Surgery Shelf exam advice? Using DeVirg/UWORLD/sometimes Pestanas

[phagocytosis41]

Hey all taking my Surgery Shelf in 2 weeks. I'm reviewing my old UWORLD questions for Surgery and going through DeVirgilio. I'm also using Amboss and trying to finish all as much as I can. I also finished the Pestana qs and doing some Qs at the end of DeV. Any advice on what I should focus on or what I should expect? Anything someone did that they wish they did differently? Thanks and stay safe in this time!

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[td2016]

I took surg COMAT 2 months ago, and the questions were nothing like Uworld. I would do COMBank to get a better representation of the test if I can do it again.

 

[phagocytosis41]

I took surg COMAT 2 months ago, and the questions were nothing like Uworld. I would do COMBank to get a better representation of the test if I can do it again.

I mean the NBME Surgery exam not the COMAT.

 

[allin1211]

Do UWORLD GI medicine questions. Most of the exam is Hepatobiliary and GI (source: COMAT · Surgery — NBOME).

 

[phagocytosis41]

Do UWORLD GI medicine questions. Most of the exam is Hepatobiliary and GI (source: COMAT · Surgery — NBOME).

i meant the NBME Surgery shelf not the NBOME version.

 

[coralista]

Honored the surgery shelf using OME, Pestanas, UWorld (only ended up doing the surgery questions once but multiple residents recommended doing the IM GI questions as well), Emma Holliday, and de Virgilio (barely touched this but would have loved to, thought it was well written and organized). I recall there were a lot of random derm and peds questions on my exam for some reason... I would have gotten through all of de Virgilio if my schedule permitted me to; there were a lot of pearls in that book for the wards, and I ended up picking and choosing what I would read based on the cases I planned to scrub. I'd say that was my only regret, but I don't think it's necessary to do well, especially if you have already completed your internal medicine clerkship.

 

[allin1211]

ahh ok, well NBME has more or less the same breakdown: 25% of the exam is GI, so I'd do the medicine GI UWORLD questions if I was you. https://www.nbme.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/SE_ContentOutlineandSampleItems.pdf . I'd also watch the Emma Holiday video.

i meant the NBME Surgery shelf not the NBOME version.