The Step1 exam is a multiple-choice exam designed to test how well the examine applies basic, integral science concepts to the clinical scenarios.

Step 1 assesses whether medical school students or graduates understand and can apply important concepts of the sciences basic to the practice of medicine.

Step 1 ensures mastery of not only the sciences that provide a foundation for the safe and competent practice of medicine in the present, but also the scientific principles required for maintenance of competence through lifelong learning. Step 1 is constructed according to an integrated content outline that organizes basic science material along two dimensions: system and process.