When do you take COMSAE-E to minimize sacrificing study time for USMLE?

[Chinese13579]

Our school very recently (as in just a month ago) added a policy that requires us to pass the "COMSAE-E" before we're allowed to sit in for the COMLEX. I had no idea what this meant but the students around me were not happy about it at all. After asking around and doing some further digging, I found out they were upset b/c it cuts into their study time/messes with their study plan during "dedicated" for the USMLE. (prior to this, the previous year's students could just study for the USMLE and COMLEX entirely on their own and schedule the exams whenever, w/o having to take another exam (COMSAE-E) that interferes with their study time)

So my question is, as someone with the intention of taking both USMLE and COMLEX, when is the best date to take the COMSAE?

This question really only applies to DO students, and preferably those who attend schools that have this mandatory, must pass COMSAE-E before sitting in for COMLEX policy.

Do you take it early May? Mid May? Or after the USMLE in mid June or so?

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[starri]

Take it as early as you feel ready. There's no special studying you need for COMSAE, it's just a COMLEX practice test.

Except probably more poorly written.

 

[ortnakas]

I think you're overestimating how much time you'll spend preparing for the COMSAE-- it'll be pretty minimal. Study for both the COMLEX/USMLE on your regular schedule, for the most part. Maybe study Savarese/Chapman's/viscerosomatics the day before it, and do a few Combank/Comquest questions to get used to the style because it's different than Uworld. But overall, this really won't affect you much. I took a COMSAE 4 days before my USMLE (10 days before my COMLEX) and I don't think it affected my USMLE at all really.

 

[Azete]

Just schedule it a couple weeks before you take USMLE, if you can't pass it by this point then it should be a huge red flag for boards anyway. At least you get to pick a date, we have to take it ~2 months before we sit for COMLEX. Everybody here hates this policy, but personally I don't think it's that bad because if you can pass the exam with 2 months of studying left, you're in pretty good shape.