The Progressive System

A totally unique and innovative approach to USMLE Step 1 exam prep that you won’t find anywhere else.

Try it now with our FREE 48-Hour Trial.
No credit card required!

Build your knowledge

Identify gaps and reinforce key concepts

Think like a clinician

Learn the critical thinking skills needed for Step 1 success

Ace the exam

Increase your chances of getting a great score!

What is the Progressive System?

The Pastest Progressive System offers a powerful new approach to USMLE Step 1 test prep - & it changes the game!

Now you can start to build your foundational knowledge & the critical thinking skills essential to ace the Step 1 exam & do it right alongside your classes in med school.

The Progressive System challenges you to answer a series of related multiple-choice questions on the same patient case, that start with basic concepts & advance through to complex multi-order Step 1 questions. Each case is based on a high yield Step 1 topic & crosses multiple disciplines to reflect the integrated nature of medicine.

Why should you use it?

The Progressive System will help you to:

Build your foundational knowledge by identifying and remediating areas of weakness and helping to reinforce key concepts

Develop the critical thinking skills needed to succeed on the Step 1 exam and learn what it takes to be an effective clinical decision maker

Become an ACE at analyzing Step 1 questions, allowing you to achieve the score that you want and setting you on the path to your dream job in medicine

When should you use it?

The Progressive System is ideal to use as a complement to your medical school classes in your earlier pre-clinical years, or alongside the main Pastest USMLE Step 1 Qbank as the exam approaches to reinforce areas of weakness and key concepts.

If your exam is approaching, access the Progressive System, at no extra cost, as part of the Pastest USMLE Step 1 resource.

Watch and learn!

Watch our video to see why the Progressive System is a MUST HAVE for every Step 1 test taker

Case coverage

The Progressive System features 46 patient cases and over 1000 questions, all written by expert physicians and high-scoring US med students.

With cases on high yield Step 1 topics ranging from Asthma to Renal Failure, Glaucoma to Anemia, you'll be equipped with all the cross-system knowledge you'll need to attempt the exam with confidence.

"The Progressive System method rocks! I really enjoyed the flow from foundational concepts to clinical applications."

- Kristian Hogue, Florida State University

What YOU think about the Progressive System

Hear what our users have to say...

The PROGRESSIVE System is AWESOME! I exactly got what I wanted with that! In depth knowledge of all the dimensions of a case and all the possible questions in one platform!

Vedant Desai

Their Progressive System was an EXCELLENT resource for mastering content. I truly loved how it started with more simpler, basic questions and progressed to more integrative content that really tested if you mastered the material or not. Sometimes you can passively learn and not truly understand and this system ensured that you had a deeper understanding of the topic. I would absolutely recommend Pastest as a study resource!

Jasmeka McCord

The Progressive questions for cases were a great way to learn concepts that are high yield.

Alabama Med Student

I like the question bank and the Progressive way of learning is excellent. I haven't taken Step 1 yet...but it definitely feels like I am learning important information in an effective way.

Georgetown Med Student

I have really enjoyed using the program, and am excited about the Progressive capabilities of the platform. The usability is great, and the questions are realistic and challenging, making this a super applicable resource for Step 1 study! Thank you!

Lori Russell

100% recommend. It's a very easy to understand concept. Gold, every student should try it.

Ines Latroche

Institutional Inquiries

Interested in trialling the Progressive System in your school?
Just send us an email to start the conversation.

The Progressive System: FAQ

The Progressive System is not a Qbank.

The Progressive System presents a series of intentionally linked multiple choice vignettes based on the same patient case, increasing in degree of difficulty and spanning multiple disciplines, always with a high yield step 1 topic at its core.

Why was the Progressive System developed?

Qbanks are ideal for dedicated test prep and one of the best ways to boost your score is to get through as many questions as possible, but not everyone is ready to jump straight into Step 1 level questions!

Do Qbanks build your foundational knowledge in an interactive and longitudinal way?

Do Qbanks really develop the critical thinking and test taking skills you need to dissect a USMLE Step 1 vignette and extract the key information?

Do Qbanks provide you with critical insight into the many complex relationships and connections between different systems and disciplines?

The answer is almost certainly, no, but the Progressive System has been expressly designed to do all of these things, and more!

Why should you use the Progressive System?

Our users report an average score of 242 in the Step 1 exam and we believe the Progressive System plays a key role in this success.

If you make use of the Progressive System now, and align it with your classes, by the time you reach dedicated study, you’ll already be way ahead of the game!

Who writes the Progressive System cases?

Our team of USMLE writers and editors comprise both physicians with expertise in their specialist fields as well as high-scoring students from top US medical schools who know exactly what is needed to ace the USMLE Step 1 exam.