Family Medicine was my first rotation of my core clerkships during third year. First, I want to say, do not believe everything you read on Reddit. The Family Medicine Shelf can be difficult to study for because it is extremely broad and covers a little bit of everything. However, it is not nearly as difficult as people make it seem.

The primary resources I used were UWorld, OnlineMedEd (OME), and NBME practice exams. For UWorld, I completed the Family Medicine section once but did not go back through my incorrect questions. I used untimed, tutor mode and took notes as I went. If there was something I didn't fully understand, I would look up additional information until it clicked.

I also did not watch every OME video. I probably watched about 50% of them, mainly focusing on topics I knew I struggled with or wanted to review. As my exam got closer, I started taking NBME practice exams. I took my first practice exam 3 weeks before the Shelf, which was required by my school. I then took another 1.5 weeks before the exam and my final practice exam 3 days before the exam. I highly recommend thoroughly reviewing these. I went through every question and every answer choice, not just the questions I got wrong, because I found that this helped me understand the reasoning behind the questions and identify areas where I needed additional review.

My biggest study tips

If I had to narrow down what I think is most important to know going into the Family Medicine Shelf, I would focus on:

1. USPSTF guidelines: Know the A and B recommendations like the back of your hand. Screening guidelines are a big part of Family Medicine, so make sure you know who gets screened, what they are screened for, and when.

2. Management of chronic conditions: Be comfortable with the general management of common long-term conditions, especially heart failure, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and COPD. Know first-line treatments, when to escalate therapy, and the general treatment goals.

3. Psychiatry: Know the common psychiatric diagnoses and their general management, including first-line medications and basic distinctions between the major disorders.

4. MSK: Know the common musculoskeletal complaints you will see in primary care and how to distinguish between them based on the history and physical exam. Focus on things like low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, common sports injuries, tendinopathies, bursitis, and common joint complaints. Make sure you know when conservative management is appropriate, when imaging is indicated, and when a patient needs referral or more urgent evaluation. I would especially focus on recognizing red flags and knowing the next best step in common MSK presentations.

5. Vaccines: Know the general vaccine recommendations and indications. Don't stress too much about memorizing every tiny detail of the childhood vaccination schedule, that will be much more important for the Peds Shelf. For Family Medicine, focus on the general principles, who should receive which vaccines, and the major contraindications.

6. OBGYN: Know routine prenatal screenings, basic testing, and vaccines recommended during pregnancy, along with the general management of common pregnancy-related conditions. Obviously, the OBGYN Shelf will go into much more detail, but it is still important for Family Medicine to understand the general management, contraindications, and what medications/treatments are appropriate or inappropriate during pregnancy, as well as basic care and considerations before, during, and after pregnancy. You don't need to know OB at the same depth you will for the OB/GYN Shelf, but you should be comfortable with the fundamentals.

The day before the exam, I also practiced what I planned to write on my wipe-off board. I like to do a quick brain dump at the beginning of the exam, so I practiced writing out the information I wanted to have ready as soon as the exam started. I’ll attach an example of what my brain dump looked like.

Another thing that works well for me is making the 2-hour drive to the testing center part of my exam prep. On the way there, I like to listen to high-yield review videos (I will also link these below) to get my brain into “exam mode” and hopefully pick up any last-minute details that might be helpful. Once I’m getting closer to the testing center, though, I stop studying, jam out to some music, relax, and remind myself that I’m prepared. Walk into that testing center confident, you’ve done the work, trust yourself!

Helpful links

USPSTF guidelines: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations?os=qtft_1&utm_source=chatgpt.com

Annabel Ricci high yield review videos: https://youtu.be/zc3oFdy9Wc8?si=ZMFRtPksriaZhIAb

HyGuru Family Med Review: https://www.youtube.com/live/tkkwqvfG4F4?si=euAbSPr3Nre1lSMS

HyGuru MSK review: https://www.youtube.com/live/057Y6Dygl_w?si=0cAseikJl4datN17