COMLEX...to take or not to take?

[Corndoggy]

So I have had some issues that have really impeded my preparation for step 1 of the COMLEX. I have already missed my first elective rotation of my third year preparing but still feel very unsure about taking it at the end of this rotation. I am thinking about pushing off my next rotation as we'll in order to prepare even if this means having to rearrange my schedule to accommodate the lost rotation time. So do you think it will hurt my residency chances if I miss 2 rotations to study for step 1? Would it be better just to try at the end of this rotation and risk a failure?

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[meliora27]

Talk to your school. I'm sure you're not the only person to have been in this position and they could probably advise you better.

It will be a lot easier making up a rotation or 2 than having a failure on your record.

 

[Corndoggy]

Talk to your school. I'm sure you're not the only person to have been in this position and they could probably advise you better.

It will be a lot easier making up a rotation or 2 than having a failure on your record.

I completely agree but do you think residencies will ding a student for opting to take more time to study (pending I actually have some serious health complications at the source of my delay?). It also might be worth mentioning that I am interested in primary care so it's not like I'm trying to get into derm or something.

 

[meliora27]

I think it's better to be "dinged" for taking an extra month to prep than to have failed.

Not sure how your school works but I imagine you could probably even miss 2 rotations and still graduate on time if you just didn't take any vacation time or any time off to study for step 2.

 

[koan]

Why do you feel unsure about taking it at the end of this rotation? Have you taken any full-length COMSAE or other practice tests?

 

[Corndoggy]

I have been basing my uncertainty off of my practice test scores on combank/comquest. I get around 55 percent on a quiz of 50 random subject quiz. I have not taken a COMSAE yet but I have been told not to use them as a projection of your most likely score but instead use them for determining how well you are using your time and for the progress report at the end. I am taking a COMSAE at the end of the week though.

 

[Corndoggy]

I think it's better to be "dinged" for taking an extra month to prep than to have failed.

Not sure how your school works but I imagine you could probably even miss 2 rotations and still graduate on time if you just didn't take any vacation time or any time off to study for step 2.

I hope I can still graduate on time but I'll have to check with my school. Let's say, hypothetically, that my school allows me to graduate on time but I have to do a rotation after graduation, do you think a residency program in primary care would care? I don't know what the timing is like for the gap between graduation and the start of residency but do you think I'd have time to do a 1 months rotation after residency and still start the residency on time? When I apply for residency will the program even know that I am behind my school's schedule?

 

[koan]

You're asking questions that your school should be answering. Look at the student handbook or whatever, it should tell you the leeway in required rotations for years 3/4. Our school has 4 weeks of vacation built in to 3rd year, which means you can skip 1 rotation in the beginning and still be "on time". 4th year is even more generous with a requirement of 40 weeks rotations in a 52 week calendar. Most people use ~4 weeks to study for Step 2, maybe some time off for interviews, and the rest at the end (we're supposed to be done with rotations by early June / graduation).

 

[AMEHigh]

Talk to your school. You're not the only person that has been in this situation.

FWIW, I rearranged my 3rd year schedule. It wasn't really a big deal as we have a bunch of electives 4th year and 2 months of vacation to use how we want, so I was able to switch things around without a burden.

I was in a similar situation as you and I pushed my test back and I'm thankful that I did. Good luck!

 

[Corndoggy]

You're asking questions that your school should be answering. Look at the student handbook or whatever, it should tell you the leeway in required rotations for years 3/4. Our school has 4 weeks of vacation built in to 3rd year, which means you can skip 1 rotation in the beginning and still be "on time". 4th year is even more generous with a requirement of 40 weeks rotations in a 52 week calendar. Most people use ~4 weeks to study for Step 2, maybe some time off for interviews, and the rest at the end (we're supposed to be done with rotations by early June / graduation).

I understand that some of my concern stems from not having the exact scheduling details available however my questions about doing a rotation after graduation or whether residencies would view missing a rotation as a weakness are points that I think can be answered universally by those who may have more experience than me, you know?

 

[meliora27]

I understand that some of my concern stems from not having the exact scheduling details available however my questions about doing a rotation after graduation or whether residencies would view missing a rotation as a weakness are points that I think can be answered universally by those who may have more experience than me, you know?

But your school would probably have more insight than anyone on an anonymous internet forum? Have you spoken to anyone at your school yet or is there some reason you're trying to avoid talking to your school?

 

[Corndoggy]

I will talk with my school this week about my schedule but I guess my reason for posting was to get feedback on the ramifications of missing a rotation and whether it could be viewed poorly by a residency or whether the residency would even know that I missed rotations (as long as I could make them up).

 

[AMEHigh]

Oh and I just saw your question about whether your school will know you missed a rotation...

So the way applying for residency programs works is that all programs receive your transcript (previously known as the dean's letter, now it has a new name that I'm blanking on) in October. That is the date that ALL med schools can release it and all programs can read it...both acgme and aoa. So they'll see any classes you've taken up until then and the comments you received on rotations (it's a form letter that is standard for all students).

I would assume that most programs are only really going to be focused on how you did in the rotation that you're applying for and won't notice that you might've missed 1 month of surgery. So on the list of things that programs look for, getting a decent board score and having good letters I think is much much higher on the list of things than an applicant completing all typical 3rd year rotations. Plus, you can send an updated transcript to programs throughout the application and interview process. So if you completed a rotation in December of your 4th year that wasn't previously on your transcript, then you can send it to them again with an update so they'll see that you did complete whichever rotation.

Hope that helps!

 

[group_theory]

I hope I can still graduate on time but I'll have to check with my school. Let's say, hypothetically, that my school allows me to graduate on time but I have to do a rotation after graduation, do you think a residency program in primary care would care? I don't know what the timing is like for the gap between graduation and the start of residency but do you think I'd have time to do a 1 months rotation after residency and still start the residency on time? When I apply for residency will the program even know that I am behind my school's schedule?

First, definitely agree with everyone that you need to check with your school to see if you can postpone your test, and whether it will have any impact on your progression towards graduation.

Whether someone will noticed that you took COMLEX in September instead of June - probably not - programs get inundated with applications (and each application packet is quite thick, even in pdf format) they'll probably not noticed the date. Now your MSPE (formerly known as dean's letter) will have details about your preclinical years, your clinical years, how you compare to your peers, and usually a summary page which may or may not include issues that you are dealing with right now. I've seen some medical schools even include summaries of the applicant's undergraduate transcripts in their MSPE (these were MD schools if I recall, and not all of them, just a minority of them). A question that we (the anonymous internet) cannot answer is whether this issue is a one-off, or would it be re-occurring issue (ie comes up again during residency). That may pose a challenge to residencies (but again, since I don't know the details, and there is no need for you to tell us the details - it's all speculation). Talking with your school administration as well as your faculty advisor should be encouraged.

As for whether you can graduate, finish your rotation, then start residency - it depends. You may participate in graduation ceremony, but you won't officially "graduated" and get your degree until you fulfill all academic requirements. Some schools only confer academic degrees at certain time of the year and if you are off-schedule, you may not officially graduate until the next "graduation date"

If you haven't officially graduated, you cannot start residency. If you haven't officially graduated, you cannot get a medical training license. It is not uncommon for residents to start off-cycle, a few months behind. But keep in mind that unlike academia, as a resident, you are now part of a bigger picture - and schedules (wards, calls, clinics) will have to be made, even if you are absent. So someone will have to fill that gap until you can start. Most residencies are willing to work with you (if the start date is reasonable). If your start date is too far out, then they can consider it a match violation (since you can't start on time) and can terminate your contact.

Lots of variable - lots of unknown. You're asking for specific answers to vague scenarios and situations. All we can give are vague possible answers. Best advice is to talk with your school.