Is it true that if you apply to programs that accept COMLEX, you don't have to report your usmle?

[ibarne242]

I heard that you might as well always take USMLE because you can ultimately just not report your score if you apply like to a family med program that doesn't require it? Is that true?
I'm at an osteopathic school and my grades are good and I've always been above class average but on Uworld my average is like 60% and that average is probably inflated 4-5% because very occasionally I look up an answer. So I was wondering if that was true that I can just not report my score to COMLEX-accepting programs.
I am pretty much set on FM, and I'm dead set on it if I don't do that well on boards. I'm thinking about neuro, psych, or maybe internal, but I'm mostly set on FM.
I'm going to nyc for rotations and hope to practice in the new york area or the chicago area (where I'm from).

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[W19]

I heard that you might as well always take USMLE because you can ultimately just not report your score if you apply like to a family med program that doesn't require it? Is that true?
I'm at an osteopathic school and my grades are good and I've always been above class average but on Uworld my average is like 60% and that average is probably inflated 4-5% because very occasionally I look up an answer. So I was wondering if that was true that I can just not report my score to COMLEX-accepting programs.
I am pretty much set on FM, and I'm dead set on it if I don't do that well on boards. I'm thinking about neuro, psych, or maybe internal, but I'm mostly set on FM.
I'm going to nyc for rotations and hope to practice in the new york area or the chicago area (where I'm from).

The good news are all these specialties are not competitive... I am a MD student, but from what I was able to pick up reading the DO forum is that, if you score 215+ in step1, it will make your application look better for ACGME programs even if you have an average (550-580) COMLEX score.

By the way, 215+ in step1 will get you into any of the specialty you mention in your post. Might not get you in a top program, however.

To respond directly to your question: If a program accept COMLEX, you don't have to submit your USMLE score, but you might be at disadvantage because ACGME PDs are more familiar with USMLE than COMLEX.

 

[el_duderino]

Could put you in a difficult spot in interviews.

"Oh, I don't see any USMLE scores. Why didn't you take them?"
"Uh........"

I believe the rules are somewhat unclear, but it's expected that you report USMLE if you've taken them.