From the Research
A shelf exam is a standardized test administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) to medical students at the end of clinical rotations to assess their knowledge in specific medical specialties. These exams evaluate students' understanding of clinical science subjects like internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics/gynecology, and family medicine. Shelf exams typically consist of 110 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 2-3 hours, focusing on diagnosis, treatment, and management of common conditions within each specialty. Medical schools use shelf exam scores as a significant component of clinical rotation grades, often accounting for 20-40% of the final grade. These exams also serve as preparation for the USMLE Step 2 CK exam, as they follow a similar format and cover related content. Students typically prepare by using question banks, review books, and online resources specific to each specialty rotation. Some studies have shown that a structured teaching curriculum can improve medical students' performance on shelf exams, such as the study by 1 which found that a resident-driven, student-taught educational curriculum improved performance on the NBME surgery subject examination. Key points about shelf exams include:
- They are standardized tests administered by the NBME
- They assess knowledge in specific medical specialties
- They consist of 110 multiple-choice questions
- They are used as a component of clinical rotation grades
- They prepare students for the USMLE Step 2 CK exam
- Students can prepare using question banks, review books, and online resources.