Surviving Shelf Exams

Hello my fellow reader! My name is Joe, a fourth-year medical student who quickly realized that juggling clinical rotations and studying for shelf exams is like trying to learn French from an Italian—it’s tricky, but doable with the right approach. Enter my secret translator: OnlineMedEd. Trust me, it’s been a game-changer. Before every rotation, I kicked things off by watching at least three OME videos the night before. It’s like a pre-game warmup but for your brain. I’d take notes, especially on the questions I got wrong (which happened more than I’d like to admit!). Then, once I started the rotation, I’d casually drop those tricky questions into conversations with my attending. Picture this: after seeing a patient, I’d ask, “So, about that [condition]… What would you do if…?” It’s a sneaky way to solidify what I learned while sounding engaged (and maybe just a little too curious).

After my shifts, the routine continued: UWorld questions—at least 20 a day. For every wrong answer, I’d write down the concept and head back to OME’s mock exam filter to tackle similar questions. If I still struggled (looking at you, hyponatremia management!), I’d rewatch the video and go over the whiteboard notes. By seeing the same content three times in one day, I was basically brainwashing myself in the best way possible.

And let’s not forget about my weekly peer discussions while on rounds—basically study group meets medical stand-up. We’d swap stories, quiz each other, and laugh about our inevitable mistakes, all while learning and reinforcing key concepts. You’d be surprised how much you can learn from your fellow rotation buddies. This strategy didn’t just help me pass my shelf exams—it gave me confidence in the clinic too. My advice to anyone trying to conquer shelf exams? Don’t just passively study. Watch OME, ask smart questions on rounds, do UWorld, and repeat until it sticks. Bonus points for making it fun along the way!