USMLE Step 1 Vocabulary Game
Exam terms with clues and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
About the USMLE Step 1 Vocabulary Games
4 free word games built on 20 USMLE Step 1 terms across 11 topics. Every game deals terms at random and shows what each term means, so you can keep playing as long as you like.
How to Play
- 1.Read the clue and type the term (3 to 6 letters).
- 2.Green: right spot. Yellow: wrong spot. Gray: not in the term.
- 3.Solve it in 6 tries, then read the explanation.
- 1.Swap two neighboring tiles to line up 3 of the same term.
- 2.Longer lines, two lines at once and chains score more.
- 3.Play until no swap can make a line.
- 1.Flip two cards. A matching pair stays face up.
- 2.Each pair you find shows what the term means.
- 3.Clear the board in as few moves as you can.
- 1.Find each listed term in the letter grid.
- 2.Drag across its letters: across, down or diagonally.
- 3.Find all five as fast as you can.
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Topics in the USMLE Step 1 Vocabulary Game
Human Development
Blood and immune
Brain and behavior
Bones, joints, and skin
Heart and vessels
Lung and kidney
Digestive system
Hormones and reproduction
Multisystem disorders
Study design
Clinical communication
Sources for these terms (19)
- Anemia · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Sickle Cell Disease · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Stroke Overview · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Autism Spectrum Disorder · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Gout · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Angina (Chest Pain) · Source checked 2026-11-04
- How Blood Flows through the Heart · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Asthma · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Sleep Apnea · Source checked 2026-11-04
- The Urinary Tract & How It Works · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Celiac Disease · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Colon Polyps · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Enlarged Prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Graves' Disease · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Sepsis · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Tool: SBAR · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Apgar score (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia) · Source checked 2026-11-05
About the USMLE Step 1 Exam
USMLE Step 1 assesses foundational understanding of health, disease, and therapeutic principles across organ systems. Current official system ranges include Reproductive & Endocrine Systems (12-16%), Respiratory & Renal/Urinary Systems (11-15%), Behavioral Health & Nervous Systems/Special Senses (10-14%), Blood & Lymphoreticular/Immune Systems (9-13%), Multisystem Processes & Disorders (8-12%), Musculoskeletal/Skin/Subcutaneous Tissue (8-12%), Cardiovascular System (7-11%), Gastrointestinal System (6-10%), Social Sciences/Communication (6-9%), Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Population Health (4-6%), and Human Development (1-3%). Discipline coverage is mechanism-heavy, with pathology (45-55%) and physiology (30-40%) carrying the largest ranges.
Exam sponsor: FSMB and NBME. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
280 questions
Time Limit
8 hours; 14 x 30-minute blocks (since May 14, 2026)
Passing Score
Pass/Fail (since January 2022)
Reported exam pass rate: 93%. 2025 first-taker pass rate for U.S. MD students; U.S. DO first-taker pass rate was 89% and the first-taker pass rate for examinees from non-U.S. schools (including Canadian schools from 2025) was 75% This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the USMLE Step 1 vocabulary game free?
Yes. The game is free to play with no sign-up. Signing in adds AI explanations for any term.
How do the USMLE Step 1 vocabulary games work?
There are 4 games built on 20 USMLE Step 1 terms. In Guess the Term, a clue describes one term and you have six tries to spell it, with green, yellow and gray letters showing how close you are. In Term Match, six terms appear as colored tiles; swap neighbors to line up three or more of the same term, and each match shows what the term means. In Term Pairs, twelve face-down cards hide six pairs of terms; flip two at a time to find each pair, and every pair you find shows what the term means. In Term Search, five terms hide in a grid of letters, reading across, down or diagonally; drag across a term to circle it, and each term you find shows what it means.
Where do the USMLE Step 1 terms come from?
OpenExamPrep researched each term from the FSMB and NBME content outline and primary sources, listed under Sources on this page. The game is independent study material, not an official exam resource.
What is the USMLE Step 1 pass rate?
In 2025 USMLE performance data, Step 1 first-taker pass rates were 93% for U.S. MD examinees, 89% for U.S. DO examinees, and 75% for examinees from non-U.S. schools (Canadian schools are grouped with non-U.S. schools from 2025). Pass/fail scoring began for exams administered on or after January 26, 2022.
How is USMLE Step 1 scored?
Since January 26, 2022, Step 1 outcomes are reported as Pass/Fail only. USMLE notes that the passing standard corresponds to 196 on the prior three-digit scale, but future Step 1 passing-standard reviews will not be reported as three-digit scores.