Explaining shelf exams vs. boards...

[Corker]

Could someone please explain when shelf exams are taken? Is the time determined by each school? Which shelf exams are required? Are they during MS! and MS2? Are they national tests, or just local to the school? What are "passing" scores? Do they make ANY difference in future career prospects?

I have been reading threads about them, but I don't understand exactly what they are. Thanks.

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[nogolfinsnow]

Could someone please explain when shelf exams are taken? Is the time determined by each school? Which shelf exams are required? Are they during MS! and MS2? Are they national tests, or just local to the school? What are "passing" scores? Do they make ANY difference in future career prospects?

I have been reading threads about them, but I don't understand exactly what they are. Thanks.

As I understand it (though I'm not there yet), shelfs are taken at the end of each clinical rotation during MS3&4. They can make a difference on career prospects b/c they're part of your grade for that rotation, and if it's a rotation you really want to go in to then you'll want a good grade from it. I'm not sure if they're standardized or created by each school, but I'd suspect standardized.............

 

[UCLAstudent]

I'm not sure if they're standardized or created by each school, but I'd suspect standardized.............

Shelf exams are standardized. In-house exams (also taken at the end of rotations) are made by the school.

 

[45408]

Shelf exams usually refers to a type of exam that is produced by an outside organization. I'm pretty sure the NBME offers a number of shelf exams. At my school, none of our M1/M2 exams are shelf exams. Rather, they are all written by the faculty here. Some schools use shelf exams for their basic science curriculum. A number of our M3/M4 rotation exams are shelf exams though, with a few exceptions I believe.

I have no idea what a passing score is, but I would imagine it's at your school's discretion. It probably varies from one exam to the next. I don't think they would have any more impact on your future career than an exam written by your faculty.

 

[pguin]

my school (indiana university) uses shelf exams from NBME for the finals of many of our classes (just got done with an anatomy/embryo and a histology). The grades are reported back to the professor as a number out of 1000 and a national percentile. I believe the tests are set to have a mean around 500 with 100 as a standard deviation. Shelfs can also be used during 3rd and 4th year but have a different grading scale (i think a mean is 70 or so )

 

[lord_jeebus]

The above posts pretty much cover it, but I'll add that your shelf scores generally play no role in the residency application process, beyond the extent to which they determine your grades. I suppose some schools might include them in the Dean's Letter (MSPE), although my school only does so when you do very well.

Shelf exams and the USMLE are made by the same organization, and I found that they are stylistically very similar. Shelf exams may cover some things in greater detail.

 

[Corker]

This is why I LOVE SDN!!! Ask a question, and you get five excellent answers from people who "know" within a couple of hours!!! Thanks, you guys!!!

 

[madeyedhl]

This is why I LOVE SDN!!! Ask a question, and you get five excellent answers from people who "know" within a couple of hours!!! Thanks, you guys!!!

another one who loves sdn for its sheer amount of cool people

 

[aldevani]

Can study for Shelf exams and other exam with a great online website:

www.MedicalStudentExams.com

 

[OncHeme2B]

NBME shelf exams are retired USMLE step 1 questions. They are standardized and generally graded on a curve. Almost everyone, US, Canadian, or foreign med school, is using them these days...if you do well on them...you're likely to do well on Step 1.

 

[FutureMIAdoc]

I did not know that there even existed a such thing as shelf exams for the basic science years. Why in the world wouldn't a school want to just start students off with shelf exams in order to better prepare them for the Steps? Seriously, then professors would maybe be forced to prepare students for board style questions. (Board prep is non-existent at my school).

 

[OncHeme2B]

Most foreign med schools require that students pass the NBME shelf exams in every subject (in order to even pass the M1/M2 courses) and then pass the COMP (comprehensive NBME shelf exam that covers everything in basic sciences) before you are even allowed to sit for USMLE Step 1. You know I am very surprised not more US schools require this as well. All it does is boost up your Step 1 score because you are getting used to seeing the types of questions that will be asked.