Psychiatry Shelf

[ajl102]

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Have heard that this test is pretty tough.

Any thoughts about what to expect on the video/essay portion? Heard that you watch a video of a session with a patient whose symptoms require you to really know the DSM IV to make the correct diagnosis, ie they do not point to an obvious diagnosis.

What about all those questions in pre-test on developmental and psychological theorists from the last two centuries? Is that more geared toward Step 2, or have people seen many questions on the theories of Kohut, Mahler, etc, etc?

 

[LoneSEAL]

Video portion? Are you sure the NBME psychiatry shelf exam has a video portion -- that's certainly news to me...From what I've heard, the exam is pretty tough; it looks like the exam requires one to be proficient in internal medicine as the questions sometimes want to determine if the reader knows the difference between psychiatric and medical causes of signs and symptoms.

 

[Renovar]

Originally posted by ajl102
Have heard that this test is pretty tough.

Any thoughts about what to expect on the video/essay portion? Heard that you watch a video of a session with a patient whose symptoms require you to really know the DSM IV to make the correct diagnosis, ie they do not point to an obvious diagnosis.

What about all those questions in pre-test on developmental and psychological theorists from the last two centuries? Is that more geared toward Step 2, or have people seen many questions on the theories of Kohut, Mahler, etc, etc?

Dont worry about it. Out of 100 questions those may appear once or twice. Generally pretest and A&L have been pretty solid sources of questions, but I found on the real thing to be more medicine-centric than both books. Stuff like toxicology, psych med interactions and social issues are highly represented on at least 2 versions of the test that my classmates and I took. It's not an easy test, but not impossible either, even before medicine clerkship. A friend of mine studied hard, memorized Saddock and Kaplan book, and got 99 questions out of 100 correct on his psych shelf before medicine clerkship (which apparently set the school record and the course director even said some attendings wouldn't even get that high if they took the test.) 😱

So it is possible to do well.

 

[LoneSEAL]

Renovar,

What do you think about FA Psych and Blueprints? What subjects are not well covered in those books that are heavily covered on the exam. I want to ace the exam, but I really don't see how anyone can read and memorize Kaplan and Saddock as the book is HUGE...and what do you mean by psych med interactions?

 

[doepug]

Don't sweat it... most of the exam involves making a correct diagnosis and knowing your therapeutic options inside and out. Don't waste your time on theories and other garbage. Know your diagnoses and know your drugs. My exam (arguably) had a few basic neuro and medicine questions as well.

If you're talking about the NBME shelf, there is no video component... it's just a 100 question exam.

Good luck -
doepug

 

[Adawaal]

Psych was actually the easiest shelf I took last year. I think I missed like two questions on it. The diagnostic questions were straight out of DSM, and all the drug questions revolved around side effects. I only read Blueprints over the 6-week rotation, and this was MORE than sufficient. The only weirdo was the 14-year-old boy with unilateral gynecomastia who smoked a little pot. The latest data says the link is not real, but most physicians I know still cite the link as real -- I don't know how NBME scored that one.....

 

[Al Pacino]

What kind of score is given for the psych shelf exam? I heard from classmates that one gets a 2 digit score, but is this score a percentile or is this score that weird 2 digit-score that one gets for the Step 1 exam?

 

[irlandesa]

this year's psych had a good bit of neuro questions on it, otherwise, study NMS, know your drugs inside and out, don't forget about child psych.. I am still unsure what my score means, but it is above the pass mark at my school and I got a High Pass for my Psych rotation (which was my first rotation). I know I could have gotten the Honors if I'd tried a bit harder, but considering I'm not going into Psych I suppose I shouldn't get too worked up about it. That is just my opinion, sorry if it offends anyone who feels differently..

 

[Asher]

In retrospect, I would have studied more from BRS Psychiatry . The test had many questions about which forms of psychotherapy were more helpful for various conditions -- something which had definitely not been stressed in my rotation. When studying for step 2, I used BRS and noted that they did include this information.

As for particular conditions, be familiar with the differences among normal bereavement, adjustment disorders, and mood disorders. I would also probably review the symptoms of intoxication, overdose and withdrawal from various substances (particularly alcohol); movement disorders (tardive vs. acute dystonia and its treatment); obligation to report suicidial/homicidal ideation; and psychiatric emergencies (i.e., neuroleptic malignant syndrome and serotonin syndrome).

 

[Renovar]

Originally posted by LoneSEAL
Renovar,

What do you think about FA Psych and Blueprints? What subjects are not well covered in those books that are heavily covered on the exam. I want to ace the exam, but I really don't see how anyone can read and memorize Kaplan and Saddock as the book is HUGE...and what do you mean by psych med interactions?

THose books are ok if you want to pass and do ok. Otherwise you need mass memorization and mass practice questions. I memorized most of DSM4, studied from my friend's S+K, read most chapters, and all my lecture handout which includes a pharmocology of psychiatric medications with all the interactions and side-effects. (ie. dont give beta blockers to cocaine addicts, dont add tricyclics to SSRI, etc) and do lots and lots of questions (all of Pretest, many of A+L q's). There are a couple question on the test came out quite similar to those practice q's.

At least that's my approach. My psych rotation (addiction psych) was pretty easy so it allows me ample time to read.