Best Books for the Family Medicine Shelf

Best Books for the Family Medicine Shelf:
•USPTF A and B recommendations +
•Case Files Family Medicine  +
• Ambulatory Medicine Section of Step-Up to Medicine  +
• OME (select sections listed below) +
• AAFP Questions +
• +/- UWorld Biostats

Unfortunately, the Ambulatory Medicine shelf is one of the newer shelf exams and as a result, takes some creativity when finding resources. Ambulatory medicine also requires using multiple resources to cover the bases as the topic is so broad. We have compiled a list of resources from online reviews and our own experiences honoring the shelf.

Best Books for Family Medicine Shelf:

Case Files for Family Medicine is one of the most comprehensive resources for the shelf. Similarly to other texts in the series, the authors present the most common cases you’ll encounter in an outpatient setting. Each case is followed by a definition of the disease as well as an approach for clinical management (with tables and charts). With over 60 cases, I was overly prepared for the most common pathologies you’ll see on an outpatient rotation.

Step Up to Medicine

Reading through the Ambulatory Medicine (436-479) section of Step Up to Medicine will help reinforce the common pathologies Case Files. The Ambulatory Medicine Section of Step Up to Medicine also includes a fairly comprehensive section on Musculoskeletal Disorders which is high yield for the shelf. Additionally, pages 415-435 provides a high yield review of Dermatology that can show up on the shelf. Step Up’s concise format makes it easy to read through this section in an evening (re-reading the Ambulatory Medicine + Dermatology sections) the night before the shelf was incredibly helpful).

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Other Resources:

USPTF A and B Recommendations

For Ambulatory Medicine shelf, it is important to know the appropriate screening guidelines for a particular patient. The most high yield are the A and B recommendations  from the USPTF. Pay attention to the screening intervals, ages (maximum and minimum, and the notable exceptions as these are all fair game. Additionally, I used UptoDate to know how to interpret results from cancer screening which was helpful on wards.

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What are the best questions for the Family Medicine Shelf?

AAFP Questions

Without a Family Medicine section on UWorld, the AAFP questions for board review are the next best thing. There are over 1,000 questions, so I would advise getting through as many questions as you can (while still covering the USPTF guidelines, case files, and the ambulatory section of Step Up).  To use the AAFP questions, you have to register as a AAFP member (they sent me spam mail but I was able to unsubscribe easily).

UWorld

The utility of UWorld for the Family Medicine shelf are the biostats questions. Your time may be better spent elsewhere than doing these questions, but it may be helpful if it has been awhile since you’ve studied biostats for Step 1. Below is an equation sheet to aid in your studies:

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Which OnlineMedEd Sections for the Family Medicine Shelf?

Without an Ambulatory Medicine section, you have to pick and choose which OME sections to watch for the ambulatory shelf. Here are some suggestions below (with the most high yield marked by ** or **). I would not suggest watching ALL of the below, but rather concentrating on the high yield videos and subjects you have not studied yet third year. 

• Back Pain ***
• Epidemiology and Stats (entire section) ***
• CAD  ***
• Cholesterol ***
• Hypertension ***
• GERD ***
• Anemia Approach ***
• Thyroid Disorders ***
• Thyroid Nodules ***
• Outpatient Diabetes ***
• Asthma ***
• COPD ***
• UTI ***
• Headache ***

• Peptic Ulcer Disease **
• Colon Cancer **
• Diverticula **
• Microcytic Anemia **
• Macrocytic Anemia **
• Chronic Kidney Disease **
• Kidney Stones **
• Antibiotic Ladder  **
• Pneumonia **
• Skin Infections **
• Dizziness **

• Heart Failure
• Valvular Disorders
• Acute Diarrhea 
• Chronic Diarrhea 
• Jaundice
• Gallbladder
• GI Bleeding
• GI Hepatitis
• Normocytic Anemia
• Thrombocytopenia
• Adrenal Disorders 
• Insulin Management 
• Diabetic Emergencies
• Approach to Joint Pain
• Well Child
• Cervical Cancer
• Menopause
• (Renal) Cysts and Cancer
• Ears, Nose, Throat (Infections)
• Tremor
• Weakness
• Bullous Diseases 
• Eczematous Rashes
• Hyperpigmentation
• Hypopigmentation
• Papulosquamous
• Hypersensitivity
• Anxiety Disorders
• Mood Disorders
• Contraception
• Normal Labor (OB is fair game for the shelf, but not as HY)
• Abnormal Labor
• Normal Prenatal Care

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⇉ Other helpful resources

• Step 2 CK Study Guide
• Step 2 CS Study Guide
• Shelf Resources (by subject)
• Anki Settings Help for Shelf or Step Prep
• How to make Anki Cards Efficiently
• Biostatistics for Step 2

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The study resources featured on this blog such as the study schedules and Anki tips are free to use, as I know what it is like to be a student living on a fixed budget. To support this blog, please consider using the links above to make any Amazon purchases you may need during your prep, as commission is made through any purchases made through the affiliate links on this blog. Step 2 CK Study guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. 

If you would like to support the blog and its content, please press share below!

Note: Everything on this blog is for informational purposes only and reflects solely my individual views and opinions. 

Best Books for the Surgery Shelf

“The DeVirgilio” Book

Surgery: A Case Based Clinical Review by DeVirgilio

I have nothing but great things to say about this book. I wish the authors wrote the shelf review guides for other resources, but they’re surgeons and probably don’t remember much about general neurology.

What makes it a great review source, especially for surgery,  is written in a very concise format but it is comprehensive enough that you walk away with understanding of the material. Emphasizes the take-home points (what will kill someone, why THIS is the test to diagnosis X) that show up frequently on exams. Includes questions which are difficult, but further emphasize the take-home points.

Each topic is short enough you can read one or two relatively quickly after a long day and you want to do something.

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Pestana’s Surgery Notes

Pestana’s Surgery Notes

I read both Pestana’s and DeVirgilio, and preferred DeVirgilio for my learning style. But Pestana’s is a classic for a reason and works for a lot of people (I also thought he was pretty funny). It’s not a pocket reference, but small enough to carry around to pull out on downtime.

If short on time, running through Pestana’s questions in the book would reinforce the concepts. Also, if you receive Kaplan through your school, he also has lectures for Step 2 CK available through Kaplan as well which may be a good idea while driving/walk home.

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Other Essential Resources

UWorld
Surgery + Medicine GI questions

One of the best things I did for the Surgery shelf was to run through Medicine GI questions as I did not have IM before Surgery. I have heard the surgery shelf described as the “management of surgical problems by general practitioners.”  Knowing how to work up potential surgical problems is tremendous for surgery questions. Knowing the work up and management (even if the answer isn’t surgery!) for GI problems will serve you very well on the shelf. Just remember to come back to these questions when you’re studying for IM (and not remember the night before your IM shelf like I did).

Online Med Ed
In addition to DeVirgilio, OME reinforces a foundation for surgery. I found the videos on trauma management were particularly useful. Additionally, there are a lot of videos for subspecialties which are essential to watch right before rotating on these services. Peds surgery can sneak up on this shelf so I would also recommend these videos as well.

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⇉ Other helpful resources

• Step 2 CK Study Guide
• Step 2 CS Study Guide
• Shelf Resources (by subject)
• Anki Settings Help for Shelf or Step Prep
• How to make Anki Cards Efficiently
• Biostatistics for Step 2

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The study resources featured on this blog such as the study schedules and Anki tips are free to use, as I know what it is like to be a student living on a fixed budget. To support this blog, please consider using the links above to make any Amazon purchases you may need during your prep, as commission is made through any purchases made through the affiliate links on this blog. Step 2 CK Study guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. 

If you would like to support the blog and its content, please press share below!

Note: Everything on this blog is for informational purposes only and reflects solely my individual views and opinions. 

Best Books for the Psychiatry Shelf

Best Books for the Psychiatry Shelf (and a deeper dive for Step 2 CK)

First Aid for the Psychiatry Clerkship

For the Shelf: This was one of the most helpful books I used all of third year. The background information sets a solid foundation. I read it once cover-to-cover and then again, focusing on making my own notes from the DSM criteria. I would then study my own notes, focusing on the differences between certain disorders (time frames in schizophrenia vs brief psychotic disorder or mood disorder with psychotic features vs schizoaffective disorder).

For Step 2 CK: I had gone through this text twice during my Psychiatry Clerkship, which was over a year prior to my Step 2 CK date. During my last week of preparation, I found it useful to skim the DSM criteria (which is highlighted in boxes) of FA for Psychiatry one more time and I think it paid off with behavioral questions being one of my highest.

DSM – Desk Reference

The desk reference (AKA pocket guide) of the DSM is essential for both the shelf as well as psychiatry rotations. The exact number of DSM criteria can (and most definitely will) show up on the shelf and on step exams – including the number of symptoms and exclusion criteria.

Other resources for the Psychiatry Shelf

The usual suspects, UWorld and OME. I also found it worthwhile to go through NBMEs subject tests for psychiatry as there were some topics not covered in UW but were in the NBMEs and on my shelf.

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Deeper dives:

For additional questions:

Lange Q&A Psychiatry
If you want to make sure you see everything that will be on the shelf, First Aid + UW + OME + Lange will cover your bases. Not essential, but helpful if you have the extra time or you really want a +90 on the shelf.

Toxicology Resource:

Toxicology in a Box

Toxic ingestions is one big area thatis not emphasized in First Aid for psychiatry but definitely shows up on the shelf. If you are a visual learner (aka loved Sketchy series), I would recommend Toxicology in a Box It has several pictures for toxidromes as well as pictures for common withdrawal and overdose. Would be a great addition for anyone going into EM as well and wants help knowing these like the back of their hand.

MGH Handbook of Psychiatry

This is probably the go-to pocket reference for the psychiatrist-to-be if you need a quick to grab resource. Awesome reference book for the wards, so I would strongly recommend it for any psychiatry sub-I.

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⇉ Other helpful resources

• Step 2 CK Study Guide
• Step 2 CS Study Guide
• Shelf Resources (by subject)
• Anki Settings Help for Shelf or Step Prep
• How to make Anki Cards Efficiently

The study resources featured on this blog such as the study schedules and Anki tips are free to use, as I know what it is like to be a student living on a fixed budget. To support this blog, please consider using the links above to make any Amazon purchases you may need during your prep, as commission is made through any purchases made through the affiliate links on this blog. Step 2 CK Study guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. 

If you would like to support the blog and its content, please press share below!

Note: Everything on this blog is for informational purposes only and reflects solely my individual views and opinions.