Taking shelf months after rotation...

[DragonWell]

I'm sure I'm not the only one in the position of taking shelf exams for a rotation months after it's ended. For example, I finished Psych last month, but I won't take the shelf till the end of August, after two intervening months of EM and IM. My school only offers shelf exams 5 times throughout the year, so we have to double up at times and take them as we can.

I'm realizing this is a lot different than studying during MS1-2, when I had a nice solid week or so to cram and catch up before a test. It seems that the challenge now will be to hang on to as much info as possible and keep reviewing, while not falling too far behind on my current rotation.

Any tips/suggestions on how to manage time and reading? Anything in particular that worked for you?

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[OnMyWayThere]

I'm sure I'm not the only one in the position of taking shelf exams for a rotation months after it's ended. For example, I finished Psych last month, but I won't take the shelf till the end of August, after two intervening months of EM and IM. My school only offers shelf exams 5 times throughout the year, so we have to double up at times and take them as we can.

I'm realizing this is a lot different than studying during MS1-2, when I had a nice solid week or so to cram and catch up before a test. It seems that the challenge now will be to hang on to as much info as possible and keep reviewing, while not falling too far behind on my current rotation.

Any tips/suggestions on how to manage time and reading? Anything in particular that worked for you?

My school would make us take them every 3 months and we'd have 2 shelf exams in a day (our rotations were bundled that way that we'd have finished 2 core each 3 months, i.e. IM/IM/Surgery). I would usually take the first month off from studying... the 2nd month I'd start doing casefiles (or the best book out there for that discipline) for 1 rotation and do questions. 3rd month I'd do casefiles for the other rotation and do questions. The week before the exam, I'd do strictly questions and review my previous source. I learned during the last block that what worked for me was using less sources but repeating it. For example, instead of finding a new source after finishing casefiles, I'd read it. And again if time permited. I went through the answers of my qbanks for a second time. This helped ALOT! Good luck to you

 

[DragonWell]

My school would make us take them every 3 months and we'd have 2 shelf exams in a day (our rotations were bundled that way that we'd have finished 2 core each 3 months, i.e. IM/IM/Surgery). I would usually take the first month off from studying... the 2nd month I'd start doing casefiles (or the best book out there for that discipline) for 1 rotation and do questions. 3rd month I'd do casefiles for the other rotation and do questions. The week before the exam, I'd do strictly questions and review my previous source. I learned during the last block that what worked for me was using less sources but repeating it. For example, instead of finding a new source after finishing casefiles, I'd read it. And again if time permited. I went through the answers of my qbanks for a second time. This helped ALOT! Good luck to you

That's exactly the kind of advice I was seeking. Thanks a lot for your help!