“BoardVitals is outstanding! Its Internal Medicine question bank for both the shelf exam and the boards is excellent... I had the opportunity to review both question banks, and as someone who has taken both the shelf exam and the boards, these questions are exactly what you need to pass! They will expose the areas in which you are weak, and the explanations will expand your medical knowledge. The questions are challenging and reflect current best practices. I strongly recommend BoardVitals IM exams!”
Sonya LecuonaDuring the 3rd and 4th year of Medical School, clinical clerkship exams (or shelf exams) are given by the NBME to ascertain readiness to continue on in medical school. The exams include Psychiatry, Surgery, Pediatrics, Medicine, OBGYN, Neurology, and Family Medicine. BoardVitals covers all of the topics for the shelf exams.
This is why it’s important to not only gauge how well you’re doing, but also to gauge how well you’re doing compared to other students. Each one of our questions has a ‘percentage correct’ score so that you can compare yourself to how other students are performing.
The exam is in an old format – it’s still graded via pencil and paper unless your school uses a testing center. Each exam is 100 MCQ, and you’re given 130 minutes. So, at a little over a minute per question, it can be a little rushed. Make sure to use our timed exam feature so that you’re getting a feel for the pace. You can always go back later and read up on our explanations.