Doing well on UWORLD but poorly on COMAT - what to make of it?

[deleted1139416]

I’m doing well on the UWORLD step 2 QBANK - currently going through first pass with a 55% (I know the average is 66% but that’s with people doing multiple passes averaged out). But my COMATs suck. I just don’t have enough time and I rush the exams. I’ve only taken FM/IM - should I just chalk it up to the fact that IM and FM are the hardest COMATs which I had to take at the beginning of the year and my scores will improve on their own. Or do you guys think I have a much more concerning problem to address? My scores are in the mid 90s.

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[hellosnd]

55% on uworld isnt bad, its just def below average. Not everyone does multiple passes thru world.

 

[Konigstiger]

I have a higher average than that on UWorld going into the qbank completely blind, and I've not done well on COMATs either. In my opinion, UWorld just isn't that helpful for COMATs because the wording and type of questions they ask are completely different. I'm still searching for a good question bank for COMATs.

 

[Kardio]

Sounds like you're just chugging through questions without learning anything. How much time are you spending reviewing your incorrects? If it's less time than it took you to answer the questions, not looking at why all the other choices were incorrect, or not continuing to review the incorrects, then you're not getting the full value out of UWorld. Especially if you're using it as your primary source for learning, as I am.

Personally - I made the mistake of thinking that one of the COMAT-specific Q Banks would be superior for the COMAT exams. Dead wrong, scored average with it. Switched to UWorld and then >110.

first pass with a 55% (I know the average is 66% but that’s with people doing multiple passes averaged out)

should I just chalk it up to the fact that IM and FM are the hardest COMATs which I had to take at the beginning of the year and my scores will improve on their own

True or not, it's not actually helpful for you to have an external locus of control.

 

[hellosnd]

Sounds like you're just chugging through questions without learning anything. How much time are you spending reviewing your incorrects? If it's less time than it took you to answer the questions, not looking at why all the other choices were incorrect, or not continuing to review the incorrects, then you're not getting the full value out of UWorld. Especially if you're using it as your primary source for learning, as I am.

Personally - I made the mistake of thinking that one of the COMAT-specific Q Banks would be superior for the COMAT exams. Dead wrong, scored average with it. Switched to UWorld and then >110.




True or not, it's not actually helpful for you to have an external locus of control.

I agree with this. Uworld teaches you the concepts that allow you to do well on COMAT. COMAT/COMLEX tests the same content just horribly worded

 

[DOVinciRobot]

55% on UWORLD is below average. A mid 90s COMAT score is also below average. Honestly it seems like they are correlating pretty well… it’s not the end of the world and it’s not like 90s comat scores are horrible. If you want to increase the comat scores you need to change up the study plan a bit

 

[deleted1139416]

Sounds like you're just chugging through questions without learning anything. How much time are you spending reviewing your incorrects? If it's less time than it took you to answer the questions, not looking at why all the other choices were incorrect, or not continuing to review the incorrects, then you're not getting the full value out of UWorld. Especially if you're using it as your primary source for learning, as I am.

Personally - I made the mistake of thinking that one of the COMAT-specific Q Banks would be superior for the COMAT exams. Dead wrong, scored average with it. Switched to UWorld and then >110.




True or not, it's not actually helpful for you to have an external locus of control.

It’s not an external locus on control. I think that having 2 COMATs under my belt will allow me to do better on the ones I have moving forward.

 

[deleted1079620]

I’ve found that I have to use something in addition to the qbanks in order to do really well on COMATs.

anki, BnB, OME, Dr. High Yield, Emma Holiday, etc.

 

[hellosnd]

Divine podcasts are 👌

 

[FootballAndSkiing]

My school does NBME exams, but Ive been starting with OME, then Emma Holliday if there is one, Amboss Qs, then NBME practice tests, and Dr. High Yield the morning of the exam.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

It’s not an external locus on control. I think that having 2 COMATs under my belt will allow me to do better on the ones I have moving forward.

If you study the same way for the next ones you’re going to get the same result.

 

[FootballAndSkiing]

If you study the same way for the next ones you’re going to get the same result.

Also because scores are based off percentiles the fact that you took the ones that may be the hardest doesn't really matter

 

[Mad Jack]

Something is off with your learning strategy, as others have noted. You should thoroughly examine every answer to every question, and understand why both every correct answer is correct and incorrect answer is incorrect. Perhaps you're not doing enough questions, or perhaps you're not doing them in a high yield way, but 55% is about 5% lower than you should be looking for on a first pass.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I’m doing well on the UWORLD step 2 QBANK - currently going through first pass with a 55% (I know the average is 66% but that’s with people doing multiple passes averaged out). But my COMATs suck. I just don’t have enough time and I rush the exams. I’ve only taken FM/IM - should I just chalk it up to the fact that IM and FM are the hardest COMATs which I had to take at the beginning of the year and my scores will improve on their own. Or do you guys think I have a much more concerning problem to address? My scores are in the mid 90s.

I'm pretty sure that UWorld doesn't factor into the average your second pass or when you do your incorrect questions again

 

[Captain_Falcon]

I'm pretty sure that UWorld doesn't factor into the average your second pass or when you do your incorrect questions again

This is correct

 

[deleted1139416]

I'm pretty sure that UWorld doesn't factor into the average your second pass or when you do your incorrect questions again

This is correct

Source?

 

[PapaGuava]

From personal experience, the T-zanki deck + Uworld PQs + Comquest PQs worked well for COMATs. I'd also make cards for those I completely missed on UWorld or Comquest. I felt Uworld drove home all the concepts you needed to know while Comquest filled in the 'weird,' or 'off the wall' type of questions you see on COMATs.

 

[deleted1139416]

Just a quick update everyone - I took what you guys said seriously and tried something different. I had a hunch that the problem was that I was only doing questions but not any content review. I did some solid content review for my next COMAT and for a 104!!!! Thanks for giving me a reality check everyone!

 

[deleted1150906]

Just a quick update everyone - I took what you guys said seriously and tried something different. I had a hunch that the problem was that I was only doing questions but not any content review. I did some solid content review for my next COMAT and for a 104!!!! Thanks for giving me a reality check everyone!

How are you doing a content review? or what did you change? I am seriously struggling

 

[deleted1139416]

How are you doing a content review? or what did you change? I am seriously struggling

Which ones have you taken so far?