Shelf Exam Tutoring

Shelf exams are the NBME Clinical Science Subject Exams you sit at the end of a clerkship. We tutor them one-on-one, online over Zoom, with the same question-approach method we use for USMLE Step 2 CK. The Boards Professor is led by Dr. Shauhin “Sean” Moazezi, DO, a board-certified internist who teaches full time.

What students say about shelf prep with us

“Sahith has also been helping me through my shelf exams, and the same strategies have carried over really well.”

Mira Nakhle, Google review

Sean “got me then through all my clinical rotations to pass my Shelf exams on the first try”

Tim S, Google review

Excerpts from two Google reviews. Read the full reviews.

What NBME subject exams are

NBME says its Subject Exams help medical schools measure their students’ knowledge across a broad range of topics. The Basic and Clinical Science exams are often used as a final assessment at the end of a course or clerkship, while the Comprehensive exams are used to gauge readiness for the USMLE. Score reports show your relative strengths and weaknesses across content areas (NBME Subject Exams).

The clinical science shelf exams

Every clinical science subject exam NBME lists, plus its two Advanced Clinical exams, with the question count and time from NBME’s timing chart. Most shelves are the same length; Family Medicine changes with the modules your school picks.

Source: NBME Subject Examination Timing Chart (dated July 2021) and the NBME exam list. Web exams start with a tutorial that adds 15 minutes. Your school decides which exams you take.

What the Medicine shelf weights

NBME publishes a content outline for each exam. Here is how its Medicine exam splits by physician task:

By site of care it is inpatient 40–45%, ambulatory 35–40% and emergency department 20–25%. Source: NBME Medicine subject exam outline. Each exam has its own outline on NBME’s site.

How shelf tutoring works

• One-on-one sessions, online over Zoom.
• The same question-approach method as our Step 2 CK tutoring, applied to the clerkship you are in.
• Start with a free intro consult, a 20-minute phone call. See plans and pricing.

Many students go on to Step 2 CK after their clerkships. If that is next for you, see Step 2 CK length, timing and scoring.

Shelf exam questions

What is a shelf exam?

“Shelf exam” is the common name for an NBME Subject Exam. NBME says its Basic and Clinical Science Subject Exams are often used as a final assessment at the end of a course or clerkship (NBME).

How many questions are on a shelf exam?

On NBME’s timing chart, the Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Psychiatry, Clinical Neurology and Ambulatory Care exams each have 110 questions in 2 hours 45 minutes. Family Medicine Modular has 90, 100 or 110 depending on the modules (NBME timing chart).

How long is a shelf exam?

2 hours 45 minutes for the 110-question clinical science exams, per NBME’s timing chart. NBME notes that web exams start with a tutorial that adds 15 minutes (NBME timing chart).

Do you tutor shelf exams?

Yes. Shelf tutoring is one-on-one over Zoom and uses the same question-approach method as our Step 2 CK tutoring. Book a free intro consult, a 20-minute phone call, to talk through your rotation and exam date.