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USMLE Success Academy is an online company. Based on 50 reviews on TrustPlane, it has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Last reviewed February 5, 2026.
I purchased this course and then told my friend about it! We were able to successfully pass Step 1! Very grateful for this course! The price was also a lot cheaper than its competitors!
I graduated from medical school over four years ago, and the USMLE Success Academy’s offline quick program was precisely what I needed to restart my study journey. After putting off the exam for so long, I struggled with focus and consistency, but the structure of this program made all the difference.The daily, organized lectures covered all the high-yield material in a fast-paced yet thorough and easy-to-understand way. It felt like being in a real classroom, and I could interact with the instructor as if I were there in person. Dr. James was incredibly supportive and always available to answer questions. He explained complex concepts clearly and helped me strengthen areas where I had been struggling. After completing the program, I saw a significant improvement in my understanding and confidence.For anyone who has been delaying their studies or needs structured guidance to get back on track, I highly recommend this program.
USMLE Success Academy – A Disappointing and Concerning ExperienceI enrolled with good intentions but left after only 4 days. They advertised 10 students, yet there were only two of us — and the other student also wanted to withdraw. The material was outdated and not aligned with current USMLE standards and the instructor is a former surgeon disgraced by the loss of their medical license. When I expressed my concerns and requested a refund, on the first day, initially they said we will give me 100% refund but convinced me to try to stick it out. Then after three more days, and me realizing that this is a total waste of time and money, I asked for a refund. I was then told I would get nothing unless I wrote an email taking all the blame, and there is lining wrong with the course, in order to “protect the company” as “Robert” put it . Under that pressure, I complied, wrote that email and still only received 50%. To make matters worse, the program coordinator “Robert” refuses to provide his full name, communicates only through voice-overIP phone calls, and cannot be traced to any legitimate professional identity.Overall, the lack of transparency, outdated content, and unprofessional conduct made this an experience I would strongly caution others against. It is overpriced, poorly managed, and not worth wasting the time. The unethical practices of this company preying on medical students trying to better their career chances is just flat out disgraceful.
So far it has been a good experience. Had some issues in the beginning but the director called me and all is good. I’m going through the program and turning everything into flashcards (that’s how I learn best). I wish I had the schedule to take the live course!
I am so happy with this Step 1 program. From day one of logging in to my Live class I could tell this was going to be a great experience. The instructor is fantastic and the structure of the course was exactly what I needed. Everything is so organized, all you need to do is just follow the course. I am shocked how much improvement I’ve made within 4 weeks! I went from scoring in mid 40’s on NBME to mid 70’s!!! I feel very prepared for my exam. I recommend doing the Live Online course since it’s a live instructor class that you can take from home. 100% recommend!
Well organized and structured STEP 1 review course! The instructor, Dr. James is extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions. I did the in-person course which I felt properly prepared me for STEP in terms of content but also for the structure of exam day. Well worth the money. Highly recommend especially if you feel like you need to fill in gaps in your basic sciences. I was a STEP1 re-taker and I feel like this class was what I wish I would have done prior to my first attempt.
Hands down the best ‘crash course’ for Step 1.. I was able to pass within 3 weeks after completing the program.. Dr. James is an incredible mentor and truly cares for the students.. The program’s layout of the subjects and the way Dr. James goes through each and every topic, giving us ample time to understand the concepts really made a difference in my score and also my confidence..!!
I graduated from Medical School over 10 years ago. USMLE Success Academy's offline quick program was incredibly convenient for me. I was able to pass Step 1 on my first attempt in just six weeks without using UWORLD questions. Since I am also working during the day, I appreciate how easy this program made studying for me. Thank you very much!
Dr. James is an amazing instructor and genuinely cares about the success of his students. The lectures are very long but they include lots of important detail and the way that they were organized made retaining the material much easier than studying independently. The class size is small and it is a safe space to ask questions in the company of your peers. I think the daily quizzes could have more appropriate questions and I think the slides of the course could be updated here and there, but overall, I am very happy with my experience.
I loved how Dr.James made every topic easy and comprehensible! it was concise and to the point. materials were great. The program was short yet included everything. Wish they had one for step 2 too.
WORTH EVERY PENNY!! This is a 4 week "mental boot camp" as I like to call it. Dr. James goes over and gives extremely helpful explanations to the high-yield material from every subject and you get to keep refreshing and practicing the material in the daily class quizzes, nightly quizzes and weekly exams. Most students stay at the Holiday Inn Express where the staff is also very nice and who got to know all of the students well. Each night a bunch of the students would meet downstairs to study and take the nightly quiz or exam together. It was exactly what I needed after being at a plateau in my NBME grades and feeling like I couldn't get to where I needed to be alone and not knowing what else to do to be ready for Step 1; a point where I felt like I was giving up and losing hope which was why I signed up for the course. The lectures helped solidify my foundations in the subjects and helped me understand the "why" so I could tackle any question on the subject. I even stayed after one day and Dr. James helped me better understand a specific topic I was struggling with. My NBME exam from before and after the class increased by 18 overall percentage points and all of my subject grades increased as well; I was finally passing the NBME exams. My UWorld 40 question mixed subject averages also went up 10-20 percentage points and I was able to consistently keep the same range of scores verses before the review class where I was getting average scores all over the place and nothing was consistent. I am extremely grateful for this program for helping me get past Step 1 successfully, on my first try, and helping me gain the knowledge and confidence I needed to pass Step 1 so I can continue on to clinicals and move past the stressful chapter of studying for the board exam.
The course was fast paced but it hit every topic area needed for the exam. The course instructor was very knowledgeable and more than helpful in assisting me to reach my goal.
My experience at the academy was so great that it took me just 3 weeks after the 4weeks course to take my STEP1 exam which I’ve been preparing for more than a year.Dr. James is a Great Tutor and mentor who helps you through your troubles untill you conquer your fears.
Very good step 1 course. 100% recommended.
Amazing Step 1 live online classes. The course material was thorough and easy to follow, the instructor was very knowledgeable and always willing to help, and I was finally able to pass after having difficulty with my NBME and UWorld assessments. Highly recommend the Success Academy as your primary review source.
I highly recommend the Usmle Success Academy Step 1 Course. This course is very efficient and straight to the point. I couldn’t have passed without it.
I am an old IMG. I was planning to take the course in person. I prepaid an amount to have a place in a live course, later I could not go. I thought they were going to be flexible because of the covid and because I told them beforehand that I was not sure which month to go to. They said it was not a problem. But, in order to not lose that money at the end, I took the online course and paid full price for that one. I thought it was a good idea because I could pre-study the material and take the live course as a review. The online course has some good things, but many things to improve. It didn't work for me, I tried to use it, but needed to go to other resources to learn. For me, this is a review course for people who already have a good foundation, but even that I'm not sure is a good review course. In the end, I am going to recommend that you research the courses and material on the market very well. Talk to other real people that took this or another course. The most important thing is that you not pay in advance at least you are 99.9% sure, always you will find a spot, better later than never. We as students or as IMG have many expenses to do, that any amount matters. And read carefully what you accept and the terms of conditions you sign, any changes do it in writing ;).
Usmle Success Academy offers an excellent prep course for Step1. As a student coming from a foreign Medical School this course gives you the knowledge and guidance to achieve a excellent score. The group setting of the course is great because it allowes you to see others points of view as well as bouncing off od ideas on studying strategies. The smaller class size is very beneficial beacause it allows you to participate, ask questions and interact with the instructor at any time. The instructor is an excellent teacher and motivator with years of experiance as a doctor which gives an incredible insight to practicing medicine and applying Medical knowledge.
This was the most reliable and useful tool I have used while studying for my step 1 exam. This course was recommended to me by my schools student advisor. It is an absolute must for someone struggling with their step 1 prep.
UPDATE 3/2/2021: USMLE Success Academy's response to my review is false and defamatory. It's an example of the hostility I mentioned in my original review. Be cautious when using this company. They lack integrity.My first contact with this company was on 4/8/2020 to inquire about partial payment. They allowed me to pay 50% and register. I paid $1000 on 4/23/2020, registered for the June 29 - July 3 course, and expressed my concern in an email about CS cancellations/changes due to COVID. They said, "We will certainly be able to reschedule your session date if need be so, please do not be concerned." On 5/26/2020, CS was postponed for 12-18 months, and I emailed asking for a refund on 5/27/2020. Since then, I have tried other avenues to get a solution to no avail, and CS has since been canceled indefinitely.After their review response on 2/14/2021, they called and emailed me. I responded via email, requesting only email correspondence. They said, "...email communications are often misinterpreted and lack the sincerity required for finding amicable resolutions." I responded, requesting if the phone conversation can occur on a recorded line, to which there was no response. In every communication, I have been professional and respectful. ORIGINAL REVIEW 2/14/2021: I paid $1000 towards a prep course in April 2020 that I can't use and no longer need because NBME canceled Step 2 CS indefinitely. USMLE Success Academy will not give even a partial refund for a service I did not receive. They have also been extremely hostile to other medical students who are trying to get their money back. I filed a complaint with BBB, to which there was no response.Their only offer in early communication via email was a transferable credit that does not expire, but I did not need any other courses. I do not feel comfortable referring other students to this company considering their treatment of other students during an exceptionally challenging time. A partial refund is more than fair and reasonable ask in these circumstances. Medical school is an exorbitant financial endeavor, and I could not afford to pay for the full course upfront. I had to get family members to help me. Having this company be so dismissive and insensitive of what it takes for students like me to get through school is intolerable.
According to TrustPlane, USMLE Success Academy has a 4.5/5 rating based on 50 verified reviews as of April 2026. Source: trustplane.app/company/usmlesuccess-net
