Home » NBME

NBME 26-NBME 31: Which is the Best Predictor for Passing Step 1

9 min

35592 Views

Medical students taking their USMLE Step 1 exam in a classroom.

35592 Views

This blog was originally published on March 21, 2023, and was updated in August 2024 for new information.   There are innumerable resources available for Step 1 preparation. No one study approach will work for everyone or guarantee success. Whatever plan or resources you decide to use, everyone will need to...

Are NBME Practice Exams a True Reflection of Shelf Exam Difficulty?

Medical school students taking a practice NBME to prepare for their shelf exams.

2912 Views

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

A medical school student looking through his NBME score report on a laptop to determine if he is ready for the USMLE exam.

3591 Views

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...

2023 Guide to Interpreting NBME Practice Exams for Step 1 and Step 2

A medical school student taking an NBME practice test for USMLE prep in a living room in front of a desktop computer.

9829 Views

Almost all students preparing for the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 will take at least one (hopefully more!) practice test leading up to test day. While various practice tests are available to assess your performance, many students will turn directly to the NBME practice tests. In this post, we...

Using the Old NBME Exam Forms Before They Are ‘Retired’

11 min

10083 Views

Medical school student taking an old NBME practice exam in a computer room.

10083 Views

This blog was originally published 0n February 24, 2019, and may contain some out-of-date information.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

8 min

20720 Views

A medical school students filling in a multiple choice exam bubble sheet while taking a UWSA practice test.

20720 Views

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

5 min

40671 Views

A medical student taking an NBME practice exam.

40671 Views

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

10 min

12055 Views

A med school student taking an NBME practice exam in preparation for Step 1 in a library.

12055 Views

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

7 min

4260 Views

A medical school student taking an NBME practice exam in a library on her laptop.

4260 Views

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

20 min

5795 Views

A medical student studying for her psychiatry shelf exam, wearing scrubs, in front of a laptop and textbooks.

5795 Views

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...

Need additional
help with an exam?

Elite tutors are qualified, professional, and 100% online.

Schedule a Consult