From the Guidelines
The NBME Pediatrics shelf exam covers key topics such as growth and development, nutrition, sleep, and physical activity across different age groups, from infancy to early childhood.
Key Topics
- Growth and development: includes guidelines for dietary intake, sleep, and physical activity for infants, toddlers, and early childhood 1
- Nutrition: emphasizes nutrient-dense food choices, limits on added sugars and sodium, and avoidance of certain foods and beverages 1
- Sleep: recommends quality sleep duration and consistent sleep and wake-up times for different age groups 1
- Physical activity: encourages a variety of interactive activities and movement, with specific recommendations for tummy time and energetic play 1
Age-Specific Guidelines
- Infancy (0-12 months): guidelines for dietary intake, sleep, and physical activity, including recommendations for breastfeeding and complementary feeding 1
- Toddlerhood (1-2 years): emphasizes nutrient-dense food choices, limits on screen time, and recommendations for physical activity and sleep 1
- Early childhood (2-5 years): recommends age-based daily caloric intake, emphasis on nutrient-dense foods, and limits on added sugars and sodium 1 While genomics and genetic health literacy 1 and neonatal hypoglycemia screening 1 may be relevant to pediatrics, they are not directly related to the key topics covered on the NBME Pediatrics shelf exam.
From the Research
Key Topics Covered on the NBME Pediatrics Shelf Exam
The key topics covered on the NBME Pediatrics shelf exam are not explicitly stated in the provided studies. However, some studies provide information on the performance of medical students on the exam and the potential impact of different learning environments on their performance.
- The study 2 analyzed the performance of third-year medical students on the NBME Clinical Science Pediatrics Shelf Exam and found that students who completed their pediatric clerkship during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly more likely to fail the exam.
- The study 3 found no difference in performance on the NBME pediatrics subject exam between students who participated in family-centered rounds and those who did not.
Topics Covered in the Exam
While the exact topics covered on the exam are not specified, the study 4 provides information on the content of the NBME Medicine Subject Exam, which may be similar to the Pediatrics shelf exam. The exam content is organized into:
- 4 physician tasks: diagnosis, treatment, mechanism of disease, and health maintenance
- 11 sections, including:
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Gastroenterology
- Neurology
- Dermatology
- Immunology
- Aging/ethics
Note that these topics may not be directly applicable to the Pediatrics shelf exam, but may provide some insight into the types of topics that may be covered.