Struggling With Step 1 NBME Score Improvements?
When you’re constantly dedicating countless hours to studying and meticulously reviewing high-yield content only to see your NBME scores flatten without improvement, it’s easy to feel stuck and frustrated. However, plateaus are a normal part of the learning process. The key is to use these moments to recalibrate your approach....
What to Do If You Struggle with NBME Shelf Exams
NBME shelf exams can be a major source of stress during medical school. You’re trying to adjust to your 3rd year of medical school, which is basically working a full-time job, and you have to study for these exams in your nearly non-existent free time! If you’ve found yourself struggling...
Are NBME Practice Exams a True Reflection of Shelf Exam Difficulty?
In medical education, shelf exams evaluate students' knowledge and clinical reasoning during core clinical clerkships. Administered by medical schools, often written by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), these pivotal exams determine students' readiness for clinical rotations and overall performance. Questions often arise about the correlation between NBME practice...
Understanding the New NBME Score Report
Understanding the New NBME Score Reports for USMLE Step 1 and 2 Preparation So you just finished an NBME practice exam and the score report pops up. Most students immediately focus on the big score reported at the top. However, there is a wealth of information you can glean...
Using the Old NBME Exam Forms Before They Are ‘Retired’
This blog was originally published 0n February 24, 2019, and may contain some out-of-date information. You may be interested in some of our more recent posts on this subject: NBME 25- NBME 30: Which is the Best Predictor for Passing Step 1 Best Ways to Use NBME Practice Exams to...
Using the UWSA Practice Tests After New NBME Releases
This blog was originally posted on February 25, 2019, and edited on August 8th 2023. For more recent relevant blogs you may be interested in: Best Ways to Use NBME Practice Exams to Prepare for the Real Thing NBME 25- NBME 30: Which is the Best Predictor for Passing...
Reliability of the New NBME Forms in Predicting USMLE Step 1 Score
On March 2nd, 2021, NBME is releasing its newest forms– 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30.
Best Ways to Use NBME Practice Exams to Prepare for the Real Thing
The NBME, or National Board of Medical Examiners, writes practice exams for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3. The NBME exams contain questions similar to those found on your step exams and are one of the best ways to practice your test-taking skills for Step 1, 2, or 3. But what is the best way to use the NBME practice exams?
When to Take the NBME Practice Exams
Deciding when to take practice exams is a dilemma that many students face when preparing for USMLE Step 1. Practice NBME exams are undoubtedly one of the most useful and important resources you will use in your Step 1 preparation. They can help you assess your own readiness to pass...
7 Ways to Ace Your Psychiatry Shelf Exam
After surviving a notoriously more rigorous clinical rotations like Internal Medicine and Surgery, many students find some relief in knowing that they are able to take a little breather on their Psychiatry service. The hours are more regular and your psychiatry shelf exam seems a bit less daunting and easier...