Top USMLE Tutors

SelectMedTutors offers the highest quality online, 1-on-1 USMLE tutoring on the market. Our top tutors have scored in the 99th percentile on Step 1 and we have over 32,000 hours of medical tutoring experience. Our students average a 47-point score increase on the USMLE Step 1 and a 37-point increase on the USMLE Step 2 CK, when receiving 20+ hours of tutoring. The full list of exams we tutor for include USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 2 CS, Step 3;  COMLEX Levels 1, 2-CE, 2-PE, 3; all 3rd-year Clerkship Shelf exams; and all medical school subject area exams.

​
COMPLICATED USMLE/COMLEX CASES

SelectMedTutors specializes in taking on the toughest USMLE/COMLEX cases, including working with students who have failed USMLE Step 1, 2 CK, or 3 or COMLEX Levels 1, 2, or 3, multiple times, and has a formidable and industry-defining success rate with these difficult cases. 

Dr. VJ Kumar, our Head Tutor, one of the most experienced in the world, takes on the most complicated USMLE/COMLEX cases globally.

How Our USMLE Tutor Services Work

How it works:

STEP 1 - Call and consult with an amazing member of our SelectMedTutors Team.

​STEP 2 ​- Sign up for a Trial Session or Package and get personalized instruction from your tutor on a schedule that is convenient for you

STEP 3 - Ace the USMLE!*
​*Results may vary and are not guaranteed

---

The Advantages of One on One USMLE Tutoring

We know there are many ways to study and many USMLE course options to help prep for your exam. With 1-on-1 tutoring, your tutor will customize a plan for you and help you improve exactly where it's needed - from the comfort of your home. You will be matched up with someone who has been through what you are going through now - someone who will give you confidence that you'll achieve a top score on your USMLE test day.

​Select Med Tutors wants you to achieve your dreams - try us out today.​

Meet Our Tutors

---

Our numerous Student Testimonials prove we get results:   

Haroon O.
MD, Rosalind Franklin University

USC MD Candidate

/

Company

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I always struggled with boards. I failed six shelf exams, it took me three times to pass (USMLE) Step 1 and I failed Step 2 CK twice. Medical boards became an absolute nightmare and started to eat away at my will to become a doctor, and more importantly, my soul. To raise the stakes even higher, if I didn't pass my next Step 2 CK attempt, I would have been dismissed from medical school! I was at risk of losing all the years of blood sweat and tears I put into my career, so I turned to VJ for help. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. 

I had the pleasure to work with two of his tutors, and both were incredible. This was nothing like studying with my med school friends who had perfect scores, Select Med Tutor actually knew what they are doing! VJ is like a surgeon, he will get inside of your head and figure exactly what you are struggling with and improve your (USMLE) score. Absolutely everything was addressed including stamina, mental health, stress reduction, test taking tactics, study technique, how and when to push myself, and of course content review. It doesn't matter if you are a top performer like my friends or bottom of the barrel like me - VJ will find something that will help you. He knew exactly what to say during each step of my preparation and was always available when I needed him. 

VJ has a stern demeanor that is comforting, and he is an incredibly likable guy. All the scout work of studying (creating/modifying a schedule, staggered repetition, figuring out what practice questions are high yield, etc.) will be done for you, leaving you with the simple task of gaining knowledge and remaining calm. I studied less hours per day yet my score was climbing on (the USMLE) practice tests. The style in which we reviewed information was not only proven to work, but it also reignited my love of learning! After prepping with VJ, I was 100% positive that I would pass (my USMLE)... and I did! I love you VJ!"

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Kathryn P.
M2, UConn School of Medicine

Title

/

Company

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

When I first started studying for Step 1, I was full of confidence. I felt like I knew the material, had put in the hours, and was going to do well.  That confidence lasted up until the week before my scheduled exam when I took a practice test... and failed.  I was DEVASTATED.  I pushed back my test date and immediately reached out to a couple different tutoring services as an act of desperation at around 7 pm. To my surprise, and great relief, VJ contacted me personally THAT NIGHT. He laid out an organized "plan of attack" and then gave me plenty of time to think it over. The next day, I let him know that I wanted to proceed and he had the necessary documents sent over within minutes.  I chose Select Med Tutors over the other tutoring services I researched because of this individualized care and prompt communication. The process was so seamless and easy, it really took a weight off my shoulders.  

I was matched with Dr. Nicholas O'Sick as my tutor. Nick is a plastic surgeon, a father of two, a tutor, and somehow manages to have a social life, but you would NEVER know it for the attention he gives to your study sessions. Nick was somehow able to work around my very strange schedule (I was on night duty rotation in the ED) with ease. He set a target goal with me and then laid out a very clear plan for me to follow.  He helped me realize I DID know things, but I did not know how to take the exam. Over the weeks we worked together, Nick helped me learn and practice essential test taking techniques while simultaneously expanding my knowledge base.  Each session was helpful.  Nick doesn't cut his students any slack.  He will push you and demand your best effort.  But he was patient and respectful and somehow managed to build my confidence even when I was exhausted and felt doomed. 

Sure enough, all the effort paid off and when my test day rolled around, I scored 14 points over my target goal!  Not only that, but I feel much more confident in my test taking abilities. I know I will be able to take the things I learned and apply them to Step 2 and 3.  I can't thank Nick, VJ, and Select Med Tutors enough! ​

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

M.K.
​MD

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

After failing my first Step 3 attempt, I felt lost, panicked, even terrified. My demanding residency made it hard for me to study. I was in dire need of help. As soon as I contacted Select Med Tutors, I knew I was in good hands. SelectMed stands out above the crowded field of tutoring services because they tailor their program according to the varying needs of each student. They refer to their one-on-one approach as “highly customized tutoring”—an accurate description and stunningly effective strategy. No one-size fits all and SelectMed gets that. They know the power of adaption and personalization. After a few weeks, I quickly began to improve my skills on multiple-choice questions and the CCS. My talented and experienced tutor worked to build my confidence. He was instrumental in developing my newfound belief that I could conquer Step 3. Which, to my delight, is exactly what I did! I will always appreciate that SelectMed had my back; supporting me at a critical juncture in my medical career and guiding me to achieve my dream of USMLE success."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Joshua
USC MD Candidate

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I had been studying for Step 1 for months and receiving sub-passing scores on my NBME practice tests. Within 3 weeks of working with Dr. Kumar, my score went up 32 points! What is great about working with Dr. Kumar is he is great on finding the right study strategy for students. I have run into plenty of tutors that are good at explaining individual answers/concepts, but didn’t offer me much guidance on strategy. Dr. Kumar was the only one able to make significant strategy suggestions, constantly monitor for what was working for me and not working, and then improve my study strategy. A bonus of working with Dr. Kumar is that he has written practice questions for the Step exam that are very similar to the ones on the real exam. So he knows how the Step test creators think. Also, it is clear Dr. Kumar cares about how his students preform. For example, the day after my exam he followed up to see how I did. He also followed-up when I got my score back. I am happy to report I reached my Step I goal. Overall, I would recommend Dr. Kumar to anyone studying for Step!"

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Okenwa O. 
University of Texas Medical School

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I started to prepare for Step 1 and my first practice test was not good. I scored below passing grade. I panicked and I became confused and discouraged because I had just 8 weeks to examination date to learn a large volume of information. Luckily, I met Dr. Kumar. He immediately set up a plan that helped me to increase my score by almost 100 points. He sets a daily goal and he makes sure that the daily goal is achieved by constantly pushing one to work very hard. His approach on how to study for this test is purely based on efficiency: that is learning important concepts really well and understanding how questions are asked in the test. In this way, one is able to navigate easily through questions that would normally cause one to have a second thought. I am truly happy with what I was able to accomplish with Dr. Kumar and it is because of him that my step 1 score will not limit me in getting into any specialty that I eventually choose in the future. He is truly a great coach and teacher and I recommend him without reservation. Whoever chooses to use his guidance will not be disappointed.

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Maia
MD PhD 3rd Year Student

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Working with Vijay was one of the best decisions I have made in medical school. I had been studying for the boards for 6 weeks, but my score had stagnated at an unacceptably low level and I decided to find a tutor. We worked together over a period of two months and my score improved drastically. Beyond being an expert in the content and strategies of studying for the boards, Vijay is exceptional at understanding the individual learner’s style and adjusting to it. Many students have test anxiety that interferes with their ability to succeed, however it manifests differently for each student. Vijay was fantastic at adjusting to my individual needs both as a learner and at addressing my anxieties as they shifted closer to the test. If I had to do it again I would have started working with Vijay earlier in the process. I think Vijay is more efficacious if he is able to work with you early in the board studying process. I can understand that for a medical student it is difficult to decide to spend money on a tutor when we already have loans, but I think in the long run this tutoring pays for itself!"
​

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Dr. Nick M

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I would like to thank Dr. Vijay Kumar and his team at Select Med Tutors for helping my daughter go through USMLE Step 2 CK successfully with the desired good score in her first attempt. With only 3-4 months left before the exam, my daughter was anxious, nervous and needed guidance on study methods and test taking strategies. I felt helpless! After contacting several recommended groups, we chose Select Med Tutors. From day 1 she received excellent service with individual interactive study sessions and realistic honest feedback. A personalized study plan was created and regular follow up was done to ensure adherence and positive progress. I was also given the progress updates. They were her tutors and psychotherapists! Her confidence grew and she overcame exam fears. During the final 3 weeks she was challenged with taking a few of the sample full exams and the scores were analyzed with constructive feedback. She felt well prepared on exam day. When the scores were received, we were all elated….she would be able to match for most Residency programs! I wish we knew about this service when she took USMLE Step 1. I would highly recommend Select Med Tutors to everyone going through the daunting, nerve-racking task of the USMLE exams."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

William K.
​Harvard Medical School

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Dr. Kumar is exceptional in his field. He is incredibly knowledgeable on the themes that come up again and again on USMLE exams, so that he can easily direct you to which exact facts are first-tier knowledge and must be memorized first. But I was also grateful that, almost alone among the tutors I looked at, he was not just a slightly older student, but rather a professional, a real grown-up. As a result, I not only felt more accountable to him but also took comfort in his vast experience, knowing the sheer volume of students he has shepherded through this process. I landed right at the score I needed on Step 1, increasing 40 points ​​from where I started, and that's primarily because of Dr. Kumar."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Cynthia S.
Concerned Parent

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

As the parent of a 2nd year med school student, I saw first hand the stress and anxiety that the Step 1 USMLE caused my son. I found Dr. Vijay and Select Med Tutors online. After an in-depth phone conversation with Dr. Vijay, I felt confident that my son would benefit from time spent with his online tutoring. Thanks to Dr. Vijay my son was able to reach a level of confidence with the material that allowed him to perform his best on the exam. From my perspective, I appreciated Dr. Vijay's positive approach and his excellent communication with me, the parent, just letting me know that things were going well. He was extremely accommodating, as my son attends med school in Ireland and needed special accommodations. I would definitely recommend Dr. Vijay to other parents hoping to reach out and help their student get through a tough time preparing for the USMLE."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Heather
Yale Undergrad, Harvard Medical School

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Vijay was an outstanding tutor. He helped my step 2 score increase 36 points from step 1! He created a personalized study schedule and worked hard to design test taking strategies specific to me. He accommodated my work schedule, meeting early in the morning and late at night. I don’t know what I would have done without him! His medical knowledge is outstanding. Most of all, he has extensive experience with these tests. He taught me how to take the tests and what information was high yield. Using skype was helpful as we could share screens and do questions together. Vijay was a terrific coach who I look forward to using for all licensing exams."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Parent of Step 2 CK Student

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I am truly impressed with Vijay's outstanding teaching approach for Step 2 CK examination. My son had difficulty in grasping the exam format. Vijay's involvement helped him to focus on the exam format and understand the course content which enabled my son to successfully pass the exam. Vijay was able to maintain his composure and interest with suitable examples and sample exams to understand the different exam areas. Thank you SMT for your continuous efforts and I would recommend you to anyone having difficulty in step 2 CK USMLE exam."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Nicole

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I am very pleased with Vijay's tutoring tactics and approaches. Vijay is very flexible with the times he is able to meet and did his very best to accommodate my schedule. I was worried an hour a day would not be enough, but he was able to help me make a plan on what I should be working on during the hours we did not meet. He helped me improve my self-confidence in knowing the right answer choices to choose. VJ knows all of the content material backwards and forwards and is very talented in teaching these concepts to the average student, who may not understand these concepts the first few times. One of the most helpful things I did with VJ was the extensive content review, where he would ask me questions and quickly switching from subject to subject in order to keep me on my toes and targeting all aspects of my memory. I thoroughly enjoyed being tutored by VJ and I would recommend him to any person hoping to improve their MCAT score."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Alex R.
​MS3, UC Irvine School of Medicine

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I purchased a tutoring package with SMT in preparation for USMLE Step 1 and am writing to share my experiences. I felt that my tutor was a phenomenal teacher. I very much enjoyed working with him and feel that the tutoring package was instrumental in achieving a higher score on the exam. ​In particular, I think my tutor is great at explaining difficult concepts and covering high yield topics thoroughly for the exam. He also put together a very strong study plan in the months leading up to my exam date. I'd be happy to recommend Select Med to MS2s preparing for Step 1 at UCI School of Medicine."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Alexis, M3
Yale School of Medicine

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

After hitting a plateau in my Step 1 scores on practice tests, I realized that I needed to I change my way of studying to change my Step score.  I reached out to VJ, who was able to help boost my score 28 points in only 2 weeks from a score that would not get me into general surgery to a score that will allow me apply to a competitive surgical specialty program. VJ was able to not only assess my knowledge of content but also provide advice on test taking skills while reinforcing high-yield studying habits. I highly recommend VJ’s services to anyone who feels they know the material but are not seeing their knowledge reflected in their scores on practice tests. His insight into the thinking behind the test and his structured study plan for improvement helped boost my score without cramming content or having to memorize the entirety of First Aid, and still left enough time for me to get enough rest and be in the proper mindset for the test. The end result was a Step 1 score that exceeded every practice test I took."

/

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

• 0
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12
• 13

---

Meet Our Tutors

Contact Us