COMLEX 1 Experiences

[Buster Douglas]

Wow... that last packet sucked.

Just glad it's over.

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[rupsport]

Okay, so having read all these replies at length and with a little over a month left to study for this beast, I know I'm asking a lot out of all of you, but what should the study priorities be? If Qbank ain't getting it done, what's next? Kaplan books? yay or nay? Path/Physio review books? I just need opinions. I'm pretty much happy with Savarese for any and all OMM that is relevant will be covered. Any other thoughts. Best of luck to y'all and thanks for your input.

 

[osteomedo09]

Were the questions from NBOME like the one on the real exam? I'm thinking of getting it.

Thanks

 

[TrumpsMom]

Were the questions from NBOME like the one on the real exam? I'm thinking of getting it.

Thanks

I thought the NBOME exams were excellent! They are simply questions from their bank of questions that aren't being used anymore . . . . but they are VERY similar to the questions that are.

And they are great practice. I think the more questions you do, the more relaxed you will be during the exam.

Good luck to all of you taking the COMLEX in the next few weeks!

And Richie, if you want to BORROW Simmons, then just let me know. Just as long as I get it back before you leave for rotations. And thanks for your good wishes.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

I appreciate the offer TrumpsMom. They sell Simmons here at the WVSOM bookstore so I will probably pick it up when I sell back my Moore and Dalley Anatomy book and my high yield pharmacology for store credit. I'll pick that up along with the Scut Monkey manual for rotations. 8)

As for board review, I've been through all of the systems twice now. I still have to review my radiology and path slides. I should probably glance over psych again though... Does First-Aid's psych section cut it for psych?

Thanks again,
Richie

 

[TrumpsMom]

I appreciate the offer TrumpsMom. They sell Simmons here at the WVSOM bookstore so I will probably pick it up when I sell back my Moore and Dalley Anatomy book and my high yield pharmacology for store credit. I'll pick that up along with the Scut Monkey manual for rotations. 8)

As for board review, I've been through all of the systems twice now. I still have to review my radiology and path slides. I should probably glance over psych again though... Does First-Aid's psych section cut it for psych?

Thanks again,
Richie

Just be sure you know your psych pharm and you'll be fine with no more than the First Aid. At least you will if your test is similar to mine. Remember, there are a ton of questions that they can pick from!

 

[beastmaster]

NBOME COMLEX exams that you can purchase

What exactly can be purchased from the NBOME?

They used to have a PDF file available on their website with 100 sample questions. Now they offer some "booklets" for sale, is it this same thing or is extra stuff added?

 

[TrumpsMom]

What exactly can be purchased from the NBOME?

They used to have a PDF file available on their website with 100 sample questions. Now they offer some "booklets" for sale, is it this same thing or is extra stuff added?

The "booklets" are actually 200 question exams that were previously used. They give you a scantron sheet to fill in and a page with the answers, but no explanations.

Personally I found them great for helping me get used to the style questions that they ask.

 

[HoodyHoo]

The "booklets" are actually 200 question exams that were previously used. They give you a scantron sheet to fill in and a page with the answers, but no explanations.

Personally I found them great for helping me get used to the style questions that they ask.

There's just one you can buy correct? anyone have any idea from people that have taken the test in the past what kind of comlex qbank score equates to passing the real deal??

 

[jlc060]

How was the biochem . . .I am doing horrible in biochem on the Qbank I think a monkey pushing buttons could have a higher score . . . I heard it is really low yield any recommendation out there

 

[HoodyHoo]

Anyone take the Kaplan 220 question post test and think it was hard as Shhhhh.............I think I did worse on the post-test than the pre-test.

 

[deleted9493]

I really wouldn't spend any time studying biochem for comlex. I took it today and had one ganglioside question and nothing else that couldn't be known by having your other subjects down.

Psych. drugs were huge, know your bacterial identification algorithms well, and don't get bent out of shape about OMM...I'm horrible at it and felt confident about 90% of the questions--the first half of Savarese should nail it down for you. Leukemias and blood gases/compensations all seemed to be pretty high yield today, too.

 

[surrender903]

i hope to hear from more people!
i wish you all the best success!

 

[velvethead]

Took it today. One straight up biochem question. Very straightforward OMM, lots of viscerosomatics, a few sacrum, a few random musculoskeletal/orthopedic questions that I'm not sure if they were in Savarese or not (didn't study that stuff given my background as a PT).

Path questions were straightforward and fair. Exhibits were terrible.

They had one question that showed a 2nd degree, Mobitz I AV block. One of the answer choices was Mobitz I. Another choice was Wenkebach. I was like ???? - all I could do was pick one and write a comment. Hope they read those things.

Lots of psych drugs. Know what antibiotics to treat common infections (UTI, STD, pneumonia, etc). Know their mechanism and whether they are bactericidal/static. Know your bacteria, fungi, viruses well (pure epidemiology is good enough to get you the right answer most of the time without even looking at the exhibit or reading the information about the culture/gram stain). I guess I'm saying there was quite a bit of micro.

There was a matching section that was STRAIGHT out of COMLEX Qbank.

I also had quite a few anti-neoplastic drugs, both mechanism and side effect.

Only had 1-2 questions that I had absolutely no idea, but after looking them up tonight, looks like I guessed correctly. Good luck everyone.

 

[JayZee]

thanks for your input! congrats!

 

[ryoga28]

This is pretty accurate. THe new comlex seemed a lot more clinical than the previous written format.

Took it today. One straight up biochem question. Very straightforward OMM, lots of viscerosomatics, a few sacrum, a few random musculoskeletal/orthopedic questions that I'm not sure if they were in Savarese or not (didn't study that stuff given my background as a PT).

Path questions were straightforward and fair. Exhibits were terrible.

They had one question that showed a 2nd degree, Mobitz I AV block. One of the answer choices was Mobitz I. Another choice was Wenkebach. I was like ???? - all I could do was pick one and write a comment. Hope they read those things.

Lots of psych drugs. Know what antibiotics to treat common infections (UTI, STD, pneumonia, etc). Know their mechanism and whether they are bactericidal/static. Know your bacteria, fungi, viruses well (pure epidemiology is good enough to get you the right answer most of the time without even looking at the exhibit or reading the information about the culture/gram stain). I guess I'm saying there was quite a bit of micro.

There was a matching section that was STRAIGHT out of COMLEX Qbank.

I also had quite a few anti-neoplastic drugs, both mechanism and side effect.

Only had 1-2 questions that I had absolutely no idea, but after looking them up tonight, looks like I guessed correctly. Good luck everyone.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

I love you all. You have made my evening! Thank you for your feedback

 

[sether52do]

Wooohooo!

All done! That was a long day but very do-able. Keep studying and you all will do fine!

 

[DMBmatty08]

Anyone else have any input/advice to offer?? Thanks.

 

[Angel]

Were there COMLEX questions which required one to do calculations?

 

[Ginkoba4]

I thought the test was stupid, they didn't want a 2nd year med student to take it, they wanted a PDR book to take it!

 

[DMBmatty08]

I thought the test was stupid, they didn't want a 2nd year med student to take it, they wanted a PDR book to take it!

Could you expand on this please? Thanks.

 

[sether52do]

I thought the test was stupid, they didn't want a 2nd year med student to take it, they wanted a PDR book to take it!

I disagree. I thought the pharm, for the most part, was very straightforward and straight out of First Aid/Kaplan.

 

[osteomedo09]

can anyone elaborate on the specific topics that they had, like OMM, pharm, micro, path, and behavioral sciences?

I heard there was a lot of OB/gyn and cranial -- any confirmation?

 

[osteomedo09]

Did anyone use master's to the Comlex and found it helpful?

Thanks

 

[raptor5]

Was the COMLEX Pharm comparable to QBank Pharm?

 

[AmaurosisFugax]

Was there any cranial on the exam? Because some of my schoolmates said that cranial was being removed. I didn't know whether to believe them, though....

 

[JayZee]

bump

 

[deleted9493]

I had 4-5 cranial questions. OMM should really be viewed as an opportunity to bag some very easy points. I know the theories can be somewhat abstract but relative to the rest of the exam, it's a subject you can master relatively easily (using your favorite OMM board review book) in a short period of time and be almost guaranteed an extraordinarily high percentage of correct answers. I used the first half of Savarese and I dare say that there wasn't one question that was, by God's grace, foreign to me.

 

[HoodyHoo]

If anyone is willing.......could you please list your COMLEX qbank average and also how you felt coming out of this test....in other words do you think the qbank helped and your average was representative of how well you may do on the real thing?

 

[BklynWill]

If anyone is willing.......could you please list your COMLEX qbank average and also how you felt coming out of this test....in other words do you think the qbank helped and your average was representative of how well you may do on the real thing?

Not sure how relevant this is but I practiced with the USMLE Qbank and supplemented OMM, and was averaging about 75% before COMLEX. I thought the actual COMLEX exam was more straightforward and I felt good after coming out of it. Have others had the same experience?

 

[jawicobike]

Did any of you find the test to be heavy on OB/Gyn?

 

[stochastic]

Since there are now only 400 questions (versus 800 in years past), about how many OMM questions are there? Can anyone that has taken it comment?

Thanks.

 

[DOctorJay]

Savarese OMT questions helpful/representative for the real thing???

 

[DMBmatty08]

Since there are now only 400 questions (versus 800 in years past), about how many OMM questions are there? Can anyone that has taken it comment?

Thanks.

We were told by our instructor that out of the 400 questions, about 80 of them are OMM related. 3-5 cranial questions and 1 Chapmans point. Hope this helps.

 

[Shodddy18]

Ok, so I have two weeks left to study before COMLEX I. My question for those of you who have already taken it is.... How did you study, and what would you have done differently now that you are done?

Ive been studying for a while, but last minute advice is always worth it.

 

[JayZee]

test's tomorrow!

 

[humed]

Just want to thank all my fellow osteopathic medical students for sharing
their experiences on the May COMLEX and good luck to all taking it for the June block. I go tommorow and will be soo glad when it is all over

 

[JayZee]

I think this thread should be stickied just like all the USMLE result threads...what do you think?

 

[raidermedic]

I agree, personally I was planning on saying to hell with psych drugs until I read this. This thread may have kept me from failing.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I'm taking it tomorrow!

 

[Shodddy18]

I'm taking it tomorrow!

Good Luck!!!

 

[AmaurosisFugax]

Me 2 OSU and everyone else GL!!

 

[AmaurosisFugax]

Savarese OMT questions helpful/representative for the real thing???

I sure hope so, I could do those all day!

 

[JayZee]

TODAY IS THE DAY! I'll post after the fanTABULOUS experience!

 

[Reborn24]

i'm with you. i thought there was a lot more step 2 type material on there than i was prepared for.

sorry what is the complex for? never heard of it

 

[JayZee]

TODAY IS THE DAY! I'll post after the fanTABULOUS experience!

The deed is done. All I can say is that it was much better than USMLE. I felt like all these weeks I was preparing, I was actually preparing better for COMLEX than for USMLE. I didn't mean for that to happen tho.

Lots of cardio and renal. Lots of psych drugs as aforementioned. The OMM was pretty straightforward.

I had no trouble with time...I was scheduled for 10 but started at 9:15...took my lunch at 12:00 exactly and finished at around 3:30...

We'll just have to watch and wait how I do on both exams...I'm 95% I passed the COMLEX but not so sure I passed the USMLE...

Good luck to you all, I'm off to vegas!

 

[JayZee]

sorry what is the complex for? never heard of it

its COMLEX not COMPLEX.

anyways, its the board exam to be osteopathically board certified...its for the DO schools.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Mine was all GI. Know how OMM can fix GI/GU problems (2 questions on how OMM can cure diarrhea and 2 on how it can cure erectile dysfunction, for example)!

Lots of Psych Meds.

Pharm & Micro for types pneumonia and meningitis.

I'll try to think of some more later....I have a margarita pitcher calling my name.....

P.S. Make sure you don't show up to the test with an expired license. I had to go get a new driver license and started the exam 90 minutes late.

 

[raidermedic]

Mine was OB and Neuro seriously it was like I was back in school taking a section final. Pretty good amount of psych drugs, most were straight forward. The test asked about the same drug 3 times and I picked a different answer every time. (1 out of 3 aint bad I guess). No cancer drugs which was too bad since I went and learned them all.

Lots of Somatovisceral reflexes!

All in all I think it was more straighforward than USMLE. The test must have overgone and overhaul as well because it wasn't the mess that previous class' make it out to be. Especially compared to USMLE.

 

[humed]

I took Level 1 today and I did not leave the test feeling wonderful at all.
I was actually frustrated at all the stuff I wish I had spent more time studying