COMLEX I 2nd time

[StudentDoctorM]

Hi guys,

I got a 392 my first time taking the COMLEX I and I realize that I need to do the absolute best I can my second time so that I can at least have some options for residency. I just took the COMSAE B form and got a 431.. which is too close to failing again for comfort so I decided to postpone the exam.

I have done COMBANK almost twice (~70% second time) and also did COMQUEST once (~60%) when I studied the first time. I have watched DIT 2012 videos and completed Boards boot camp Ultra. The COMSAEs tell me that I'm consistently weak in Anatomy, MSK, OMM, Health Care delivery, Management, and Disease Prevention.

The sad thing is the OMM (failed it the first time I took the exam), which is supposed to be easy points.. so I don't know what to do about that. I thought BBC did a good job on OMM, but the COMSAE tells me otherwise.. Other that doing the 4 exams in the back of savarese, I don't know what else I can do for OMM.. what else would you recommend?

Since Anatomy/MSK is a lot of memorization, I'm planning to focus on online flashcards. There are many amazing students out there that have shared their flashcards through Quizlet, Cram, etc. and the few hundred I have gone through so far seem very helpful.

Now the dilemma I have is whether I should do Uworld and Goljan.. I know Uworld is the gold standard for both boards exam, but I've also heard mixed things about how it helps on the COMLEX.. I tend do be very slow at doing questions (max 120qs per day), so if I get UW, it will take me about a month to finish it and I do not know if that will be time well spend or not (Not planning to take the USMLE at this point). would you recommend doing UW in tutor mode?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[EDIT] http://www.flashcardmachine.com/pathology.html would you think something like this woul help..?

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[pathologyDO]

Hi guys,

I got a 392 my first time taking the COMLEX I and I realize that I need to do the absolute best I can my second time so that I can at least have some options for residency. I just took the COMSAE B form and got a 431.. which is too close to failing again for comfort so I decided to postpone the exam.

I have done COMBANK almost twice (~70% second time) and also did COMQUEST once (~60%) when I studied the first time. I have watched DIT 2012 videos and completed Boards boot camp Ultra. The COMSAEs tell me that I'm consistently weak in Anatomy, MSK, OMM, Health Care delivery, Management, and Disease Prevention.

The sad thing is the OMM (failed it the first time I took the exam), which is supposed to be easy points.. so I don't know what to do about that. I thought BBC did a good job on OMM, but the COMSAE tells me otherwise.. Other that doing the 4 exams in the back of savarese, I don't know what else I can do for OMM.. what else would you recommend?

Since Anatomy/MSK is a lot of memorization, I'm planning to focus on online flashcards. There are many amazing students out there that have shared their flashcards through Quizlet, Cram, etc. and the few hundred I have gone through so far seem very helpful.

Now the dilemma I have is whether I should do Uworld and Goljan.. I know Uworld is the gold standard for both boards exam, but I've also heard mixed things about how it helps on the COMLEX.. I tend do be very slow at doing questions (max 120qs per day), so if I get UW, it will take me about a month to finish it and I do not know if that will be time well spend or not (Not planning to take the USMLE at this point). would you recommend doing UW in tutor mode?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[EDIT] http://www.flashcardmachine.com/pathology.html would you think something like this woul help..?

Honestly at least half of people, including myself, whom are D.O. candidates are taking both USMLE and COMLEX. The plan is to study mostly UWorld Qbank questions come dedicated study time and then the week after taking the USMLE, hammer in savarese and COMBANK questions. That being said I think grabbing UWorld and studying is a good idea because that is what many people will use as a main source, even for COMLEX.

I'm still trying to figure out how I will approach different subjects from a COMLEX point of view, though, because I already ran into problems where doing a section of FA and Kaplan HY videos didn't prepare me for the COMLEX MSK anatomy. I think that I may have to look into BRS anatomy for that material. I suggest since you're having trouble with MSK/anatomy on the COMLEX that you also look into a high yield, condensed board study anatomy review book.

 

[Bacchus]

What did BBC predict your score to be in their diagnostic tests?

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I would say UWorld. It helped me so much on the comlex. And for the OMM stuff, the thing that helped me the most is that i made a quick way to remember the viscerosomatics and wrote it down every single day. after a week, you no longer have to copy and you can just do it mindlessly. then on the comlex day, write the viscerosomatics on the pad and there is an easy 20 point increase for free. do this for the things you don't remember. i drew out the brachial plexus every day, wrote the hypothalamus nuclei every day, etc. anything that you struggle with.

 

[StudentDoctorM]

What did BBC predict your score to be in their diagnostic tests?

BBC assessment is a bit weird. it is based on the lowest of 4 exams, which meant I was gonna get a 300 or something like that. imo their assessment is nowhere near as accurate as the COMSAEs

Thanks for the advice guys. I think at this point my best bet is to get UWorld.

 

[Bacchus]

BBC assessment is a bit weird. it is based on the lowest of 4 exams, which meant I was gonna get a 300 or something like that. imo their assessment is nowhere near as accurate as the COMSAEs

Thanks for the advice guys. I think at this point my best bet is to get UWorld.

I forget their scoring method, but on my COMLEX retake and on Step II I was within 10 points of their upper limits on the range they gave me. I'm biased because that prep gave me great results, but I strongly feel if they give you a passing score you will pass.

 

[primadonna22274]

I loooovvvvvveeeeeeddddd UWORLD but sounds to me like you need to focus your energy on OMM and Anatomy. If you don't have this book get it now:

After you get through that, a very nice OMM review in a different style than Savarese is here:

Good luck.

 

[ChrisGriffen]

Dont psych yourself into buying 4000 dollars worth of qbanks and books. Just pick one and hammer it into your skull.

Edit: by which i mean, there is more than enough in FA/uworld/savarese to get a 500 on comlex.

Having 30 review books and 4 qbanks isnt going to make it any easier. You really just gotta go through FA, Uworld and savarese. Multiple times each.

 

[StudentDoctorM]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone!
I agree with what Chris says.. I think I have too many resources right now.. before buying more OMM books I'll go over savarese and BBC again first. Then I'll take a COMSAE and if I still don't do well on OMM, I'll get the books recommeneded by primadonna



Also, this is a completely separate subject, but I didn't want to start another threat about it..
I've been out of school since June and pretty much just been studying.. Do you guys know if I should be doing something else on the side?

I know passing the test is priority 1 by far, but how do residencies look at someone like me who failed the first time and then end up doing nothing else besides studying for a whole year..?

 

[hallowmann]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone!
I agree with what Chris says.. I think I have too many resources right now.. before buying more OMM books I'll go over savarese and BBC again first. Then I'll take a COMSAE and if I still don't do well on OMM, I'll get the books recommeneded by primadonna



Also, this is a completely separate subject, but I didn't want to start another threat about it..
I've been out of school since June and pretty much just been studying.. Do you guys know if I should be doing something else on the side?

I know passing the test is priority 1 by far, but how do residencies look at someone like me who failed the first time and then end up doing nothing else besides studying for a whole year..?

Just study. Obviously failing once and having an empty LOA for almost a year isn't great, but failing again is way worse. It's much better for you to take it soon one more time and do decent than to spread yourself thin and possibly not pass or barely pass. Worry about the LOA after you kick butt on the next attempt.

 

[StudentDoctorM]

Just study. Obviously failing once and having an empty LOA for almost a year isn't great, but failing again is way worse. It's much better for you to take it soon one more time and do decent than to spread yourself thin and possibly not pass or barely pass. Worry about the LOA after you kick butt on the next attempt.

Thanks! I'll do that. Signing up for February 19th to allow myself plenty of time to go over UW twice.

Thanks for all the advice and support in this thread. I really appreciate it. Wish me luck haha

PS. Happy New Year's!

 

[FutureDO2016]

so you would say BBC Ultra didn't help you?

 

[StudentDoctorM]

so you would say BBC Ultra didn't help you?

I think BBC did help, but not as much as I have hoped..

imo, it was enough to help me pass.. but not enough to do well or maybe even get average