Pediatrics proves to be a very unique experience for third year medical students.
We learn from day one of the rotation that children are not just “little adults.”
Pediatrics presents its own set of challenges: memorizing different parameters of normal vital signs, learning how to interact with children and their parents, and studying a fascinating constellation of congenital anomalies and syndromes.
As pediatrics is my specialty of choice, I set out to maximize my study time and optimize my performance on the shelf exam from the beginning. I have reviewed several of the Pretest series for core clinical rotations, and can honestly say that Pretest Pediatrics was one of my favorite apps.
It costs $29.99, just like all the other apps in the series, and provides 496 questions of high-yield review for the shelf exam.
Topics included in the app are as follows:
- General Pediatrics
- The Newborn Infant
- The Cardiovascular System
- The Respiratory System
- The Gastrointestinal Tract
- The Urinary Tract
- The Neuromuscular System
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology
- Hematologic and Neoplastic Diseases
- Endocrine, Metabolic, and Genetic Disorders
- The Adolescent
(For more detail on the Pretest interface and features, see the summary article on the Pretest apps or one of the previous Pretest app reviews in psychiatry, internal medicine, surgery, or family medicine.)
As evident by the section list, Pretest Pediatrics covers each organ system, and does so thoroughly. In my experience, questions presented and topics discussed were very similar to those I encountered on the real pediatrics shelf.
One of the sections I found most useful is the section on Endocrine, Metabolic, and Genetic Disorders. Such disorders are highly tested on the NBME shelf exam as well as the USMLE Step 2 CK exam, and Pretest Pediatrics provides a great overview of the key clinical characteristics of the most commonly tested ones, including board favorites such as glycogen and lysosomal storage diseases.
I also liked that Pretest Pediatrics included individual sections on specific pediatric populations such as the newborn and the adolescent. These sections covered almost all of the issues that I encountered on the shelf exam and on USMLE Step 2 CK, and the explanations provided clear, concise discussion. The newborn section in particular contained many useful images that would be likely to show up on exams, such as chest and abdominal x-rays, as well as pictures of newborns suffering from various conditions.
I attribute my success on the pediatric shelf exam largely to my review with Pretest. This app is a must-have in your study arsenal. It is tremendously useful for learning throughout your pediatrics clerkship as well as a last-minute review before the exam.
Price:
- $29.99
Likes:
- Familiar, friendly user interface
- Comprehensive, high yield review
- Includes radiographic images, growth charts, and images for identification of syndromes
Dislikes:
- None
Overall:
- Strong, comprehensive study source
- A must-have for pediatrics clerkship
