steps, Timing and What Trips People Up
The NAC OSCE application sequence from physiciansapply.ca setup to site selection, and the three administrative mistakes that cost candidates a whole sitting.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
NAC OSCE Exam Day: What Actually Happens
A walk through NAC OSCE exam day, arrival, the circuit, reading the door instruction, how to spend the eleven minutes, and how to recover when a station goes badly.
Read post - September 23, 2026·6 min read
NAC OSCE or MCCQE1 First? How to Sequence Them
Which Canadian exam to sit first as an IMG, why NAC OSCE session windows should fix your calendar, and how to run written and clinical prep in parallel without wasting either.
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Royal College written exams
Specialty written exams, pass rates, and study approaches.
- July 9, 2026·14 min read
MCCQE1 vs Royal College Exams: Why the Same Question Bank Won't Carry You Through Both
An honest comparison of MCCQE1 and Royal College written exams, with sample stems showing why pattern-matching reflexes break down at the specialty level.
Read post - May 14, 2026·12 min read
The Royal College Written Exam: What MCCQE Veterans Get Wrong
Why MCCQE-honed habits backfire on the Royal College written exam, what the SAQ section really rewards, and how to retrain for depth over speed.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
Royal College Written Exam Pass Rates by Specialty (2026)
First-attempt Royal College written exam pass rates for 2026, broken out by specialty for Canadian graduates and IMGs, with commentary on the SAQ gap.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
How to Pass the Royal College Internal Medicine Written Exam (2026)
A 20-week study plan for the Royal College Internal Medicine written, blueprint, common failure modes, SAQ practice, and resources tuned to the RCPSC exam.
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IMG pathway to Canada
Sequencing exams, CaRMS timing, and the route into residency.
- July 4, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE1 Pass Rate for IMGs in 2026: What the Numbers Actually Say
The real MCCQE1 pass rate for international medical graduates in 2026, broken out by cohort, with the score IMGs actually need for CaRMS competitiveness.
Read post - July 4, 2026·6 min read
How IMGs Should Study for MCCQE1: A Realistic 12-Week Plan
A 12-week MCCQE1 study plan built specifically for international medical graduates, closing the clerkship gap, the Canadian blueprint gap, and the CDM gap.
Read post - July 4, 2026·6 min read
IMGs and the CaRMS Match in 2026: How MCCQE1, NAC OSCE, and Question-Bank Prep Fit Together
The IMG path to a Canadian residency in 2026, MCCQE1, NAC OSCE, source verification, and CaRMS timelines, with the sequence that actually works.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE1 vs USMLE Step 2 CK for IMGs: Which to Take (and When)
Head-to-head guide for IMGs deciding between MCCQE1 and Step 2 CK, content overlap, format differences, pass rates, and how to prep for both on overlapping timelines.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
CaRMS Timeline 2027 for IMGs: Every Deadline That Actually Matters
A month-by-month CaRMS 2027 timeline for international medical graduates, MCCQE1, NAC OSCE, source verification, document uploads, interviews, and Match Day.
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Resources compared
Question banks, textbooks, and what's worth paying for.
- June 12, 2026·6 min read
Best MCCQE1 Question Bank 2026: 10 Ranked (MDReview, UWorld, Canadaqbank)
The 10 best MCCQE1 question banks for 2026, scored on Canadian blueprint alignment, vignette quality, and price. Free comparison chart + $ per usable vignette.
Read post - June 12, 2026·6 min read
Best Royal College Exam Prep 2026: 7 Resources Ranked for Written Exam
Seven Royal College written exam prep resources ranked for 2026, including the only Canadian question bank with rubric-based SAQ practice. Free comparison + pricing.
Read post - June 12, 2026·6 min read
Top 7 Step 2 CK Question Banks for IMGs in 2026
Seven Step 2 CK question banks ranked for international medical graduates in 2026, including the best dual-use option for IMGs also writing MCCQE1.
Read post - June 12, 2026·6 min read
Cheapest MCCQE1 Question Bank 2026: Free & Under $300 CAD
We priced every MCCQE1 question bank per usable vignette. One is free to start, one costs $0.10 a question, and one costs 3x more than it should. Full 2026 price table.
Read post - June 12, 2026·6 min read
MCCQE Part II Is Discontinued: What Family Medicine Candidates Should Prepare For
MCCQE Part II was discontinued in 2021. Understand current MCCQE1 and CFPC family medicine preparation instead of obsolete MCCQE2 resources.
Read post - July 9, 2026·6 min read
Toronto Notes vs Question Banks for MCCQE1: Which One Actually Moves Your Score?
Honest side-by-side comparison of Toronto Notes and MCCQE1 question banks, what each does well, what to buy if you can only pick one, and the right study sequence.
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