Internal Medicine Shelf -- Were MKSAP 3 questions repeated? Is it worth it?

[radoncadonc]

My IM shelf is a little over a week away. I am working my way through MKSAP, but I have been told by several students that the aren't any repeat questions on the shelf. Most people say the questions are similar in difficulty, but you won't see the same concepts or scenarios on the actual exam. What was your test like? It seems like I might be wasting time learning how to calculate the delta-delta when I won't have to do it on the exam.

If you had one week to study, would you do MKSAP? What would you do? (Assume I have access to everything😎)

Thanks dudes and dudettes

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[y2janitor]

i just took the shelf last friday. and i must say, mksap might have been the biggest waste ever. not one question from the shelf resembled anything from mksap.

 

[domer621]

IM is probably the broadest shelf exam... you can't expect question repeats.

People either love MKSAP or hate it. I really didn't care for it.

Step Up to Medicine is still the single best resource.

 

[Arsenic]

I only did about 20% of mksap 3 before the shelf and did fine, so its not a must but I don't think it hurt either. Had I had more time I would have done more questions. Whats good about MKSAP is that its a similar question structure to the shelf and will help solidify some bread and butter issues if you didnt get to see them on the wards. When it comes to these things though I just think the best shelf prep is whatever you actually like and are able to get into so that you are able finish it. Whether thats case files, step up to medicine, mksap, etc...

 

[MadameLULU]

I agree. MKSAP didn't help me one bit.

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

MKSAP didn't help me at all either.

 

[tkim]

MKSAP 2 worked for me when I took it.

But B&W and Step Up Medicine worked well, too.

 

[GoBuckeyes913]

My IM shelf is a little over a week away. I am working my way through MKSAP, but I have been told by several students that the aren't any repeat questions on the shelf. Most people say the questions are similar in difficulty, but you won't see the same concepts or scenarios on the actual exam. What was your test like? It seems like I might be wasting time learning how to calculate the delta-delta when I won't have to do it on the exam.

If you had one week to study, would you do MKSAP? What would you do? (Assume I have access to everything😎)

Thanks dudes and dudettes

I've heard crappy things about MKSAP, which is why I totally avoided it..... The only thing I studied from was Case Files: Internal medicine. Everything in that book was on my shelf exam, absolutely no surprises. I would suggest reading that, but being your exam is a week away I'm not sure how much you will get through. Good luck 🙂

 

[Arsenic]

yeah, I liked case files too. I used the series for just about every rotation I could.

 

[Ashers]

yeah, I liked case files too. I used the series for just about every rotation I could.

I've heard that Case Files for medicine wasn't broad enough. I used case files for psych and ob/gyn and did well on those shelves, but people I talked to said that it just didn't cover enough topics for IM. Did you guys feel that way?

 

[GoBuckeyes913]

I've heard that Case Files for medicine wasn't broad enough. I used case files for psych and ob/gyn and did well on those shelves, but people I talked to said that it just didn't cover enough topics for IM. Did you guys feel that way?

Not at all, I thought case files: IM covered everything on my shelf.... some of the questions at the end of each case were almost identical to the ones on the shelf. Highly recommend CF's.

 

[vtucci]

I did not love the MKSAP either. I used case files for all the rotations this year and have found them helpful.

 

[radoncadonc]

So, as the original thread starter, here's what I found: I don't have my result back, but after taking the test, MKSAP was not helpful.

 

[The Buff]

Wow, seems like the MKSAP is being held to some pretty high standards here. I don;t know if I will find it useful or not, but what other question bank is better? Wasting step two UWorld questions? I know if this were a thread on pre-test most of the answers would be "eh, it was fine". I can't believe that pre-test is better than MKSAP, although maybe I am wrong.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Just got out of the exam. MKSAP didn't help me AT ALL. And I'm feeling pretty depressed about the test because I ran out of time and had to randomly fill in bubbles for the last 8 questions. 🙁

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Just got out of the exam. MKSAP didn't help me AT ALL. And I'm feeling pretty depressed about the test because I ran out of time and had to randomly fill in bubbles for the last 8 questions. 🙁

Was it the NBME or department exam? Sorry to hear your test didnt go well.
I just ordered the Case Files... everytime I come to this forum I end up buying another book!

 

[prophecy2]

I only used MKSAP, Google, and Wikipedia. I did all the questions in MKSAP and was fine. IM was my first rotation few months after Step 1, so the information was still fresh.

If I were to go back, I would add Case Files and BluePrint Q & A for IM.

Proph...