Advice for COMLEX III

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
D

DO_Surgeon

Senior Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2003
Messages
337
Reaction score
0
I just registered for COMLEX III next month. I am a general surgery intern, and have had the majority of my non-surgical rotations. I just bought crush step 3 and the NMS q book. Anyone have any advice for studying (length of time, books, important topics, etc) What about the new computer format and how many questions do you need to pass?
Members don't see this ad.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
DOJEDI said:
I had a day off today so I decided to test my how prepared I am by taking that COMSAE. Yes, I paid that 60 bucs. There goes my beer money haha.

If anyone has ever taken COMSAE 3 before the real one, could you share your thoughts? I got 480 on it and I'm freakin out now. I thought questions were so vague (as usual).
Click to expand...

My thoughts.

It's a double edged sword that can give you valid confidence, false confidence, valid anxiety, or false anxiety and has never been super helpful for me otherwise. Keep doing questions and keep learning. Hit OMM well and any glaring weaknesses.

Practice, learn, have faith in yourself, and chill. I wouldn't take a Comsae for the above reasons, so at this stage, don't let it change what you should be (and likely are) already doing.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Results posted today for mid December cohort.

Upper 600s. UW single pass (61% average). Combank OMM questions. Few practice CDM cases. Occasional beer/scotch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
830s from uworld x3 weeks (probably overkill if you passed 1+2 comfortably). Intermittent combank for omm + the green book (which is going to be set on fire or some other appropriate end) + the nbome cases on their site. This test is ass, so glad to be done.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
Members don't see this ad :)
Shov said:
830s from uworld x3 weeks (probably overkill if you passed 1+2 comfortably). Intermittent combank for omm + the green book (which is going to be set on fire or some other appropriate end) + the nbome cases on their site. This test is ass, so glad to be done.
Click to expand...

Sick! Nicely done!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
520s, UW + combank ob, gyn, peds, OMM + green book + cases on the site. IM resident. Schedule your test and get this sucker done!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
790s.

Materials: Combank, Step up to Step II, Savarese.

Prep breakdown: Fielded Combank q's over a couple months here and there on tutor mode when I had time. First go through mid 70s%. Repeated all incorrect questions on timed mode. Rapidly thumbed through Step up to Step 2 (that I used for DIT for Step 2) over 2.5 days. Thumbed through Savarese over an afternoon. Re-memorized/crammed basic biostat equations the evening before exam (although there was barely any biostats on the exam).

Post exam feels: Felt awful walking out of the exam. TONS of peds. Question wise, and for me at least, this was probably the most vague test thus far--was relatively frustrating. I made what felt like a ton of dumb mistakes on easy questions and was utterly wrecked by a few of the cases at the end. Test fatigue was real as well, having been removed from exam taking on a regular basis.

Easier said than done, but try not to be too freaked out if you're scared after the exam. You likely did alright or at least passed. Hope this helps someone--I was religiously checking this part of the forum during the ceremonial 4 week post COMLEX scaries.


Adios, COMLEX/NBOME/AOA. It's been real fun, but I gotta go.:=|:-):
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
UGH. I just took it today and I think I failed the last section but I guess I didn't look too much into the cases beforehand (so I guess that's on me). I completed Combank, the green book, and flashcards from step 2. I was scoring about 70's on COMBANK but I think I failed that last section, which makes me feel bad and anxious. Anyone with similar experiences? Here's to hoping that I don't have to retake this stupid test.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Shov said:
830s from uworld x3 weeks (probably overkill if you passed 1+2 comfortably). Intermittent combank for omm + the green book (which is going to be set on fire or some other appropriate end) + the nbome cases on their site. This test is ass, so glad to be done.
Click to expand...
Are you going to take step I or 2?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Members don't see this ad :)
nannaKskywalk said:
UGH. I just took it today and I think I failed the last section but I guess I didn't look too much into the cases beforehand (so I guess that's on me). I completed Combank, the green book, and flashcards from step 2. I was scoring about 70's on COMBANK but I think I failed that last section, which makes me feel bad and anxious. Anyone with similar experiences? Here's to hoping that I don't have to retake this stupid test.
Click to expand...
The odds are you'll be fine. See my post above. I felt the same way with the cases.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
my exam is on Tuesday, 03/13. Combank second pass 72%, Comquest one pass 67%, and COMSAE 560.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
Felt pretty bad coming out but fingers crossed for good news today or tomorrow! Why can't they just tell us the exact time of release?

Hannah
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Singingpremed said:
Felt pretty bad coming out but fingers crossed for good news today or tomorrow! Why can't they just tell us the exact time of release?

Hannah
Click to expand...
You must have already gotten your score now, however, one of my friends who didn't finish the CDM cases did very well, close to 700.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yeah, I actually did really well. Highest score of the 3. I definitely did not feel that way after the exam though! Goes to show you can't trust how you think it went.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Just to post a follow up to my first frantic post. Took exam 2/17/18 and I passed (!) with >600's, despite feeling like I bombed the last section and feeling awful after leaving that test. (You were right, Mr. Kenobi!)

Advice for others: I would say go through the stacked cases scenarios at least once or twice prior to exam so you are familiar and comfortable with the formatting in the last section. I think much of my panic was from not being familiar with how to enter my answers or knowing that for some of the scenarios you are allowed to go back and change your answer.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
nannaKskywalk said:
Just to post a follow up to my first frantic post. Took exam 2/17/18 and I passed (!) with >600's, despite feeling like I bombed the last section and feeling awful after leaving that test. (You were right, Mr. Kenobi!)

Advice for others: I would say go through the stacked cases scenarios at least once or twice prior to exam so you are familiar and comfortable with the formatting in the last section. I think much of my panic was from not being familiar with how to enter my answers or knowing that for some of the scenarios you are allowed to go back and change your answer.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by stacked cases scenarios? Any place to go through them? Is combank CCD enough?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dr.TurkandJD said:
What do you mean by stacked cases scenarios? Any place to go through them? Is combank CCD enough?
Click to expand...


I think she is talking about the CDM cases online from NBOME. I heard they are similar to the real deal. only difference the multiple choices portion of the CDM list 25-30 choices a question!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Took it today! I thought some of the GI Peds was difficult in terms of the way they presented the questions with weird images that were difficult to interpret.



I think I missed most of the questions on the CDM cases.. anyone knows how much they actually weigh grading wise on exam? I know people not even finishing the cdm cases and still passing comfortably. Are they like experimental for this year or what?

Praying for 350...
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Took my comlex 3 recently. was praying for a 350. during the test and upon leaving the testing center i felt as if I correctly answered ~40% of the questions correctly and got an extra ~10% correct based on probability. I failed all the practice CDM cases the night before the test, and no doubt failed the CDM cases on test day. Ended up scoring above 50 percentile, which is actually scary as that is my mortality rate in the ICU, yet reassuring because that means 50% of doctors are dumber than I am. In any case, just take the damn test and get it over with.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DOFOSHO said:
Took my comlex 3 recently. was praying for a 350. during the test and upon leaving the testing center i felt as if I correctly answered ~40% of the questions correctly and got an extra ~10% correct based on probability. I failed all the practice CDM cases the night before the test, and no doubt failed the CDM cases on test day. Ended up scoring above 50 percentile, which is actually scary as that is my mortality rate in the ICU, yet reassuring because that means 50% of doctors are dumber than I am. In any case, just take the damn test and get it over with.
Click to expand...

I'm sure there are some bad test takers peppered in there.

Kidding.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Took comlex 3 on April 3rd. Felt ok with MCQs, CDM was difficult to get a good feel for. Took 3 minute breaks for each "10 minute" break and took about 15 min for the larger break: I didn't want to get out of the groove of going through questions. April 18th-19th is the release date for scores, per NBOME website. The wait is really short so that's one good thing.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Is it typical to feel like this is probably the least prepared I've felt for an exam? The risk factors and next step in management, I can't keep it all straight. Got about 70% on Uworld and 75% on combank, but I feel like I'm just kinda guessing on most of these. Sometimes I get it and sometimes I don't. Taking it April 14th, but nervous. Hoping this exam really is as simple as people are making it out to be cause otherwise, this is gonna be a looong day.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
lahvisx said:
Is it typical to feel like this is probably the least prepared I've felt for an exam? The risk factors and next step in management, I can't keep it all straight. Got about 70% on Uworld and 75% on combank, but I feel like I'm just kinda guessing on most of these. Sometimes I get it and sometimes I don't. Taking it April 14th, but nervous. Hoping this exam really is as simple as people are making it out to be cause otherwise, this is gonna be a looong day.
Click to expand...

Feeling iffy about management (for boards) sounds like it's par for the course. 70%+ on qbanks sounds like you have a good chance of passing/doing fine.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
workoutDO said:
Feeling iffy about management (for boards) sounds like it's par for the course. 70%+ on qbanks sounds like you have a good chance of passing/doing fine.
Click to expand...
Yeah here is hoping, just the fact this is COMLEX worries me lol who knows what we will find on the actual exam. Really hoping to be done with this test soon. Come 350...
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Got about 75% on Combank, but praying for the 350. My exam was all Zebras. Nothing straight forward. Seems like there’s one version that people got on my test date that was brutal and much harder then previous testing days :(


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dr.TurkandJD said:
Got about 75% on Combank, but praying for the 350. My exam was all Zebras. Nothing straight forward. Seems like there’s one version that people got on my test date that was brutal and much harder then previous testing days :(
Click to expand...

:( hopefully if everyone felt that way it will be okay.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
By far the worst of the three I've taken, well so much for that being the easy one. Come on 350...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
lahvisx said:
By far the worst of the three I've taken, well so much for that being the easy one. Come on 350...
Click to expand...
Felt the same! I talked to many people who had a really easy test. Ours wasn’t like that! Felt like this past few weeks people got really screwed. All zebras and nothing was clear. I’d be devastated to fail at this point of training.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dr.TurkandJD said:
Felt the same! I talked to many people who had a really easy test. Ours wasn’t like that! Felt like this past few weeks people got really screwed. All zebras and nothing was clear. I’d be devastated to fail at this point of training.
Click to expand...

That's exactly how I feel. I didn't think it'd get much worse than Level 1, then this test came. Everyone told me that this exam was fairly simple and straightforward. This exam was weird OB and pediatrics. OMM was difficult. Felt like it was essentially everything I was weaker in and not covered in COMBANK. I'm really worried I failed as well. And if this is what the new level 3 is like, I really don't know if I'll be able to take it again...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
lahvisx said:
That's exactly how I feel. I didn't think it'd get much worse than Level 1, then this test came. Everyone told me that this exam was fairly simple and straightforward. This exam was weird OB and pediatrics. OMM was difficult. Felt like it was essentially everything I was weaker in and not covered in COMBANK. I'm really worried I failed as well. And if this is what the new level 3 is like, I really don't know if I'll be able to take it again...
Click to expand...

Right! High yield on Combank was no where near to be found on this test. Just upsetting that the discrepancy between our test and people who took it past few months was so big.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dr.TurkandJD said:
Right! High yield on Combank was no where near to be found on this test. Just upsetting that the discrepancy between our test and people who took it past few months was so big.
Click to expand...

The only reason why I had a vague guess for any of these was because I did UWorld 1x in the beginning of my studying. And honestly I'm not even really sure I remembered the concept correctly when I applied it since I only did Uworld once. This test felt more like Uworld than combank. With comlex style questions.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It sucks to have the feeling that you got a tougher test than your peers from previous exams. Hopefully the curve will be generous and it will all "work out" at the end.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
workoutDO said:
It sucks to have the feeling that you got a tougher test than your peers from previous exams. Hopefully the curve will be generous and it will all "work out" at the end.
Click to expand...
It truly does feel terrible. I don't understand how COMLEX does this... I feel like for every Level there is an "easy" and "hard" versions.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Congrats guys! Here's hoping for similar news in May...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
Took the last one-day level 3 exam today! Glad to be done with boards! Is it bad that I walked out not caring about my score?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I’m like freaking out. That test was nothing like COMBANK at all, I took it on the last day. I was pressed for time at the end and couldn’t complete the clinical cases, I only got through 4-5 out of 9. I really hope I didn’t fail
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
smg45cal said:
I’m like freaking out. That test was nothing like COMBANK at all, I took it on the last day. I was pressed for time at the end and couldn’t complete the clinical cases, I only got through 4-5 out of 9. I really hope I didn’t fail
Click to expand...

Most of us felt the same! Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I read on the USMLE stepIII thread that the test contains a significant number of biostat questions. Almost everyone stated that they used UW biostat Qbank to prep. Does this also apply to level III?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Failed COMLEX Level 3
Replies
3
Views
2K
struggling_resident
S
D
Comlex 3 results today 10/12/23
Replies
0
Views
1K
dial1010usa
D
Q
  • Question
COMLEX Level 3
Replies
1
Views
4K
dial1010usa
D
F
  • Question
COMLEX III Fail
Replies
1
Views
2K
conquerDat
C
d-dimer
  • Question
Uworld Self Assessment for COMLEX III?
Replies
0
Views
631
d-dimer
d-dimer
Top