Is this an irresponsible decision?

[Zobo135]

Hey people,

I was recently signed up for USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Level 1 in late May just 5 days apart. Recently I was offered to go on a vacation with some good friends during USMLE and COMLEX. I really wanted to go on this trip (as I have never really been on a vacation in my life) so I moved USMLE to a day before my trip and COMLEX to 9 days after my trip. My trip is 2 weeks long. I begin board studying in Early March which gives me about 9 weeks until USMLE. My plan was to just crank out COMBANK and OMM while on my trip in the mornings and then come back and do some review and take COMLEX. Im in the top 30% of my class and all I really have to do is pass (which I know shouldn't be taken lightly and I wont while I study)

What do you guys think? Thank you

Edit: Forgot to mention that COMLEX is 9 days after I come back from my trip.

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[DOVinciRobot]

Yes it’s an irresponsible decision.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

10/10 would not do this.

 

[Zobo135]

10/10 would not do this.

If I am able to move COMLEX to around the same time as USMLE before my trip, do you think its feasible then? Id prefer COMLEX to be before but there were no dates currently available

 

[wysdoc]

The time to celebrate with a vacay is after your tests

 

[Dr Meow]

Is your 3 years of work not worth 1 more week of dedication? This is like spending 3 years cutting a priceless blue diamond 15 hours a day, only to smash it to bits in an instant
Also, if you friends understand your situation and still make you choose between your security and them, can you really call them "good friends"? (unless they didn't know about your situation bit you have the obligation to explain it to them).

 

[Ho0v-man]

You’re not going to study on your trip. You will be completely out of gas after step 1 for like a month. Even after you get back from your trip, you will never be able to study like you did in dedicated ever again.

 

[Zobo135]

You’re not going to study on your trip. You will be completely out of gas after step 1 for like a month. Even after you get back from your trip, you will never be able to study like you did in dedicated ever again.

If I am able to move COMLEX before my trip, do you think that will be fine? I have plenty of dedicated time (9 weeks) before my trip

 

[Dr Meow]

If I am able to move COMLEX before my trip, do you think that will be fine? I have plenty of dedicated time (9 weeks) before my trip

Do you think you are ready for the comlex? If you are, why risk the chance of forgetting? Just go in confidently and smash it
Also assess your burnout levels. Are you actually 99% burnt out to the point you honestly can't form any more thoughts in your mind? Or are you mentally sharp but you're just bummed out about missing what would be a fun gathering.

One thing I gained from the mcat studying and med school studying so far is that steady studying + Cramming results = nice results
If you have a gap between steady studying and cramming, it doesn't work well. And if you've already crammed, then there's a short few days after which your crammed info is lost if not maintained and even if it's maintained, it kinda reverts back to the steady studying state where it's never as fresh as last minute cramming.

 

[Zobo135]

Do you think you are ready for the comlex? If you are, why risk the chance of forgetting? Just go in confidently and smash it
Also assess your burnout levels. Are you actually 99% burnt out to the point you honestly can't form any more thoughts in your mind? Or are you mentally sharp but you're just bummed out about missing what would be a fun gathering.

One thing I gained from the mcat studying and med school studying so far is that steady studying + Cramming results = nice results
If you have a gap between steady studying and cramming, it doesn't work well. And if you've already crammed, then there's a short few days after which your crammed info is lost if not maintained and even if it's maintained, it kinda reverts back to the steady studying state where it's never as fresh as last minute cramming.

I appreciate your response. With a little more than 9 weeks of dedicated, I think I will be ready for COMLEX and Step 1. I just moved COMLEX to May 10th (in a city 4 hours away from my house so ill just drive the night before and stay in a hotel) and for USMLE May 14th which is near my house. Then I leave for my trip on the 15th. Im gonna be honest when it comes to burnout, I don't really get burnt out from school. I'm a pretty chill dude and I like the hard work because I enjoy what I do. I know myself pretty well and know my capabilities. I can grind out 9 weeks and pass both of them. I scored 83rd percentile on the MCAT so I don't think I'm bad at standardized testing either. Thank you for the insight

 

[Neopolymath]

Move comlex up. Who cares about that exam? You need like 2 or 3 days between the exams.

 

[Ho0v-man]

If I am able to move COMLEX before my trip, do you think that will be fine? I have plenty of dedicated time (9 weeks) before my trip

Do it all before your trip. Can’t enjoy a vacay with boards looming anyway.

The classic advice is to do step before comlex. But do what you gotta do. Prob not as big a deal since it’s all p/f now isn’t it?

 

[Zobo135]

Do it all before your trip. Can’t enjoy a vacay with boards looming anyway.

The classic advice is to do step before comlex. But do what you gotta do. Prob not as big a deal since it’s all p/f now isn’t it?

Ya if this wasnt pass/fail, this would be a whole different story

 

[JudgeIsInTheHouse]

FM-bound so not sure how much my opinion is valid here, but doing well on COMLEX really saved me after I **** the bed on Step 1. You don't want to be deconditioned entering COMLEX, nor do you want to have a board exam in the back of your head while vacationing.

 

[Zobo135]

How the heck are you allowed to take in May btw? Our school makes us wait until late summer to attempt comlex... would be amazing getting it out of the way early.

Our school makes us take COMLEX by June 10th and we start rotations August so its nice

 

[calivianya]

Go on your vacation. Life is short.

Just take both of your exams before you go. You don't want COMLEX hanging over your head while you're on vacation.

 

[ortnakas]

Go on your vacation. Life is short.

Just take both of your exams before you go. You don't want COMLEX hanging over your head while you're on vacation.

Agreed. Go on vacation. Just don’t delude yourself into thinking you will study on vacation.

 

[Schwifty]

I appreciate your response. With a little more than 9 weeks of dedicated, I think I will be ready for COMLEX and Step 1. I just moved COMLEX to May 10th (in a city 4 hours away from my house so ill just drive the night before and stay in a hotel) and for USMLE May 14th which is near my house. Then I leave for my trip on the 15th. Im gonna be honest when it comes to burnout, I don't really get burnt out from school. I'm a pretty chill dude and I like the hard work because I enjoy what I do. I know myself pretty well and know my capabilities. I can grind out 9 weeks and pass both of them. I scored 83rd percentile on the MCAT so I don't think I'm bad at standardized testing either. Thank you for the insight

9 weeks is plenty of time to pass comlex and step, I had about that much time and took it scored and did very well. I was also not in the top 30% of my class and got like 60th percentile on the MCAT. Just get though all of UWorld and you'll be fine. Enjoy your vacation!