The NBME shelf exams are a series of clerkship-specific standardized tests that are administered after the completion of clerkship rotations during the third year of medical school. Shelf Exams vary in the number of questions but all follow a clinical vignette multiple-choice style question style that aims to assess your mastery of the subject-specific material of each clerkship. Shelf exams play a very crucial role in your major clinical grades, which will be a focus of residency programs reviewing your application. Shelf exams are created by a committee of content experts and score reports indicate actionable performance feedback. They can be intimidating during a big transitional period of medical school but with a little bit of help and the right motivation, we know you can achieve your goals!