NBME Explanations

New Launch of Test Pirates Downloads with NBME answers and explanations

NBME Explanations

The Secrets to getting a 90%+ on all the shelf exams

Discussion in 'Shelf Exams' started by cbokman7, May 22, 2015.

  1. cbokman7

    Administrator
    Staff Member
    Expand Collapse

    Joined:
    May 5, 2015
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    67
    #1 cbokman7, May 22, 2015
    Last edited: May 23, 2015
    Let's talk about the lovely shelf exams: You mastered the boards and now you have these shi##y exams that creep up on you after you're wiped out from a rotation, and made of, as someone once told me, "The bad questions that are thrown out from step 1 and step 2." It's true, the questions $uck balls. You study and you get a 75%, you don't study and you get a 75%. It's really a miraculous thing. And for some students the shelf can make or break your clerkship grade - i.e. "Jonny really wants to be a surgeon, but the shelf is 50% of his grade, everyone gets amazing evaluations (not true at the University of Miami), so the shelf rules all. Poor Jonny."

    When I started taking shelf exams I was accustomed to scoring high on my basic science tests as well as step 1. But on the shelf exams, I could never get past that 90% that some people were able to overcome - how the heck were people scoring 98% on these!? ..until I found the ultimate secret - repeated questions that I saw on my actual exam...the NBME practice exams.

    How to find them? Follow my next thread "Path to NBME practice tests." Their name is amorphous, so therefore hard to find: "Clinical Science Mastery Series." But that's them, 50 questions on whichever test you need to take - Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Ob/Gyn, Neurology - and two 'forms' so that's at least 100 extra questions. I know what you're saying now: Why would I purchase these when I have a freaking expensive-a$$ set of questions otherwise known as the glorious UWorld!?

    You'll soon learn that Uworld's fanfare lies in its astute estimation of step 1 exam questions, only... and no other tests. When studying for step 2, uworld really did NOT do it for me. And the actual test was nothing like it (unlike step 1!!). PLUS, these practice NBME exams literally have repeat questions and concepts on the actual exam - How many questions can these guys possibly think of anyways!? I know this because I have taken all the exams before taking the shelf and walked out of the actual test being like, OMG! literally the same questions or concepts. For instance, on Ob/Gyn, these practice tests loved endometriosis (I mean, who doesn't). When I had ten minutes to spare on my actual Ob/Gyn shelf exam, I realized I never had endometriosis as an answer. So I went back through the test and looked for ones I questioned/marked that had endometriosis as an option. Then bingo! I found one that I narrowed down between two choices, but didn't choose endometriosis. I changed my answer, looked it up after the exam, and eureka, it was endometriosis.

    Very, very long story short, do these exams if you want to score high on the shelf exams. Ob/Gyn was my hardest one and I got a 97% on it because I did both forms of the practice exams twice, and the second time the night before my actual test. The one catch: They're $20 bucks a pop. But do it. You already bought all those review books, your loans will cover it, and your ward/clerkship grades will thank you. And no I get no endorsement from NBME (but maybe I should). Post questions here.
     
    bmed99 likes this.
  2. Shamzo Kimzee

    New Member
    Expand Collapse

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2017
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Atlanta
    So if nbme practice shelf exams have repeat questions on the real shelf exams, do you think the real nbme ccse will have repeat questions from the practice ccse forms as well from the practice nbme shelf exam forms?

    Curious on your thoughts on the matter, since as you said "how many questions can they honestly come up with"? I agree with the former statement, interested in your thoughts.


    S
     
  3. ChinaPaw

    Member
    Expand Collapse

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2022
    Messages:
    149
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    http://product-of-china.cf/
    Glad its not just me then, lol

    Someone in the office mentioned that you need to pay for the privilege of using Cert/DipPFS after your name but I cant see how they could ever enforce that, my university doesnt charge me for putting BSc after my name
     

Share This Page