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...

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 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...

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...

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!

Clinical rotations, or clerkships, are crucial in medical education, bridging classroom knowledge to real-world patient care settings. During clerkships, medical students have the opportunity to develop and refine essential clinical skills under the guidance of experienced healthcare professionals. While much can be learned in the classroom, it's not until you...

The Surgery Shelf exam is a critical milestone for medical students pursuing a career in surgery or related specialties. Scoring well on this exam not only demonstrates your knowledge and competency but also plays a significant role in residency applications. Attaining a 90th percentile shelf score requires strategic preparation, dedication,...

In my first clerkship, I quickly learned that the information medical students were expected to know was suddenly very different from the knowledge that got me through my pre-clerkship curriculum. Instead of the emphasis on basic science and foundations, the clerkship year and shelf exams required much more focus on...

Selecting a desired medical specialty marks a pivotal moment in a medical student's career. However, the process is intricate and evolves with factors throughout your academic journey. One of, if not the most important, contributors to this decision-making process is the exposure gained during clinical clerkships in medical school. In...

In the journey to residency, medical students' shelf exam performance holds significant weight in applications. Shelf exams, designed to assess students' knowledge and clinical reasoning in specific core clerkships, can play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative of a medical student's academic capabilities. In this article, we explore the...