600+ COMLEX score advice

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bobcomlex

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There are many threads on USMLE Step II advice but was wondering if we could start a similar thread for those seeking to top the magical 600 mark for the COMLEX. I was wondering if those who scored over 600 could advise us on strategy, sources etc. I've read many threads and from what I gather knowing Boards and Wards, 'Secrets and the COMBANK is essential. I was wondering if anyone used any other source to get the random questions that you get on the COMLEX and particularly any good books on management ie "What the first test to order" etc. I've been told USMLE World is overkill. Lastly, anyone use Boards Boot Camp? Is it a gimic like most of the other study plans?

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I don't know if I would agree with UWorld being overkill. It definitely worked for me on Step I of COMLEX to achieve the goal you stated and am using it again along with the sources you've indicated above and Savarse for OMM.
 
I don't know if I would agree with UWorld being overkill. It definitely worked for me on Step I of COMLEX to achieve the goal you stated and am using it again along with the sources you've indicated above and Savarse for OMM.

Ask around because based on what I've been told by a lot of people is that COMLEX 2 differs considerably from Step II whereas Step I and COMLEX I had more in common. In other words, you can't really study the same for COMLEX II in the same way you would study for STEP II. Im using the COMBANK right now and the length of questions, what they ask etc. differs considerably from USMLEWORLD. If the COMBANK is the most representative of the COMLEX, I don't know if I would spin my wheels doing USMLEWORLD unless you had a lot of time and were trying to use it to learn concepts.
 
Ask around because based on what I've been told by a lot of people is that COMLEX 2 differs considerably from Step II whereas Step I and COMLEX I had more in common. In other words, you can't really study the same for COMLEX II in the same way you would study for STEP II. Im using the COMBANK right now and the length of questions, what they ask etc. differs considerably from USMLEWORLD. If the COMBANK is the most representative of the COMLEX, I don't know if I would spin my wheels doing USMLEWORLD unless you had a lot of time and were trying to use it to learn concepts.


I guess I just don't see how World could ever be overkill? Worst case scenario, you're over prepared for comlex....honestly, how can that hurt? There really is no cure/answer for the BS/WTF questions anyways, so I figure knowing the material well is your best shot on any exam.
 
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I guess I just don't see how World could ever be overkill? Worst case scenario, you're over prepared for comlex....honestly, how can that hurt? There really is no cure/answer for the BS/WTF questions anyways, so I figure knowing the material well is your best shot on any exam.

Because World takes a long time to go through and if you are focused on doing well on the COMLEX, that time might be better spent doing other things like repeating the COMBANK or rereading texts which tend to be high yield for COMLEX like Savarese, Boards and Wards and Secrets.
 
Yeah, I also think using USMLEWorld is a good strategy and not overkill. I am taking step II this summer so I can't say firsthand if it will be helpful but it sure helped me get over 600 on COMLEX and over 240 on USMLE for step I so I can't see how it would hurt. I have also heard pick one of Secrets, Boards & Wards, etc b/c doing more than one of those is a waste of time. Good luck!
 
Because World takes a long time to go through and if you are focused on doing well on the COMLEX, that time might be better spent doing other things like repeating the COMBANK or rereading texts which tend to be high yield for COMLEX like Savarese, Boards and Wards and Secrets.

The COMBANK is effective but not in the way most people think. The style and format of the questions are closer to representing the real thing than USMLEWORLD but they are still significantly different than the COMBANK. The COMBANK questions were all notoriously short whereas on the real COMLEX, they question stems are longer. The reason the COMBANK is effective is they test you on topics that are high yield for the COMLEX. There are about 1000 questions and you can get through the whole thing in a week. If you are going to do the COMBANK, go through it at least twice because those topics were really high yield. I didn't the OMM on the COMBANK was very good and I would reread Savarese multiple times.
 
This thread is going off-topic so instead if we could focus on COMLEX II strategies and invididual accounts that would be helpful to people. I know everyone is busy so I don't mean to sound pushy, but if the DO students who scored well on the COMLEX II could share their experience and what they did to score well on the COMLEX, that would be much appreciated by those of us who still have to take it.
 
I got over a 600 on comlex 2. But I am an atypical type of person and have different study stratagies than anyone else in my class who studied for step II. The first thing I did was schedule the comlex at the end of my vacation month that we are allowed to take for the 4th yr. So with a 30 day vacation, you can easily study a couple of hours a day and retain the information since you are not stressed with the rotation work. I read "Crush step 2" five times as my primary review. Then I read Savarse OMM review twice. Then I studied my own Pharm review that I wrote earlier to review pharmacology from step 1 (I shared the link in my earlier posts). I then only did a half of the Kaplan step 2 Qbook for practice then I ran out of time. I then took step II COMLEX and got over a 600 and finished in half the time. So, in summary Crush is the best book. The questions on the exam that weren't in Crush I mostly had an idea what the answer should be from doing well on the ward exams. Only like 10% I had no clue what the answer was, as they threw these in there just to make you nervious so just guess them and don't worry.
 
I got over a 600 on comlex 2. But I am an atypical type of person and have different study stratagies than anyone else in my class who studied for step II. The first thing I did was schedule the comlex at the end of my vacation month that we are allowed to take for the 4th yr. So with a 30 day vacation, you can easily study a couple of hours a day and retain the information since you are not stressed with the rotation work. I read "Crush step 2" five times as my primary review. Then I read Savarse OMM review twice. Then I studied my own Pharm review that I wrote earlier to review pharmacology from step 1 (I shared the link in my earlier posts). I then only did a half of the Kaplan step 2 Qbook for practice then I ran out of time. I then took step II COMLEX and got over a 600 and finished in half the time. So, in summary Crush is the best book. The questions on the exam that weren't in Crush I mostly had an idea what the answer should be from doing well on the ward exams. Only like 10% I had no clue what the answer was, as they threw these in there just to make you nervious so just guess them and don't worry.

Thank you so much for the review. I heard mixed things about Crush namely that it's not very detailed and is fluff; I heard that his other book Secrets is better?
 
Your welcome. Crush and Secrets are both written by the same author so they should be equivalent.
 
I used USMLEworld for both Level 1 and Level II. I also used FA for both. I did not use Crush or Secrets and I was able to top that magical mark that you were speaking of on both.

Agree w/ above - usmleworld is overkill for Level 2
 
Secrets is the same as Crush. The only difference is the format. Crush is in standard outline and chart form whereas Secrets is question and answer form w/some charts thrown in. The general impression is Secrets is a better book because it flows better and has more information.
 
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Hey everyone,

I am currently trying to put together a study plan for COMLEX II. My questions are more related to the sources used. I have Crush and Boards and Wards. Should I attempt to use both sources of just pick one? Did those of you that have taken Step II just read the book of your choice and then do questions? I'm at a bit of a loss since studying for Step II since so much more abstract than the structure I used to study for Step I.

Thanks for any input!
 
Maybe 600 was asking for a lot but even those who scored well on this exam even if it wasn't technically 600, your advice and study plan would be much appreciated.
 
Thank you all for your replies, they have been very helpful. I wanted to know how close were your actual comlex and usmle step 2 scores to the question banks you used to study for the exam(s). I remember the percentage that people were scoring on USMLEworld (USw) closely correlated to their actual usmle step 1 score. For example, many of the people that were ranging between 70-75% on USw scored somewhere around 80 on the USMLE step 1 two digit score or those who scored in the 80-85% on USw got in the 90s. Basically, I want to know how to gauge my progress on my qbanks.

I'm especially interested in those of you who scored anywhere from 550-600 on the comlex step 2. When you were a couple weeks away from the actual exam, what were you averaging on COMBANK and USMLEworld qbanks?

thanks...
 
So how much time is everyone spending on this thing? I've got mine scheduled for July which leaves about 20 solid study days...

Also, I'm using Kaplan and Step up to step 2 plus a review course.

At our school, we take shelf exams and I've been doing Kaplan Q's since the start.....

I was a little nervous about the short timeframe but I asked the dean and he said I should be ok....

Where can I grab COMBANK and is it worth it or would USMLEWorld be a better use of money?

Also - plan on taking USMLE Step 2.....
 
So how much time is everyone spending on this thing? I've got mine scheduled for July which leaves about 20 solid study days...

Also, I'm using Kaplan and Step up to step 2 plus a review course.

At our school, we take shelf exams and I've been doing Kaplan Q's since the start.....

I was a little nervous about the short timeframe but I asked the dean and he said I should be ok....

Where can I grab COMBANK and is it worth it or would USMLEWorld be a better use of money?

Also - plan on taking USMLE Step 2.....

If you are doing USMLE Step 2, I definitely think UW is the way to go and would just do that and then the OMM questions from COMBANK. Then if you have more time do the other COMBANK questions.
 
I got a 650 and used USMLEWorld for concept learning 1.5 months starting 1.5 months prior to exam, then switched to COMQUEST ~ 1 month prior to exam, finished it, and then got COMBANK 2 weeks prior to exam. I focused on OPP and Saverese the week before the exam. Did not use any books at all apart from Savarese. My two biggest bits of advice - do as many questions as you can and do not underestimate the importance of killing the OPP section of this exam.
 
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Kuba mentioned OPP AND Savarese- would that not be one and the same? Are there any additional material that I dont know about for studying OPP?
 
Kuba mentioned OPP AND Savarese- would that not be one and the same? Are there any additional material that I dont know about for studying OPP?

No the green book, which is OMT or OPP bible is by Savarese and it is all you will need.
 
Cool- so same deal as part 1. Shouldnt be a problem.
 
I got a 650 and used USMLEWorld for concept learning 1.5 months starting 1.5 months prior to exam, then switched to COMQUEST ~ 1 month prior to exam, finished it, and then got COMBANK 2 weeks prior to exam. I focused on OPP and Saverese the week before the exam. Did not use any books at all apart from Savarese. My two biggest bits of advice - do as many questions as you can and do not underestimate the importance of killing the OPP section of this exam.

Agreed. Uworld+combank+comquest+savarese = 785
 
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