Family Medicine Shelf Exam

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I have FM 1st as well. I am curious as to what books are needed to study for rotations this year, or are there individual books/resources for each rotation? I used FA/Goljan/World for step 1, but i have no idea how to study for shelf exams, and there are no upperclassmen to ask in my program, so any advice would be appreciated greatly.

bump.

Any thoughts on Essentials of Medicine textbook as a primary, with Case Files and PreTest as supplements?

I am about a week away from taking my FM shelf. A 4th year told me that the exam was like Step 1 without the basic science questions. I was also advised to do the Pre-Test book.

Bump on this thread

Starting fam medicine next week and am still trying to figure out which books to buy? I haven't had internal medicine, surgery or primary care so my background isn't as strong in FM as if I did have those rotations...

Originally Posted by EMT2ER-DOC

I am about a week away from taking my FM shelf. A 4th year told me that the exam was like Step 1 without the basic science questions. I was also advised to do the Pre-Test book.

how are you an OMS and not doing and osteo rotation. is my school the only one who mandates omt rotations in third year?

Would the ambulatory section of Step-Up to Medicine be enough to do alright on the FM shelf? I'll have completed IM prior to my FM rotation. As always, the advice is greatly appreciated!

I just took my shelf today.. here's some helpful hints that my classmates passed around as well as a few pointers from me:


-Don't worry about OB/Gyn
-Case Files is useful but not all-inclusive (I personally didn't use it... too wordy... my other friend used it and he said that it really didn't reflect well on the exam at all)
-Pretest is useful: focus on the "Acute" and "Chronic" sections; the others are a "waste of time"
-Test focuses on first step in mgmt
-Cover/skim a wide variety on things; do not focus on minute details
-ATP III guidelines and other charts with multiple cut-offs are not worth memorizing
-Also... this test reminds me a little too much of Step 1.. so if you're taking it early on GREAT because at least you'll be fresh off of step.
-OH and weird DRUG SIDE EFFECTS are on there too.... not the ones that everybody knows...

Bump.
So anyone else out there that didn't have IM before FP and got through Pre-Test with some tidbits of Step Up to Medicine beyond just the ambulatory section (I read ambulatory plus the first half of the non-ambulatory part of the book) do OK?
Started reading Blue Prints and Deja but I couldn't keep up, so I stuck with Pre-Test and the portion of Step Up that I've gotten through. Counting on whatever juice I squeeze out of Step 1 memory from early August.

Is there any list of topics that we should know in and out cold?

Originally Posted by nope80

Is there any list of topics that we should know in and out cold?

first aid for the usme step 1 minus basic sciences section is what the word on the street is. whatevs, i may just have to eject my floating device and o2 mask on this one.

Originally Posted by clement

first aid for the usme step 1 minus basic sciences section is what the word on the street is. whatevs, i may just have to eject my floating device and o2 mask on this one.

What do other people think about this? I have never heard this before and find it hard to believe that they would put forth a test like step 1? It seems kinda random. We didn't have clinical management on step 1 like we do on shelf exams...

Bump

a

anyone take it recently?

Originally Posted by nope80

anyone take it recently?

Family Medicine was my first rotation and I remember feeling anxious about what to expect on the Shelf. It definitely resembled Step 1 in its broad coverage of many topics, but the questions were much more management oriented and I don't recall any nitty gritty basic science questions. I used Case Files and read about a quarter of the Essentials of Medicine textbook, and I also did Pretest the week before the shelf. Overall, I relied heavily on my Step 1 studying to do well on the shelf-I do feel the Family Med-specific texts were helpful in maintaining the knowledge I had accumulated during the first 2 years.

Any new recommendations on FP? I've already had IM and peds. and i finished case files for FP. I just started Swanson's and it's really hard to get through. I need to do well on the shelf (as it counts for a big chunk of our grade and most likely I won't get a clinical outstanding) so any input would be appreciated. Thanks

For what it's worth, I just got done taking the family shelf and although I didn't get a score back yet, I thought it was much easier than internal medicine and peds. I maybe had two questions on obstetrics/gynecology and only a handful on peds as well. All very basic IM questions that requires some understanding of pathogenesis and next best step in treatment. What I used:
-Case Files Family Medicine: it was decent but if you already had medicine and peds, it really doesn't add anything new;
-Pre-test: not representative of the shelf at all. I felt like it focused way too much on minutia and not enough on general concepts
-Step-up: i read the ambulatory section and re-read some of the high yield topics like CHF, jaundice and hematuria workup
-Swansons: I got through maybe a 1/3 of it before I ditched it. It's not so much the length and level of detail that bothered me. It was just that it was flat out not helpful
-USMLE step 2 secrets: i thought this book was outstanding. I'm not sure how much it actually helped me for the shelf but I thought it provided a very good overview of all the major topics tested.
-AAFP questions: i thought these were probably the closest to the shelf; i would recommend doing these over pre-test over swansons.
Hope that helps

Bump. Any more recent advice on books and q-banks/books?

family med was a cake walk after IM. I made a few dumb errors today, but other than that it was very doable. I could be biased though since I had IM before hand. There was like no OB

...

I have not taken Internal Medicine yet. Do you think just studying Medicine would prepare me for the Family Medicine shelf?

I haven't used a Case Files book for any rotation yet and I can't think how such a concise book can prepare you for a shelf?

What do you think?

I don't think the aafp.org questions are there anymore?

"For what it's worth, I just got done taking the family shelf and although I didn't get a score back yet, I thought it was much easier than internal medicine and peds. I maybe had two questions on obstetrics/gynecology and only a handful on peds as well. All very basic IM questions that requires some understanding of pathogenesis and next best step in treatment. What I used:
-Case Files Family Medicine: it was decent but if you already had medicine and peds, it really doesn't add anything new;
-Pre-test: not representative of the shelf at all. I felt like it focused way too much on minutia and not enough on general concepts
-Step-up: i read the ambulatory section and re-read some of the high yield topics like CHF, jaundice and hematuria workup
-Swansons: I got through maybe a 1/3 of it before I ditched it. It's not so much the length and level of detail that bothered me. It was just that it was flat out not helpful
-USMLE step 2 secrets: i thought this book was outstanding. I'm not sure how much it actually helped me for the shelf but I thought it provided a very good overview of all the major topics tested.
-AAFP questions: i thought these were probably the closest to the shelf; i would recommend doing these over pre-test over swansons.
Hope that helps"

Edit: just thought I'd update on my score. 94 (not sure if that's raw or percentile b/c our school doesn't say)

Originally Posted by jsong812

"For what it's worth, I just got done taking the family shelf and although I didn't get a score back yet, I thought it was much easier than internal medicine and peds. I maybe had two questions on obstetrics/gynecology and only a handful on peds as well. All very basic IM questions that requires some understanding of pathogenesis and next best step in treatment. What I used:
-Case Files Family Medicine: it was decent but if you already had medicine and peds, it really doesn't add anything new;
-Pre-test: not representative of the shelf at all. I felt like it focused way too much on minutia and not enough on general concepts
-Step-up: i read the ambulatory section and re-read some of the high yield topics like CHF, jaundice and hematuria workup
-Swansons: I got through maybe a 1/3 of it before I ditched it. It's not so much the length and level of detail that bothered me. It was just that it was flat out not helpful
-USMLE step 2 secrets: i thought this book was outstanding. I'm not sure how much it actually helped me for the shelf but I thought it provided a very good overview of all the major topics tested.
-AAFP questions: i thought these were probably the closest to the shelf; i would recommend doing these over pre-test over swansons.
Hope that helps"

Edit: just thought I'd update on my score. 94 (not sure if that's raw or percentile b/c our school doesn't say)

congrats jsong
when did you take your test? When did you get your score?
thanks

Took it on 12/18/09, got score back today. GL!

The Family shelf is essentially a slightly easier version of the medicine exam. If you did well on medicine, you'll do well on family. Focus on your patients and not textbook.

Originally Posted by Currantjelly

The Family shelf is essentially a slightly easier version of the medicine exam. If you did well on medicine, you'll do well on family. Focus on your patients and not textbook.

What if you haven't done medicine yet, should I just study as if it was a medicine exam?

bump

anyone???

Originally Posted by Cliff Huxtable

What if you haven't done medicine yet, should I just study as if it was a medicine exam?

In my experience, it can be pretty random.

Originally Posted by robinhood001

it is funny that i had a question that i have seen on my im shelf, word for word!. It has to do with lowering the upper psa limits and how this wil effect sensitivity vs. Specificity..i guess i missed this question on both occasions. Although these questions are easy, yet, i hate that topic with passion!

roflmao i had that today

having already taken the medicine shelf and scored 82, would case files be enough of a refresher just to pass the FM shelf (>65)?

Originally Posted by rdevnani

having already taken the medicine shelf and scored 82, would case files be enough of a refresher just to pass the FM shelf (>65)?

i think so

Originally Posted by stankem

i think so

thanks, buddy

I did:

AAFP Questions (Not all, but probably 60%)
Blueprints Clinical Cases (Similar to Case Files, just a little more concise)
Step Up (Ambulatory section and the appendices)

That was good enough for a 92. I disagree with the thought that the Family shelf is somehow like Step I. It's really not; it's very much diagnose/treatment oriented and very little was on mechanism/pathology. There was very little OB/Peds stuff. Just know the "big stuff" when it comes to concerns during pregnancy and the major diagnosis (and treatment) of childhood illness.

Good luck.

Need some book recommendations for my family medicine rotation. I have not taken IM yet.

This is what I have been thinking so far:

1) Step-Up (for the ambulatory part)
2) Case Files
3) Family Medicine Pretest

What do you guys think? Also, does anyone have the link to the aafp questions everyone has been talking about?

how many questions are there on the aafp.org website?

and where on the website are they (can't find 'em).

Thanks

Besides case files and step up, what would say are the best question banks for the shelf? UWorld (IM Ques) or Pretest or NMS?

I've had OB, Peds, and IM already.

I'm reading Case Files and Step Up's ambulatory section.

Should I focus on UWorld, Swanson's, or AAFP questions?

Thanks <3

Just got my score a few minutes ago.

83 raw, 92 percentile

I did not think this was a very difficult shelf exam because the scope was so broad and there wasn't much depth in details. I definitely think it helps to take this shelf closer to the end of 3rd year. So far I have taken Surgery, Ob/Gyn, Psych and Peds. I haven't yet taken Internal Medicine (saved the best for last ).

Here is how I prepared:
-Did all the non-Internal Medicine USMLE World questions again (I did most of them at least twice previously for other shelf exams)
-Did probably about 70% of the MKSAP3 and MKSAP4 questions
-Read PreTest Family Medicine 1.5 times through (I liked it!)
-Read USMLE Step 2 Secrets once through during the last week of the rotation (this book is awesome!!!)
-I had previously read Step Up to Medicine during my free time on another rotation

I am obviously stoked about how well I did and I wouldn't dare ask for anything better than this! If I had to do it all over again I'd probably focus a lot more on USMLE Step 2 Secrets for this shelf exam. My guess is that nothing can substitute for having most of the other core rotations under your belt before taking the family medicine shelf, but USMLE Step 2 Secrets also really hits on all the most high yield material from all of the core disciplines. I don't like the fact that I had to ditch finishing both MKSAP's and USMLE World due to time constraints at the end (I originally planned to get through all of USMLE World and both MKSAP's), but at least I got through the most key sections of both MKSAP's. Here is what I would recommend others do for a more simplistic high-yield approach:

-Take Family Medicine towards the end of 3rd year
-PreTest X2 at least (the information is really good and you can easily get through a lot of this between seeing patients...I did 1.5 times through just during times when I was waiting to present to my attending)
-USMLE Step 2 Secrets X2 at least (even more if you can!!!)
-Already have most (if not all) of USMLE World under your belt before taking this rotation

Anyone else use Secrets like the previous poster? I'm in family medicine right now (my last rotation of MS3). I've done well on all shelfs so far and would like to do well on this one EFFICIENTLY as possible since I've got some other things I'm working on right now. Basically I've been trying to decide whether I should use either First Aid for USMLE Step 2, Step 2 Secrets or Step-Up to Medicine (maybe a combination of some sections of each). Anyone care to comment on what they think the best route is? In terms of questions I was planning on using the AAFP questions for sure and possibly Kaplan Qbank for Step 2 since I won a subscription on here for it... Any advice?

WTF random thread I suddenly saw here. Took this exam back earlier in 3rd year. Only source I used on the rotation was Essentials of Family Medicine... read through much of it, actually pretty helpful.

Raw score = 80
Percentile > 85th

Easiest shelf exam of third year, which means the curve is probably steep.

This is a hard shelf to study for because it is so broad. It definitely helps to take it later in the year or closer to step 1 (whichever of the two).

Here are the resources I used:
- Pretest - preventive medicine questions (immunizations always get me)
- Step-Up - Ambulatory medicine section (most of it)
- AAFP questions - about 50% of the questions (best resource)

The shelf felt easier than all my previous ones - likely because of the timing in the year. If I had to do it again I'd do more of the AAFP questions, otherwise I wouldn't do anything differently. Step-up was only moderately helpful but I would still have read it because I usually need a base to build on while doing questions. I tried reading Casefiles but I quickly got bored-I obsessed over the staging of asthma and COPD and the necessary treatments for each stage but this was not covered much (if at all)

Raw 88, 97th %ile

Goodluck all.

Psych shelf to go and then end of 3rd year (can't believe it!!)

How can I log into the AAFP website for practice questions?

You just have to register on the website to join- free membership for students, you will get login information in a day or two after registering.

Has anyone taken the exam recently? I start FM next wk as my second rotation an kinda Nervous since it's so early in the yr

Originally Posted by fergustsi

how are you an OMS and not doing and osteo rotation. is my school the only one who mandates omt rotations in third year?

TCOM's one of only two schools (I believe; this is what Dr. Ransom told me anyway) that require OMM as a rotation. I've met DO students at other schools who didn't even know that there were OMM residencies because they never had to rotate through one.

I just took this on Friday (8/20). I found it to be pretty difficult and that was the consensus of most of my class - keep in mind this is the first rotation for us. I used AAFP questions, NMS questions, and Blueprints. I thought Blueprints was a little too vague. NMS was good and seemed to hit the same general topics as the shelf. AAFP questions were the best IMO. Those who said it is like Step 1 without the basic sciences are totally right. I wish I had read this thread before taking it because I would have skimmed through First Aid just as a refresher. It definitely helped to be fresh off of Step 1 though... Hope this helps at all

the aafp questions are terrible for this shelf, i can't wrap my head around some of these opinions in this thread.

the aafp board questions are by and large very detail oriented management questions and the shelf was mostly diagnosis with a handful of basic management.

Anyone know if theres any epidemiology on this exam?

I signed up for the aafp website, logged in, went to the board review questions and see no quizzes. It says "Please note: You will only see quizzes that are available for you to report for CME credit." Is there another quiz bank for students or something?


I have not had IM yet and need >=90th percentile on this. My plan is:
-Step-Up (ambulatory care/high yield)
-Blueprints (Is there another good condensed primary resource?)
-Case Files

I have uworld too, but FM isn't an option and I'm not sure what to focus on.