About the Author

Dylan Eiger, MD/PhD Candidate

In 2016, Dylan Eiger graduated Cum Laude from Duke University with a BS in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry. Matriculated in the MD/PhD Duke Medical Scientist Training Program in 2016, Dylan achieved honors in all clinical rotations and was accepted into Alpha Omega Alpha. He recently completed his PhD in Biochemistry in early 2022.

How to Pass USMLE Step 2

A medical school student customizing their USMLE Step 2 study plan on a daily planner.

1781 Views

Arguably the most important test you will take as a medical student is the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK). Given that this is the only remaining USMLE exam that reports a score (at least one that matters), it is expected that this test will...

What Does Medical Residency Advising Include?

A medical residency applicant meeting with her advisor over a video chat meeting on her laptop.

1785 Views

The time has finally come – you are approaching the end of medical school and are preparing to apply for medical residency, and you are considering residency advising! While exciting, this time can also be fraught with unknowns and uncertainties. Everyone has their own unique journey to getting into residency....

Mistakes Medical Students Make While Studying for Shelf Exams

A group of medical school students in scrubs studying for their shelf exams while in the hospital for their clinical rotations.

2703 Views

During your first clinical year of medical school, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. You will find yourself taking care of patients, rounding, working in the operating room, reading about your patients’ diseases, creating case presentations, and more, all while studying for your shelf exams. Here, we will discuss the...

Six Tips to Help You Succeed on Your Clinical Clerkships

A group of medical students in a hospital completing their clinical rotation.

3567 Views

During your third year of medical school, you will get the opportunity to go into the hospital and help with patient care during your clinical clerkships. For many students, this is the first time they get to work with patients, round with a medical team, assist with surgeries, and more....

Best Resources to Help You Prepare for Your Surgery Shelf Exam

A sudent looking at a book in the library, one of the best resources for Surgery Shelf Exam.

7995 Views

If you are preparing for your Surgery Shelf, the first and most important piece of advice I can share with you is to start early! Surgery is arguably one of the most demanding and time-consuming rotations you will participate in during your clinical year of medical school, so the earlier...

How Doing Well on Shelf Exams Will Improve Your Step 2 CK Score

A group of medical school students studying for their shelf exams.

7552 Views

At most medical schools, your grades during your first clinical year of training are primarily determined by evaluations from your preceptors, and your performance on a shelf examination (family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, neurology, pediatrics, OB/GYN, and psychiatry). These grades will be a significant component of your residency application, in...

How to Prepare for the USMLE and COMLEX Exams Simultaneously

A Medical student studying at night preparing for USMLE and COMLEX Simultaneously.

2727 Views

One of the hardest decisions that all medical students face involves picking the resources to help them succeed on their board exams. To provide you the best and most accurate advice, we have our tutors personally utilize the services we review. In this blog post, we will share our impressions of TrueLearn’s SmartBanks for COMLEX Level 1 and COMLEX Level 2 CE.

TrueLearn Review: SmartBanks for COMLEX Level 1 and 2 CE

DO candidates studying for their COMLEX exams using TrueLearn.

8230 Views

One of the hardest decisions that all medical students face involves picking the resources to help them succeed on their board exams. To provide you the best and most accurate advice, we have our tutors personally utilize the services we review. In this blog post, we will share our impressions of TrueLearn’s SmartBanks for COMLEX Level 1 and COMLEX Level 2 CE.

How to Study for COMLEX Level 2-CE

Student on laptop studying for COMLEX Level 2 CE

7481 Views

One of the hardest decisions that all medical students face involves picking the resources to help them succeed on their board exams. To provide you the best and most accurate advice, we have our tutors personally utilize the services we review. In this blog post, we will share our impressions of TrueLearn’s SmartBanks for COMLEX Level 1 and COMLEX Level 2 CE.

COMLEX Level 1 Exam Blueprint and the AOA ACGME Merger

A group of medical students studying for the COMLEX Level 1 exam.

7019 Views

Major changes with the COMLEX and the process of applying to residency have or are currently underway! Here’s everything you need to know about the COMLEX-USA Level 1 blueprint and the AOA ACGME merger.

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