A Review of Factors Influencing the National Board of Medical Examiners Clinical Subject Examination (NBME) Neurology Subject Scores

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 17; no. 6; p. e86165
• Main Authors: Khalil, Mariam, Salib, Samuel, Renavikar, Meghana, Lee, Austin, Dhaliwal, Anand, Khatri, Vijay
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 16.06.2025; Cureus
• Subjects: Citation management software; Curricula; Disease; Medical Education; Medical examiners; Medical schools; Medical students; Neurology; Oncology; Ultrasonic imaging; United States > US; nbme shelf; nbme subject exam; medical student; neurology; medical student clerkship
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.86165

The National Board of Medical Examiners Clinical Subject Examination (NBME) Neurology subject exam scores of third- and fourth-year medical students are a critical objective component of their application for a neurology residency. Multiple factors, including scheduling, preclinical preparation, and educational methods, may influence a student's performance on the Neurology NBME Clinical Science Exam (Shelf exam) during their clerkship. This review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify factors that impact medical students' performance on the NBME Neurology subject exam during their clerkship. This review synthesizes existing research to identify evidence-based strategies that optimize student performance on the Neurology Shelf exams. Understanding the factors influencing NBME scores is essential for medical students and clerkship directors to enhance educational outcomes and residency preparedness. The findings of this systematic review highlight the importance of scheduling, preclinical factors, and variations in educational methods in determining students' performance on the Neurology Shelf exam.