Starting in 2028, the USMLE will stop offering year-round, on-demand testing and move to a fixed schedule called Designated Testing Dates . Across all three Step exams combined, testing will happen on a total of 45 days each year. Nothing changes for you if you test in 2026 or 2027. If your timeline runs into 2028 or later, the biggest shift is that early planning matters more than ever.