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    Master Your Shelf Exams with 1:1 Tutoring from Top Scorers

    Shelf exams play a major role in your clerkship assessments and residency application. They’re tough, but they also vary from the pre-clinical exams you’ve taken before, testing your ability to apply clinical knowledge in real-world scenarios. With MedSchoolCoach, you’ll work with tutors who can help you excel on your Shelf exams with confidence.

    Medical student with clipboard and stethoscope.
    By the Numbers
    100k+
    1-on-1 Tutoring hours provided to our students
    98%
    Student satisfaction rate
    260+
    Step 2 USMLE Scores of MedSchoolCoach tutors

    Why Shelf Exam Tutoring Matters

    Medical school student holding a coffee
    Medical school student holding a clipboard and wearing a stethoscope
    Medical school student holding papers and a pen in her arms
    Clerkship Grades Are Crucial
    Every Point Shapes Your Outcomes
    Efficient Prep Saves Time & Money
    Your clerkship evaluations set the tone for your ERAS application, and Shelf exam performance often determines those grades. With MedSchoolCoach, you gain the strategic edge needed to excel when it matters most. We offer Shelf Exam Tutoring for Internal Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, OB/Gyn, Pediatrics, Neurology, Family Medicine, Ambulatory, and Psychiatry clerkships.
    In a competitive residency landscape, an Honors on a clerkship can shift your application from the middle of the pack to the top of the list. Focused Shelf exam preparation ensures you maximize every opportunity to stand out.
    Your clinical years are demanding, and wasted study time comes at a high cost. With expert Shelf tutoring, you’ll maximize every hour of prep while avoiding the expense of unnecessary retakes or delayed progression.
    • Clerkship Grades Are Crucial
      Your clerkship evaluations set the tone for your ERAS application, and Shelf exam performance often determines those grades. With MedSchoolCoach, you gain the strategic edge needed to excel when it matters most. We offer Shelf Exam Tutoring for Internal Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, OB/Gyn, Pediatrics, Neurology, Family Medicine, Ambulatory, and Psychiatry clerkships.
      Medical school student holding a coffee
      • Outshine the Competition for Your Desired Residency Spot Program directors view Shelf scores as a measure of clinical reasoning and readiness. High performance signals you can handle the rigors of residency.
      • Consistency Across Specialties Strong results in every rotation demonstrate both breadth and depth of knowledge, helping you stand out across multiple disciplines. This is helpful whether you plan to apply to positions across just one or any number of specialties.
      • The Foundation for Step 2 Success Excelling on Shelf exams is especially critical since they’re often the first graded exams medical students face. Strong performance builds momentum and confidence for Step 2 CK and COMLEX Level 2 and ensures you’re positioned for long-term success.
    • Every Point Shapes Your Outcomes
      In a competitive residency landscape, an Honors on a clerkship can shift your application from the middle of the pack to the top of the list. Focused Shelf exam preparation ensures you maximize every opportunity to stand out.
      Medical school student holding a clipboard and wearing a stethoscope
      • Residency Directors Notice Details Selection committees compare applicants side by side, and higher Shelf exam scores can give you the decisive advantage.
      • Elevate Your Overall Academic Profile Strong Shelf results strengthen your transcript and complement your board scores, essays, and evaluations. This is particularly important as Step 1 is now a Pass/Fail exam.
      • Turn Marginal Gains Into Major Outcomes A two- or three-point difference may be the factor that opens doors to your first-choice specialty or program.
    • Efficient Prep Saves Time & Money
      Your clinical years are demanding, and wasted study time comes at a high cost. With expert Shelf tutoring, you’ll maximize every hour of prep while avoiding the expense of unnecessary retakes or delayed progression.
      Medical school student holding papers and a pen in her arms
      • Study Smarter, Not Longer Our tutors focus your attention on the highest-yield material so you’re not buried in endless resources.
      • Avoid Costly Setbacks A failed or low Shelf score can mean remediation, delays, and added tuition. Our guidance keeps you moving forward.
      • Maximize Your Investment in Education Every tutoring session is designed to deliver results quickly, protecting both your time and your financial commitment to becoming a physician.

    Trusted by Institutions Worldwide

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    Shelf Success Starts Here

    When it comes to the Shelf exams, you need more than a generic prep plan; you need guidance as rigorous and specialized as the exams themselves. MedSchoolCoach pairs you with elite tutors and proven resources so you can maximize your scores, strengthen your residency application, and build lasting clinical confidence.

    Our tutors have scored in the very top percentiles on their own board exams and know exactly what it takes to excel. Their combination of elite test performance and teaching expertise ensures you learn not just what to study, but how to think like a top scorer under timed, high-stakes conditions.

    According to a 2024 study, higher shelf scores are strong predictors of higher Step 2 CK scores. Shelf tutoring will not only improve your clerkship evaluations, but it can also dramatically improve the competitiveness of your residency application as a whole — paying dividends well beyond exam day.

    Your tutor pinpoints your strengths and weaknesses using a structured diagnostic approach, then builds a customized plan that fits your clerkship schedule. Each session targets high-yield material and expert test-taking strategies and is recorded for you to playback, so you never miss a moment.

    Shelf exams aren’t just about passing; they’re also about shaping your clinical understanding. From tackling test anxiety to mastering clinical reasoning, we prepare you not just for an exam, but for the next phase of your journey as a physician through mentorship, strategy, and confidence-building.
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    How It Works

    We take a structured, high-touch approach to ensure every student is prepared for their clinical subject exams. From the first step to exam day, here’s what our process looks like:

    Step 1: Intake & Diagnostic Review
    You’ll complete a detailed intake form describing specialty interests, past performance, strengths, and weaknesses. We also review any past Shelf scores or assessments to identify key gaps.
    Step 3: Content & Resource Review
    We cover subject matter specific to your Shelf exam – whether it’s Internal Medicine, Surgery, or Pediatrics. Throughout, your tutor will help to ensure that you're using the right resources for each clerkship to maximize efficiency and success.
    Step 2: Tutor Matching & Plan Creation
    Once we understand your profile, we pair you with a tutor who scored in the top percentiles and whose expertise aligns with your needs. Together, you’ll build a tailored study schedule with milestones and high-yield objectives.
    Step 6: Performance Review & Adjustments
    After full preparation, we conduct a readiness assessment. Your tutor helps you polish weak areas, build confidence, and refine your test-taking strategy. You’ll walk into your Shelf exam feeling ready to excel!
    Step 4: Tutoring Sessions & Feedback
    Through one-on-one sessions, your tutor provides direct instruction, exam strategy, and practice. Every session includes feedback and is recorded for review so you can reinforce lessons in between.
    Step 5: Structured Exam Prep & Practice
    Leading up to your Shelf exam, sessions increasingly replicate exam conditions: timed practice, subject integration, and specialty-focused simulations. Your tutor will adjust the plan dynamically based on performance.
    Step 1: Intake & Diagnostic Review
    You’ll complete a detailed intake form describing specialty interests, past performance, strengths, and weaknesses. We also review any past Shelf scores or assessments to identify key gaps.
    Step 2: Tutor Matching & Plan Creation
    Once we understand your profile, we pair you with a tutor who scored in the top percentiles and whose expertise aligns with your needs. Together, you’ll build a tailored study schedule with milestones and high-yield objectives.
    Step 3: Content & Resource Review
    We cover subject matter specific to your Shelf exam – whether it’s Internal Medicine, Surgery, or Pediatrics. Throughout, your tutor will help to ensure that you're using the right resources for each clerkship to maximize efficiency and success.
    Step 4: Tutoring Sessions & Feedback
    Through one-on-one sessions, your tutor provides direct instruction, exam strategy, and practice. Every session includes feedback and is recorded for review so you can reinforce lessons in between.
    Step 5: Structured Exam Prep & Practice
    Leading up to your Shelf exam, sessions increasingly replicate exam conditions: timed practice, subject integration, and specialty-focused simulations. Your tutor will adjust the plan dynamically based on performance.
    Step 6: Performance Review & Adjustments
    After full preparation, we conduct a readiness assessment. Your tutor helps you polish weak areas, build confidence, and refine your test-taking strategy. You’ll walk into your Shelf exam feeling ready to excel!
    STEP 1: Choose Tutor Level
    Feature
    Who They Are

    Our Standard Tutors are exceptional and equivalent to Master Tutors at most other companies. They have gone through rigorous training and demonstrated elite testing capabilities, with the vast majority scoring 260+ on USMLE Step 2.

    Our Master Tutors are the best in the business. Building on the same foundation of elite scores (260+ on USMLE Step 2.), they bring years more teaching experience than Standard Tutors. They can take any student to a higher score and produce consistently remarkable results.

    Our directors are amongst the best board exam tutors in the country, have the most tutoring experience and receive perfect student reviews.

    Selected
    Selected
    Selected
    Who They Are

    Our Standard Tutors are exceptional and equivalent to Master Tutors at most other companies. They have gone through rigorous training and demonstrated elite testing capabilities, with the vast majority scoring 260+ on USMLE Step 2.

    Our Master Tutors are the best in the business. Building on the same foundation of elite scores (260+ on USMLE Step 2.), they bring years more teaching experience than Standard Tutors. They can take any student to a higher score and produce consistently remarkable results.

    Our directors are amongst the best board exam tutors in the country, have the most tutoring experience and receive perfect student reviews.

    Selected
    Selected
    Selected
    Who They Are

    Our Standard Tutors are exceptional and equivalent to Master Tutors at most other companies. They have gone through rigorous training and demonstrated elite testing capabilities, with the vast majority scoring 260+ on USMLE Step 2.

    Our Master Tutors are the best in the business. Building on the same foundation of elite scores (260+ on USMLE Step 2.), they bring years more teaching experience than Standard Tutors. They can take any student to a higher score and produce consistently remarkable results.

    Our directors are amongst the best board exam tutors in the country, have the most tutoring experience and receive perfect student reviews.

    Selected
    Selected
    Selected
    STEP 2: Choose Plan

    Be one of the thousands of students who raise their Shelf score with MedSchoolCoach.

    Be one of the thousands of students who raise their Shelf score with MedSchoolCoach.
    Be one of the thousands of students who raise their Shelf score with MedSchoolCoach.

    Student Success Stories

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Yes, you can spend your first session with your Tutor creating a comprehensive study plan that is tailored to your needs.

    Yes, our Tutors are very familiar with Shelf Exam resources and will be able to advise you on the strengths and weaknesses of different third-party materials.

    Yes, many of our Tutors have worked with students who initially struggled with Shelf Exams. These students have gone on to improve their scores, excel in clinical rotations, and ace USMLE Step 2 or COMLEX Level 2.

    Our Master Tutors have worked for MedSchoolCoach for an extended period and their students have an impeccable record of success. Additionally, they have extensive experience working with students in challenging situations or with specific needs.

    Yes! In fact, it's more effective than in-person tutoring. One of the benefits of personalized tutoring is that you will be able to directly coordinate sessions with your Tutor. Sessions can occur during the day or night, depending on what works best for you and your Tutor. Plus, our tutoring sessions can be conducted anywhere in the world with our video conferencing software, and each session and lesson is tailored directly to your individual needs.

    Meet Our Tutors

    MedSchoolCoach has assembled the absolute best team of Physician Advisors, Writing Advisors, Research Mentors, and MCAT and Medical School Tutors. The entire coaching team is dedicated to helping you become a physician. Our team consistently goes above and beyond to help students at every step of their medical journey.

    • Profile picture of Aaron Lim
      Aaron Lim

      Master USMLE Tutor

      Aaron Lim

      Master USMLE Tutor

      Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
      Medical School: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
      Residency: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School

       

    • Profile picture of Aaron Yeoh MD
      Aaron Yeoh MD

      Advisor

      Aaron Yeoh MD

      Advisor

      Undergraduate: BS, Kenyon College
      Medical School: MD, Harvard Medical School
      Residency: Stanford University Hospital

       

    • Profile picture of Abdul Reheem
      Abdul Reheem MD

      Master USMLE Tutor

      Abdul Reheem MD

      Master USMLE Tutor

      Undergraduate: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
      Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin
      Residency: Residency: University of California, Los Angeles

       

    • Profile picture of Abhinav Gupta
      Abhinav Gupta

      Standard Tutor

      Abhinav Gupta

      Standard Tutor

      Undergraduate: University of Denver
      Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine

       

    • Profile picture of Adam Girmann USMLE Tutor
      Adam Girmann

      USMLE Tutor

      Adam Girmann

      USMLE Tutor

      Undergraduate: Wright State University
      Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

    • Profile picture of Adaobi Ugochukwu
      Adaobi Ugochukwu

      Master USMLE Tutor

      Adaobi Ugochukwu

      Master USMLE Tutor


      Undergraduate:
       University of Florida
      Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

       

    • Profile picture of Ailish Hanly
      Ailish Hanly

      Standard Tutor

      Ailish Hanly

      Standard Tutor


      Undergraduate
      :
      Cornell University
      Med school:
      University of Massachusetts Medical School

       

    • Profile picture of Akhil Katakam
      Akhil Katakam

      Standard Tutor

      Akhil Katakam

      Standard Tutor

      Undergraduate: Northwestern University
      Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

    • Profile picture of Alexander Merriman
      Alexander Merriman

      Master USMLE Tutor

      Alexander Merriman

      Master USMLE Tutor

      Undergraduate: Duke University
      Medical School: UCSF

       

    • Profile picture of Alexander Mozeika
      Alexander Mozeika

      Standard Tutor

      Alexander Mozeika

      Standard Tutor

      Undergraduate: Mozeika Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
      Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

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