Step 2 CK · Content outline
What Step 2 CK tests
The official outline is your syllabus. Open each table to see how the exam spreads its questions.
How questions are spread
The official outline
Open each table to see how USMLE distributes questions.
Systems and general principles
| Category | Share of exam (%) |
|---|---|
| Nutrition (coded across systems) | 15–20 |
| Social Sciences: Legal/Ethical Issues, Professionalism, Systems-based Practice, Patient Safety | 10–15 |
| Renal & Urinary System + Reproductive Systems | 7–13 |
| Cardiovascular System | 6–12 |
| Musculoskeletal System / Skin & Subcutaneous Tissue | 6–12 |
| Behavioral Health | 5–10 |
| Blood & Lymphoreticular / Immune Systems | 5–10 |
| Gastrointestinal System | 5–10 |
| Nervous System & Special Senses | 5–10 |
| Respiratory System | 5–10 |
| Multisystem Processes & Disorders | 4–8 |
| Endocrine System | 3–7 |
| Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Puerperium | 3–7 |
| Biostatistics & Epidemiology / Interpretation of Medical Literature | 3–5 |
| Human Development | 2–4 |
Physician tasks and competencies
| Category | Share of exam (%) |
|---|---|
| Patient Care: Diagnosis | 16–20 |
| Laboratory/Diagnostic Studies | 13–17 |
| Mixed Management | 12–16 |
| Pharmacotherapy | 8–12 |
| Clinical Interventions | 6–10 |
| Health Maintenance/Disease Prevention | 5–10 |
| Prognosis/Outcome | 5–9 |
| Systems-based Practice & Patient Safety | 5–7 |
| Professionalism | 5–7 |
| Practice-based Learning & Improvement | 3–5 |
Source: usmle.org Step 2 CK content outline, read October 2026. Percentages are subject to change at any time.
From outline to practice
Practise by discipline
Our questions are tagged to these systems and clinical disciplines, so you can build blocks that match the weight of each area. Open Start preparing to see the clinical categories.
This page is the syllabus
Past papers and syllabus
USMLE does not release past papers, so the content outline on this page is the syllabus. Plan your weeks around the heavier systems first.
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