How to Study for the Internal Medicine Shelf Exam: A Practical Study Plan
So you’ve got the internal medicine shelf exam ahead of you huh? Well, don’t stress! While shelf exams may seem stressful or intimidating at first, with proper preparation and planning, you’ll do just fine. Here are our tips on how to study for the IM shelf exam.
Step 2 CK vs. Shelf Exams: What’s the Real Difference (and Which Is Harder)?
If you’re a medical student deep in clinical rotations, you’ve probably heard the constant chatter about shelf exams and USMLE Step 2 CK. Maybe you’ve even asked yourself: Are shelf exams harder than Step 2 CK? Does Step 2 feel like a bunch of shelf exams stitched together? Can I...
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...
Creating a Study Plan for Clinical Rotations: A Guide from a Core Clerkship Lead
Clinical rotations are a very important part of your medical school experience; the hands-on learning that you are exposed to is pivotal to creating a well-rounded approach to your clinical practice. However, rotations bring a unique challenge: balancing shelf exam preparation with the long hours required at the hospital or...
How to Get a 90th Percentile Score in Your Psychiatry Shelf
Most medical students will take NBME Clinical Science Subject Exams, or “shelf” exams at the end of a clinical rotation. Depending on your medical school, there may be different score or percentile cutoffs for passing and honors grading. While the grading system at each medical school is unique, a 90th...
How to Honor Your Family Medicine Rotation: Advice From a Former Preceptor
Your Family Medicine rotation is a fantastic opportunity to develop a broad set of clinical competencies that will benefit you in any field of medicine. In fact, honoring your Family Medicine rotation can prepare you for future rotations and board exams like Step 2 CK and Step 3 (as well...
Scoring Over the 90th Percentile on Your Ob/Gyn Shelf Exam
Scoring over the 90th percentile on your OBG/YN shelf exam can be a great way to let your residency application shine. This is especially true if you are applying to OBG/YN residency or a related specialty like family medicine, surgery etc. With that said, your OB/GYN clerkship is arguably one...
Why Getting a High Percentile Score on Your Shelf Exams is More Important Than Ever
Many medical students take NBME Clinical Science Subject Exams, or “shelf” exams after completing core clinical rotations in Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, OBGYN, Family Medicine, Neurology, and Pediatrics. While passing and honors scores for these exams differ between medical schools, it is important to do your best on...
Overcoming Common Challenges in Pediatrics Clerkships
Pediatrics clerkships are crucial in medical education. They offer students hands-on experience caring for infants, children, and adolescents. As you will hear time and time again, children are not mini-adults! They have their own dedicated speciality for a reason. While pediatrics rotations are rewarding and offer unique learning opportunities, they...
How to Simultaneously Study for Step 2 CK and Your Shelf Exams
Applying for residency is a stressful process with much that feels out of the applicant’s control. In truth however, there are some very important actions that can be taken to maximize your chances for success as an IMG!