Official Internal Medicine Shelf Exam Thread

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Those of you using Step up to medicine

How are you reading it? It just seems like list after list of detail after detail. I can't keep everything in, and it feels extremely low yield going through it.
 
could someone kindly tell me how much uworld qbank helps for this shelf? I've went through all the kaplan vids but alot of topics and info in the qbank were not in the vids.
 
jm192 said:
Those of you using Step up to medicine

How are you reading it? It just seems like list after list of detail after detail. I can't keep everything in, and it feels extremely low yield going through it.
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i'm right there w/ you dude

having trouble figuring out why ppl love the step up book so much... i have the latest (color) edition

literally one dam list after another
 
ohyeahbaby said:
i'm right there w/ you dude

having trouble figuring out why ppl love the step up book so much... i have the latest (color) edition

literally one dam list after another
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I mean it's a review book of most of medicine. What do you think first aid was like?
 
wolfin4skin said:
could someone kindly tell me how much uworld qbank helps for this shelf? I've went through all the kaplan vids but alot of topics and info in the qbank were not in the vids.
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If you can do all (and I mean ALL) of the UWorld questions on IM for this shelf, you have already done more than most (probably not most of SDNers, but most of med students across the country).
 
evilbooyaa said:
If you can do all (and I mean ALL) of the UWorld questions on IM for this shelf, you have already done more than most (probably not most of SDNers, but most of med students across the country).
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thx, hope i can ace this shelf in 2 weeks. am almost half way through the qbank.
 
Uworld: 100% IM questions at 74% correct
MKSAP 4/5: Didn't keep track of percentages for the text version, but MKSAP 4 80% correct
NBME IM Forms: Did both, corresponding to 90% on form 1 and 90% on form 2.

IM Shelf Score: 90%

By far the most useful study tool was Uworld, followed distantly by MKSAP 4, and then MKSAP 5. The practice shelf exams were great, and they exactly predicted my score (n=1). I used the expanded feedback to focus on my identified weaknesses, and I think that was helpful.
 
Does anyone know what the mean or average score is for this shelf?

Thank you!
 
Took it yesterday. Prepared around 1200 UWorld questions and read 2 chapters from StepUp (Cardio and Pulm). Overall, I felt this was the only shelf that was decidedly easier than UWorld. A few esoteric questions, but the clinical scenarios and complexity of reasoning are much more straightforward than UWorld. I think StepUp is probably a waste of time, especially if it comes at the expense of UWorld. Will update with my score.

Edit: Score was 88. So I guess if you want that 99 you'd need to supplement UWorld. But in my class, this was good enough to honor.
 
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Three Internal sources I'm considering using in addition to UWorld and MSKAP..

Any input would be greatly appreciated...

Case Files
Lange Q&A
Kaplan Videos and notes (Any thoughts on which sets of vids are most helpful?)

Thanks guys
 
Actually, I forgot to mention, Conrad's 20 HY cases were quite excellent for my shelf exam.
 
SkiAltaSnow said:
Does anyone know what the mean or average score is for this shelf?

Thank you!
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It's 70. See below.

Subject Examination Scores

The subject examination score is scaled to have a mean of 70 and a standard deviation of 8 for a scaling group of first-time takers from U.S. LCME-accredited medical schools who took this examination as a final clerkship examination under standard testing conditions. As a result, the vast majority of scores range from 45 to 95, and although the scores have the “look and feel” of percent-correct scores, they are not. This scale provides a useful tool for comparing your performance with that of a nationally representative group taking this examination as an end-of-clerkship assessment.

The subject examination scores are statistically equated across test administrations. Scores are statistically adjusted for shifts in test difficulty and consequently, can be used to track school and examinee performance over time.
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hey would u happen to have ur answer key to these 2 forms...would be on immense help...thanks
 
tjquinn said:
Uworld: 100% IM questions at 74% correct
MKSAP 4/5: Didn't keep track of percentages for the text version, but MKSAP 4 80% correct
NBME IM Forms: Did both, corresponding to 90% on form 1 and 90% on form 2.

IM Shelf Score: 90%

By far the most useful study tool was Uworld, followed distantly by MKSAP 4, and then MKSAP 5. The practice shelf exams were great, and they exactly predicted my score (n=1). I used the expanded feedback to focus on my identified weaknesses, and I think that was helpful.
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Hey would u happen to have ur answer key to ur tests?
 
IM is my first rotation of third year. would you guys recommend getting a year long subscription to uworld for the entirety of third year?
 
^ 2nd the question to how long of a subscription we should get. How is the CK qbank divided into sections? like IM... OB... etc?
 
I bought it for all of third year. There are roughly 1400 IM questions and then 50-150 questions in each of the following: surgery, pediatrics, obgyn, psychiatry.

I can't remember the exact numbers, but this at least gives you a decent idea.
 
Would people recommend MKSAP 5 over 4 since it's newer? My plan is to do MKSAP in the first half of my rotation then UWorld 1400 Qs second half of rotation... total of 12 weeks. Thoughts?
 
It doesn't really matter which you use. It matters more how much time you invest into the resource. The difference in testable information between MKSAP iterations is marginal at best. I'm OCPD and need the latest version or else the universe will implode in a big crunch. YMMV.
 
dragon529 said:
Would people recommend MKSAP 5 over 4 since it's newer? My plan is to do MKSAP in the first half of my rotation then UWorld 1400 Qs second half of rotation... total of 12 weeks. Thoughts?
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I did about the same thing, and it was still tricky. If you can, just eliminate MKSAP stick to Uworld.

There's only a "smattering" of MKSAP-esque primary questions. It's very much like Uworld. secondary and tertiary questions reign supreme.

MKSAP is a nice foundation, but I wouldn't focus too much time on it. If I can help a fellow student w/ advice. Maybe use a chapter as a reference to stuff you don't understand.
 
so we got back our raw score but we don't get our percentile for another few weeks when our final evals are submitted (since the percentile is included in the final eval).

my raw score was 77 - do you guys think I hit the 80th percentile, or am i crazy for thinking i even got a chance? it was the last clerkship of M3 so I am assuming it will have the harshest curve.
 
77 is (most likely) not going to be 80th percentile.

When I took it, I believe 77 was right around 50th percentile, as the national average when I took it was either 76 or 77.
 
evilbooyaa said:
77 is (most likely) not going to be 80th percentile.

When I took it, I believe 77 was right around 50th percentile, as the national average when I took it was either 76 or 77.
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dam, i was way off then... the test was hard as hell so I thought the average was much lower... I really appreciate your thoughts on this 👍
 
Not much to say that hasn't already been said. 96 Raw, 97th percentile. Best shelf of the year for me. All I used to study was Uworld and Step Up to Med. That and being on the wards is more than enough to cover in one rotation. I would get through these two resources before doing anything else (MKSAP, etc). Good luck
 
how helpful is the Pocket Medicine by MGH? Is it more for pimping questions and as a refresher when I'm on the wards..?
 
dragon529 said:
how helpful is the Pocket Medicine by MGH? Is it more for pimping questions and as a refresher when I'm on the wards..?
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Yes. I wouldn't use that book to study for the shelf. It is too indepth in certain areas (dosing) and not in-depth enough in almost all others. It's useful as a 1 minute synopsis of SOME basic conditions. It definitely doesn't have all of them, but it has generally the most common ones seen during an IM rotation.
 
Raw Score: 81
Percentile: 65th


Ward evaluation: Honors, "top 10% of all students", the whole nine-yards.
Clerkship Director's Eval: Honors

Grade for the rotation that goes on my transcript: High Pass. 🙁

I hate this stupid game. Why can't "clinical" grades be about clinical performance instead of damn multiple choice exams. It's so annoying.
 
Ouch. Now you know how the game works and you'll rock the next rotation!

What sources did you use and what would you have done differently?
 
docforsure said:
Raw Score: 81
Percentile: 65th


Ward evaluation: Honors, "top 10% of all students", the whole nine-yards.
Clerkship Director's Eval: Honors

Grade for the rotation that goes on my transcript: High Pass. 🙁

I hate this stupid game. Why can't "clinical" grades be about clinical performance instead of damn multiple choice exams. It's so annoying.
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Because clinical performance evals are like 50% clinical performance 50% did your attending like you? I like the objective component - no single attending can stop me from getting honors.

You would've gotten honors at my school with that, for what it's worth.
 
docforsure said:
Raw Score: 81
Percentile: 65th


Ward evaluation: Honors, "top 10% of all students", the whole nine-yards.
Clerkship Director's Eval: Honors

Grade for the rotation that goes on my transcript: High Pass. 🙁

I hate this stupid game. Why can't "clinical" grades be about clinical performance instead of damn multiple choice exams. It's so annoying.
Click to expand...

Because then it all becomes a hand job arms race. I stayed 72 hours post call, saw the whole census three times a day, bought the whole team dinner at Fogo de Chao!

Clinical evaluations are hardly about clinical performance. Have huge tits and an extroverted personality yet score 10th percentile on shelf exams? HONORS CLINICAL EVALS.
 
Wordead said:
Because clinical performance evals are like 50% clinical performance 50% did your attending like you? I like the objective component - no single attending can stop me from getting honors.

You would've gotten honors at my school with that, for what it's worth.
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Yeah, I agree. There has to be some objectivity to it. The evals can be very fickle.
 
Got 91 raw, 95th%ile, best shelf score of 3rd year for me.

All I used to study was master the boards 2 and UWorld (made it through about 1000 of the questions).

Never touched my MKSAP since I bought the thing as an MS2. That book is a soul-sucker for sure.

I highly recommend MTB to learn what the questions are really asking, and UWorld for content.
 
if i got an 88 scaled score, does anyone know what national percentile that would be at? our school only gives us a scaled score, nothing else
 
Let me put in a plug for the NMS Medicine Casebook. Was my primary reading source for shelf study during my clerkship (after I realized that Step Up to Medicine was mind-numbingly boring). It's a lot like the NMS Surgery Casebook but it's longer. It's all about the "next step", which was 90% of this exam. I ended up with a 99 raw with NMS Casebook + UWorld (83% correct overall for medicine). I also did a little bit of MKSAP 4 and read a small amount in Step Up.

The exam itself was difficult and for some reason seemed very different than what my friends who took it at different times of the year said theirs was like. It was very random. Nevertheless, UWorld is a good source of practice questions and doing most of those should put you in good shape. Having it be my last shelf was very helpful (there were surgery, pregnancy, gyn, psych, neuro, and adolescent/older peds questions).
 
Hey everyone! Just started posting.

I am in IM right now and at my school it's 7 weeks. For the first two weeks I've just been reading a little bit here and there. Nothing hardcore. I've got 5 more weeks to go to study for the shelf. Is this enough time to get >82, that's the honor cutoff. I know I should of started sooner but I'm not a super gunner lol. But I just wanted to know how many weeks most ppl study for? I was planning to study for 4-6 hrs for the next 5 weeks focusing on UW and Step up.

Thanks all.
 
Wow really no one? Well now I got 4 weeks left. Slacked off another week. I'm just wondering if ppl r studying like 6-8 weeks or some less? Anyone's advice would be appreciated.
 
-UWorld IM questions 1.5x (whole set plus marked redone)
-Indepth reading of SU2M Cardio, Pul, Renal, G.I., brief read through rest of sections week or so prior to test
-MSKAP 4 2x
-Pocket Medicine during wards
-Conrad High Yield Cases

Raw = 94
 
TheOcean said:
Wow really no one? Well now I got 4 weeks left. Slacked off another week. I'm just wondering if ppl r studying like 6-8 weeks or some less? Anyone's advice would be appreciated.
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Ocean- It really depends on your previous shelf experience. If you've gotten ~82 in the past you'll probably hit it w/ similar amounts of studying. I'd also recommend taking a NBME clinical science self assessment for medicine to see where you stand and how much work you need to do. Either way, 4 weeks would be enough for most people to finish a good chunk of UWorld for medicine and skim-reading SUtM, and if you do those two you'll be as prepared as anyone else. Sub NMS Casebook for step-up if you hate step-up.
 
I really appreciate ur feed back! It's my first shelf so I'm just totally lost. I'm not aiming for >90 just >82 would be enough for me to honor the rotation. Ik I probably should of studied this entire 7 weeks but I got lazy :/ I just wanted to know if I was totally screwed. It seems like everyone on here posts about what they studied and their scores but not how long they studied.
 
TheOcean said:
I really appreciate ur feed back! It's my first shelf so I'm just totally lost. I'm not aiming for >90 just >82 would be enough for me to honor the rotation. Ik I probably should of studied this entire 7 weeks but I got lazy :/ I just wanted to know if I was totally screwed. It seems like everyone on here posts about what they studied and their scores but not how long they studied.
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It just depends how efficient you are at studying, but 5 weeks should definitely be enough time to do well on the shelf. I think I waited on most rotations until I was half way through before I started actually studying for the shelf.
 
TheOcean said:
I really appreciate ur feed back! It's my first shelf so I'm just totally lost. I'm not aiming for >90 just >82 would be enough for me to honor the rotation. Ik I probably should of studied this entire 7 weeks but I got lazy :/ I just wanted to know if I was totally screwed. It seems like everyone on here posts about what they studied and their scores but not how long they studied.
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"How long they studied" is not a very good way to measure how hard someone studied. Some people only need a week to prepare for a shelf while others need a month. One of the tricks of 3rd year is figuring out how you're going to manage your time to effectively study for the shelf despite your other obligations. That's something you have to figure out on your own and takes a couple shelf exams to really get down.

So I'll echo my post from before -- I read the entire NMS Medicine Casebook, did all of UWorld medicine (over a thousand questions!), and read some of Step Up (didn't find it as useful as the NMS book) and some of MKSAP 4 (not as useful as UWorld). If you must know time, I read NMS over about 4 weeks (reading daily) and slowly did UWorld over about 6 weeks (mostly on weekends).
 
TheOcean said:
I really appreciate ur feed back! It's my first shelf so I'm just totally lost. I'm not aiming for >90 just >82 would be enough for me to honor the rotation. Ik I probably should of studied this entire 7 weeks but I got lazy :/ I just wanted to know if I was totally screwed. It seems like everyone on here posts about what they studied and their scores but not how long they studied.
Click to expand...

It all really depends. I did Casefiles IM and about 4-500 questions of UWorld and got about the national average (77 at the time). I think if you get through SUTM and do all of UWorld IM (1400 questions with review) you will have a solid shot at >82. I would say UWorld questions > SUTM (besides the obvious high-yield sections [cards/GI/ID] if you're pressed for time. All of these should be doable in about 3 weeks, especially if you're doing questions at times on your phone/iPad during downtime on the rotation.
 
For those of you that read Step Up to Medicine in preparation for the shelf, would you recommend spending any time on the CNS/PNS disease chapter? Or is neuro pathology not really present on the IM shelf? In which case would it be better to save that chapter and study it more in earnest during my neuro rotation? Thanks!!
 
Also I just thought of another question, would anyone recommend timed tutor over regular timed mode for UWorld IM questions? I thought timed mode was better for Step I so I could practice timing and simulate realistic conditions, but for the shelf when I'm using UWorld more for learning purposes, would it be more prudent to use timed tutor mode? Thanks again everyone!!
 
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