This guide contains information on the resources the library has for preparing for the USMLE Step 2.
AOA Guidance
There is an EKG exam that everyone on Medicine takes in the afternoon after their shelf exam. You will be given a list of all the EKGs on the exam, so get to know multiple examples of each. Be sure to know all of the EKGs from orientation as well as the ones you go over on didactic day. In addition, whenever a patient on your service gets an EKG, challenge yourself and read it (and don’t look at the computer read). If you want a book to help you learn, Rapid Interpretation of EKGs is good and The Only EKG Book You’ll Ever Need is a fantastic text. Websites, ECGPedia and Wave Maven, are good resources to look up examples, but they might be a little overkill.
This NBME is difficult and you have a lot of assignments to complete while on IM. Do not save your studying until the last minute!
Advice from the Class of 2021
This shelf is massive and basically Step 2 so take it seriously to figure out what you’re going to use to study for CK, which covers mostly medicine.
I swear by OME and UWorld. I used Step Up to Medicine as a reference during the rotation but not to study as it was too dense. Still honored without it.
Didn't have time to do anything outside of almost finishing UWorld Medicine (skip the neuro questions though!). I thought this was the hardest shelf due to the sheer volume of material. Just try to stay on top of UWorld and use the Wave Maven website to learn EKGs!
Practice NBMEs and UWorld. It’s a lot of material so do a lot of practice.
Did a lot of reading during the rotation on UpToDate about patients’ conditions. I only made it through half of UWorld, but was able to honor because of the learning that I did in the hospital.
START EARLY and plan out how many UWorld you need to do a day to finish. It's a lot.
AOA - "This is the best resource for the medicine shelf. The questions are very similar to the shelf. Try to do all of them if possible; those who do well on this shelf generally do all of them and review their marked questions. This can be a daunting task, but it is possible if you start early! Many people used this as their sole resource as there isn’t much time for anything else."
AOA - "A very good resource, written in an outline format. It’s a lot to get through, but it covers just about everything that you can see on this shelf."
Call Number: Main Collection WB18.2 T756c 2013. Print and online available.
You need exposure to high-yield cases to excel on the internal medicine clerkship and the shelf-exam. This edition presents 60 real-life cases that illustrate essential concepts. Each case includes complete discussion, clinical pearls, references, definitions of key terms, and USMLE-style review questions with detailed explanations of the correct answers. Available from the Health Sciences Library.
SketchyIM includes 100+ videos covering high-yield topics for the wards, NBME Medicine Subject Examination, and USMLE Step 2. Featuring Cardiology, Pulmonology, Infectious Disease and more! Diagnose some chest pain at the jousting arena, and join Shock Force on their mission to restore the hemodynamic balance of the universe… yes it's that epic.
The internal medicine (IM) shelf exam includes conditions that a general internist or subspecialist will encounter. Our team has authored 420 high-yield questions to cover everything with thorough, yet easy to understand explanations so that you can relieve your anxiety and honor your internal medicine shelf exam.
Since 1967, the Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP) has been the most trusted resource in lifelong learning for internal medicine physicians and residents. Developed by more than 100 experts in the subspecialties of internal medicine, each new edition is completely rewritten every 3 years.
AOA - "A good supplement to UWorld questions; covers similar information. Make sure to purchase the "For Students" version since there is one for residents too."
A free electrocardiography (ECG) tutorial and textbook to which anyone can contribute designed for medical professionals. ECGpedia has received more than 9.300.000 unique visits from 238 countries.
A caption explains the concept illustrated on each page, and a few simple sentences reinforce the concept with interactive (programmed) learning, which links to the following page. Dr Dubin's light and entertaining style, known world-wide, makes learning enjoyable. Practice twelve-lead tracings at the end establish self-confidence, and summarised reference sheets with examples (designed to be shared) provide an excellent review. Available from the Health Sciences Library.
Call Number: Main Collection WG140 T365o 2012. Print ONLY.
This popular and practical text presents all the information clinicians need to use the EKG in everyday practice and interpret hypertrophy and enlargement, arrhythmias, conduction blocks, pre-excitation syndromes, and myocardial infarction. It is an ideal reference for medical students in ICM courses, house officers, or anyone directly involved in patient care, whether student, teacher, or practitioner.
