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 |
|---|---|---|
| Neurology and Special Senses | 81% | 66% |
| Microbiology | 80% | 67% |
| Biochemistry | 79% | 63% |
| General Pathology | 76% | 57% |
| Cardiovascular | 75% | 61% |
| Renal | 75% | 60% |
| Gastrointestinal | 74% | 56% |
| Immunology | 73% | 55% |
| Respiratory | 70% | 55% |
| Hematology and Oncology | 69% | 51% |
| Endocrine | 67% | 52% |
| Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue | 62% | 46% |
| Reproductive | 56% | 40% |
| General Pharmacology | 55% | 38% |
| Psychiatry | 46% | 30% |
| Public Health Sciences | 44% | 30% |
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 | 8.5 | 97% |
| Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism | Biochemistry | 6.5 | 97% |
| Antiplatelets and Anticoagulants | Cardiovascular | 5.5 | 97% |
| Other Important RNA Viruses (Rabies, Rotavirus, Parvovirus, Norovirus, Zika, Dengue) | Microbiology | 5 | 95% |
| Antihypertensives Overview | Cardiovascular | 5.0 | 97% |
| Vasculitides (Large / Medium / Small Vessel) | Cardiovascular | 5 | 95% |
| Cell Wall Synthesis Inhibitors | Microbiology | 4 | 95% |
| Bacterial Staining and Structure | Microbiology | 3.5 | 92% |
| Cranial Nerves — Functions and Lesions | Neurology and Special Senses | 3 | 100% |
| Hypertension (Primary and Secondary) | Cardiovascular | 3.0 | 97% |
| Coagulation Cascade and PT/PTT Interpretation | Hematology and Oncology | 3.0 | 97% |
| Atypical (Second-Generation) Antipsychotics | Psychiatry | 3 | 62% |
| Tuberculosis (Primary, Latent, Reactivation) | Respiratory | 3 | 89% |
| Heart Sounds and Murmurs | Cardiovascular | 3 | 89% |
| Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) Axis | Endocrine | 3 | 89% |
Biggest gaps in student decks
Topics with the lowest card coverage — concepts most students haven't added to their decks yet.
| Topic | Area | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Dermatitis Herpetiformis | Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue | 3% |
| Phosphate Binders (Sevelamer, Calcium-Based, Lanthanum) | Gastrointestinal | 3% |
| MALT Lymphoma | Gastrointestinal | 3% |
| Digoxin Toxicity | General Pharmacology | 3% |
| Lead-Time and Length-Time Bias | Public Health Sciences | 3% |
| Right Ventricular Infarction | Cardiovascular | 3% |
| Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) | Psychiatry | 3% |
| Caffeine Intoxication and Withdrawal | Psychiatry | 3% |
| Catatonia | Psychiatry | 3% |
| Hoarding, Trichotillomania, Excoriation | Psychiatry | 3% |
| Seasonal Affective Disorder / MDD with Seasonal Pattern | Psychiatry | 3% |
| β-Blocker and Calcium Channel Blocker Overdose | General Pharmacology | 3% |
| Roflumilast (PDE4 Inhibitor) | Respiratory | 3% |
| Encapsulated Organisms | Microbiology | 5% |
| Retinoids | Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue | 5% |
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