How Do I?> find resources for board review preparation (USMLE™, NCLEX-RN®, etc)?

How do I find resources for board review preparation (USMLE™, NCLEX-RN®, etc)?

Answer

Find the Health Sciences Library’s exam preparation resources for the USMLE™, NCLEX-RN®, or other examinations in a variety of formats, including in-Library software, online subscriptions, audio, and print.

Introduction

The Health Sciences Library’s collection includes review materials for USMLE™, NCLEX-RN®, and other board certifications in a variety of formats including in-Library software, online subscriptions, e-books, audio, and print. Resources provided by other instiitutions are also listed here.

Step-By-Step

  • Locate exam preparation help from the most popular resources by following the links below, categorized for USMLE™, Specialty Boards, NCLEX, and Nursing Certification.
  • To find additional print Library resources, search the VIRGO catalog with a keyword search on “examination questions” and select Health Sciences as the library.

Resources

USMLE™

  • USMLEasy via AccessMedicine
    The Library's subscription to AccessMedicine includes McGraw-Hill’s USMLEasy product for UVa SOM students and affiliates preparing for Steps 1 and 3 of the USMLE™ board examinations.
  • National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Self-Assessment Services
    Interactive self-assessment tools offered by NBME for USMLE™ Step1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3. Free sample assessment is available, other assessments incur a cost.
  • Open Directory
    Resources related to United States Medical Licensure Exam (USMLE™) Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4. Multiple sites are listed, some free, discussion forums are also included.
  • Princeton Review
    This commercial site offers a free full-length practice test. Requires registration.
  • Ebooks via Ebrary
    Electronic versions of some of the most popular test review books, including books from the PreTest and FirstAid series can be viewed using free, downloadable software available at http://shop.ebrary.com/Download. The Ebrary reader is also available on all Health Sciences Library computers.
  • WikiTestPrep
    Founded by students at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, WikiTestPrep is a community-built, free resource used and contributed to by medical students worldwide.
Available for checkout:
  • Step 1 of the Boards [sound recording]: medical sciences with clinical correlations / Gold Standard Board Preparation Systems.
    R834.5 .S73 2005 AUDIO CDs. Available at the HSL Service Desk.
  • Step 2 of the Boards [sound recording] / Gold Standard Board Preparation Systems. (2005)
    R834.5 .S74 AUDIO CDs.  Available at the HSL Service Desk.
  • Foundations of internal medicine [sound recording] : cardinal manifestations of disease and laboratory tests / Gold Standard Board Preparation Systems. (2005)
    R834.5 .F6 AUDIO CDs. Available at the HSL Service Desk.
  • Anatomy recall/Lorne H. Blackbourne, Jared Antevil, Christopher Moore, editors. (2000)
    QM32 .A656
  • Critical care secrets/Polly E. Parsons, Jeanine P. Weiner-Kronish. (1992)
    RC86.7 .P37
  • Medical microbiology & immunology: examination & board review/Levinson, Warren. (1996)
    QR46 .L48
  • Neurology, specialty board review: 600 multiple choice questions with referenced explanatory answers/Giesser, Barbara S. (1986)
    RC356 .G455
  • Primary care secrets/[edited by] Jeanette Mladenovic. (1995)
    RC48 .P736
  • Psychiatric secrets/James L. Jacobson, Alan M. Jacobson. (2001)
    RC457.P76 ELECTRONIC BOOK
  • Physiology secrets/[edited by] Hershel Raff. (2003)
    QP40 .P476
  • Katzung & Trevor's pharmacology: examination & board review/Anthony J. Trevor, Bertram G. Katzung, Susan B. Masters. (2005)
    RM300 .K38
  • Rypins' basic sciences review. (2001)
    R834.5 .R963. BOOK and CD-ROM.

Specialty Boards

  • ECFMG®--Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
    Through its program of certification, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) assesses the readiness of international medical graduates to enter residency or fellowship programs in the United States that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
  • Surgery Board Reviews and ACGME Core Competencies
    AccessSurgery, a subscription available to UVa affiliates via the Health Sciences Library's website, offers review materials derived from current surgery board review texts.
  • Ebooks via Ebrary
    Electronic versions of some of the most popular test review books, including books from the PreTest and FirstAid series can be viewed using free, downloadable software available at http://shop.ebrary.com/Download. The Ebrary reader is also available on all Health Sciences Library computers.
Available for checkout:

NCLEX

  • NCLEX Review 3500
    NCLEX test preparation software available for use on all Health Sciences Library public Windows computer workstations.
  • NCLEX discussion forum from allnurses.com
    Large online nursing community offers discussion on over 350 topics. Registration is required but access is free.
  • National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    The primary responsibility of the NCLEX Examinations Department of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is the development, delivery and support of the NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN® examinations. Their official site provides links to several free resources about the exams.
  • Ebooks via Ebrary
    Electronic versions of some of the most popular test review books can be viewed using free, downloadable software available at http://shop.ebrary.com/Download. The Ebrary reader is also available on all Health Sciences Library computers.
  • Ebooks via STAT!Ref
    Electronic versions of specific test review books are available via the Health Sciences Library's STAT!Ref subscription. Connection via Proxy is required for off-Grounds access to the following titles:
    Davis's NCLEX-RN® SUCCESS
    Davis's NCLEX-PN Review
Available for checkout:

Nursing Certification

  • Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
    This website provides information on the process of applying to CGFNS to certify your credentials and/or evaluate your qualifications to seek employment or higher education as a nurse or other health care professional in the US.
Available for checkout:

Help

  • For additional information about board reviews, contact the HSL TEC Team at 924-5521 or hsltec@virginia.edu, or if you are in the Library, Ask Rover.

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