Boards and Beyond vs Pathoma
A student who wants one pathology course and a book to hold should buy Pathoma. Pro costs $84.95 for 3 months, $99.95 for 12 months or $119.95 for 21 months, one-time, with the 2026 paperback included and all sales final. A free account gives a one-month trial with 6 videos and no book. The content is 35+ hours of pathology taught by Dr. Husain Sattar across 19 chapters, and Northwestern's list of resources used by high Step 1 scorers has students using it only in the preparatory phase.
Boards and Beyond fits the student who wants one teacher across every Step 1 subject, with 490+ videos tied to 2,300+ questions, from $24 per week to $399 for two years. The spend over Pathoma's $119.95 for 21 months buys every Step 1 subject with questions attached. Pathoma is sold as Step 1 and medical course review, so a Step 2 CK candidate needs Boards and Beyond's Step 2-3 course instead.
Medical education · Reviewed November 1, 2026
Boards and Beyond
by McGraw Hill Education
Step 1 video course taught by Dr. Jason Ryan.
Pathoma
by Pathoma LLC (Dr. Husain Sattar)
Pathology video course + textbook.
When to pick each one
Boards and Beyond
- Whole-Step 1 coverage, 490+ videos, 2,300+ questions
- Step 2-3 course, 1,300+ questions
- Free 3 months with multi-year AMA student membership
Pathoma
- $99.95 for 12 months, paperback included
- 35+ hours by one pathologist, 19 chapters
- Free 1-month trial account
Score
Each row shows points earned of points available under the published rubric.
Boards and Beyond
33of 100
Pathoma
61of 100
| Dimension | Boards and Beyond | Pathoma | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peer-reviewed papers | 0 / 7 | 2.8 / 7 | -2.8 |
| RCT / meta-analysis / systematic review | 0 / 1.8 | 0 / 1.8 | 0 |
| Funding & adoption signal | 8.4 / 12 | 12 / 12 | -3.6 |
| Pricing transparency | 3.3 / 6.5 | 6.5 / 6.5 | -3.2 |
| Years in market | 0 / 7.8 | 0 / 7.8 | 0 |
Scroll horizontally to see every column.
Pricing
Boards and Beyond
| Tier | Billing period | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 1 month, one-time | $89 | same price for Step 1 Preclinical and Steps 2-3 Clinical |
Show all 9 price pointsHide extra price points
| 3 months | 3 months, one-time | $149 | same price for both products |
| 6 months | 6 months, one-time | $199 | same price for both products |
| 1 year | 1 year, one-time | $249 | same price for both products |
| 18 months | 18 months, one-time | $349 | same price for both products |
| 2 years | 2 years, one-time | $399 | longest term |
| 1 week | 1 week, one-time | $24 | lowest price quoted on boardsbeyond.com/Pricing ('from $24 for one week') |
| Clinical Confidence2 price points | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Confidence | 6 months, one-time | $149 | boardsbeyond.com quotes $149 for 6 months. Product not confirmed |
| Clinical Confidence | 1 year, one-time | $199 | boardsbeyond.com quotes $199 for a full year. Product not confirmed |
Verified October 14, 2026 from mheducation.com (opens in new tab).
Pathoma
| Tier | Billing period | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free account | 1-month trial | Free | 6 videos, no book |
| Pro3 price points | |||
| Pro | 3 months, one-time | $84.95 | includes the 2026 paperback |
| Pro | 12 months, one-time | $99.95 | includes the 2026 paperback |
| Pro | 21 months, one-time | $119.95 | includes the 2026 paperback |
Verified October 14, 2026 from pathoma.com (opens in new tab).
Evidence
Boards and Beyond
No FDA decision, peer-reviewed study or community post in our record.
Pathoma
Peer-reviewed
1 PubMed record names Pathoma.
Compliance and integrations
Documented from each vendor’s own pages.
| Spec | Boards and Beyond | Pathoma |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ||
| HIPAA | ||
| SOC 2 Type II | ||
| EHR integrations | Not specified | Not specified |
| Founded | n/a | n/a |
| HQ | n/a | n/a |
Scroll horizontally to see both columns.
Common questions
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USMLE prep (UWorld, AMBOSS, Anki), specialty learning (SketchyMedical, Pathoma, Boards & Beyond), CME (Healio AI, AMA Ed Hub). The most affiliate-rich category in healthcare AI.