Step 1 Anki Statistics
Data from real USMLE Step 1 Anki deck uploads, mapped against our canonical content outline. Not anecdotes — actual card counts, maturity rates, and forgetting patterns from students preparing for the same exam.
Coverage by area
Average % of students whose decks include cards for each area.
| Area | Deck coverage | Mature |
|---|---|---|
| Immunology | 86% | 71% |
| Cardiovascular | 84% | 68% |
| General Pathology | 84% | 67% |
| Microbiology | 83% | 69% |
| Renal | 82% | 66% |
| Neurology and Special Senses | 81% | 66% |
| Biochemistry | 80% | 62% |
| Hematology and Oncology | 79% | 60% |
| Respiratory | 77% | 58% |
| Gastrointestinal | 77% | 59% |
| General Pharmacology | 76% | 57% |
| Endocrine | 76% | 63% |
| Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue | 69% | 50% |
| Reproductive | 67% | 49% |
| Psychiatry | 53% | 35% |
| Public Health Sciences | 44% | 28% |
Most forgotten topics
Topics with the highest median lapse count in the last 14 days — students have the cards but keep getting them wrong.
| Topic | Area | Lapses / 14d | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herpesvirus Family (HSV-1/2, VZV, EBV, CMV, HHV-6/7/8) | Microbiology | 5.5 | 96% |
| Cranial Nerves — Functions and Lesions | Neurology and Special Senses | 3 | 94% |
| Cell Wall Synthesis Inhibitors | Microbiology | 3 | 90% |
| Vasculitides (Large / Medium / Small Vessel) | Cardiovascular | 3.0 | 92% |
| Antiplatelets and Anticoagulants | Cardiovascular | 2.5 | 96% |
| Antiarrhythmics (Class I-IV + Others) | Cardiovascular | 2.5 | 92% |
| Other Important RNA Viruses (Rabies, Rotavirus, Parvovirus, Norovirus, Zika, Dengue) | Microbiology | 2 | 90% |
| Cholesterol Synthesis and Lipoprotein Transport | Biochemistry | 2.0 | 92% |
| Phagocyte Deficiencies (CGD, LAD, Chediak-Higashi, Job) | Immunology | 2 | 85% |
| Hypersensitivity Overview and Discrimination | Immunology | 2 | 94% |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Microbiology | 2 | 94% |
| Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors | Microbiology | 2.0 | 96% |
| Fat-Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K) | Biochemistry | 2.0 | 96% |
| Cholinergic Antagonists (Muscarinic Blockers) | General Pharmacology | 2.0 | 96% |
| Typical (First-Generation) Antipsychotics | Psychiatry | 2 | 81% |
Biggest gaps in student decks
Topics with the lowest card coverage — concepts most students haven't added to their decks yet.
| Topic | Area | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Meconium Aspiration Syndrome | Respiratory | 6% |
| Catatonia | Psychiatry | 6% |
| Chorioamnionitis | Reproductive | 6% |
| Evidence-Based Medicine | Public Health Sciences | 10% |
| Inhalant Use Disorder | Psychiatry | 17% |
| Intellectual Disability | Psychiatry | 21% |
| Cerebral Palsy | Neurology and Special Senses | 25% |
| Managed Care — HMO, PPO, POS, ACO | Public Health Sciences | 25% |
| Hoarding, Trichotillomania, Excoriation | Psychiatry | 27% |
| Psoas Abscess | Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue | 27% |
| Ichthyosis Vulgaris | Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue | 29% |
| Medicare and Medicaid | Public Health Sciences | 29% |
| Seasonal Affective Disorder / MDD with Seasonal Pattern | Psychiatry | 29% |
| MODY (Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young) | Endocrine | 31% |
| Malingering | Psychiatry | 31% |
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