Use May 2017 for Micro and Basic Mechanism Pharm only. Use a later update (2021+) or a dedicated resource like Pathoma for the Pathology component. Do not rely on the May 2017 treatment guidelines for clinical practice or Step 2.
For students using the May 2017 update, the standard workflow was: Sketchy Medical -Micro Pharm Path- May 2017
For the medical student of 2026, this specific version is a historical artifact—a time capsule of USMLE prep during the "Old Step 1" era (3-digit scoring, high emphasis on obscure pharm mechanisms). While the Micro and Pharm sections hold up surprisingly well for basic science recall, the Path section is largely obsolete. Use May 2017 for Micro and Basic Mechanism Pharm only
(Gold standard: “Golden STAPh”)
When it worked, it was brilliant. But in May 2017, the Path connection often felt forced because the artists hadn't yet figured out how to link the "Motel" (Micro) imagery to the "Organ" (Path) imagery. For students using the May 2017 update, the