Studying for Psychiatry NBME

[turica]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I was wondering what people used for this NBME and what scores they got

I looked up a previous post but the most relevant was from 2004 so I figured that's liekly to be outdated.

I was considering using mainly Case Files but I really don't know.

 

[getdown]

If I recall correctly, the psych exams are actually very tricky because the focus is identifying if the patient's symptoms fall within a specific time period in order to qualify for one diagnosis vs the next one. Try to take as many practice exams or use the case files one to focus on those difference. I remember at my school at least that the psych exams had the highest fail and retake rate since a lot of people didn't pay attention to the details.

 

[ortnakas]

“First Aid for Psychiatry” and UWorld were all that I used last year. It was enough if you make sure you know the pharm chapter down cold.

 

[APA 32]

First aid for psych, Kaplan q bank, firecracker flashcards and q bank, online med ed
Scored in the high 80s

 

[operaman]

Psych is definitely a shelf where a high number of practice questions is critical. There really isn't that much material to test, honestly, so the questions focus more on the details of distinguishing one diagnosis from another in terms of time, number of symptoms, etc. I will say this can be a tricky shelf for some - I always mention a buddy of mine who was a 260+ guy across all his Step exams and who finished all of his shelf exam in about 45 minutes. He crushed every test he ever took except the psych shelf, and he did fine on it too, but it was definitely his kryptonite because of the long vignettes and importance of one detail that changed it from the obvious diagnosis to another.

The nice thing is that there aren't really that many diagnoses in the field as whole compared to other clerkships. As such, if you go through 2 different question sources in their entirety, you should be almost sure to ace this sucker.

 

[Redpancreas]

I was wondering what people used for this NBME and what scores they got

I looked up a previous post but the most relevant was from 2004 so I figured that's liekly to be outdated.

I was considering using mainly Case Files but I really don't know.

First Aid Psychiatry + UWorld + OME. Psychiatry is straight criteria and very easy for the "left-brained"/definition-loving person. Lange is also good from what I've heard.

 

[NYCdude]

You can do just UWorld and get 75+.

I did UWorld and Firecracker (only one time pass of the cards) and got an 85.

 

[pocillopora]

Payed attention on rounds + Online Med Ed 1x + First Aid for Psychiatry 1x + Case Files Psychiatry 1x + ANKI'd our course director's pharmacology document + Uworld psych questions --> 99th%

There are a lot of basics to get down in psych, but what definitely helped me score well on the shelf was one pass of First Aid and then immediately using Case Files. Case Files will hammer home the basics AND teach you the stuff you won't see in Uworld/OME that will get you above the average (on an exam classically difficult to score high on). Also, I would suggest ANKI for the psych drugs. KNOW THEM COLD. It won't just help for the shelf but will make you look like a boss on rounds when you know the pharmacology, indications, contraindications, side effects, black box warning for every psych drug.

 

[.hematoma.]

Uworld + Lange + First Aid Psychiatry + Anki of all that (ended with >1k cards, made anki for all 3 resources but didn't finish Lange) --> 98th%ile