COMLEX- allopathic residency

[MDpride]

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Hii

Because of my recent neck surgery, I shouldn't be considering NEUROSURGERY as one of my option as per surgeon who performed my operation. I am not sure if it applies to other surgical specialties/General Surgery.

That leaves IM/IM specialties/neuro as my options.

is it worth spending money on USMLE for allopathic IM residencies?

Does anybody has made a list of ALLOPATHIC programs that accept COMLEX?
or know link where such knowledge is available?

I'd like to stay in Georgia or surrounding states.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Just a word to the wise. I wanted to get into general surgery, did a Sub-I at a prestigous hospital, was asked to come to their program and had 2 letters from faculty there. Bottom line was that no one ever told me while I was there that USMLE was required for your application to be considered. Since I had kids to feed, I could not afford to take both the Comlex and Usmle. So when my application got to the secretary level it was trashed and I never got an interview - now I am in family practice. Take both tests if you really want to have a shot at any allopathic program and your geographic choices are limited.

 

[FutureInternist]

TAKE THE USMLE !!!!

No matter what you think you want to do residency in, no matter where you think you want to go, no matter how well you know the program director in your chosen specialty in your preferred location.......TAKE THE USMLE 🙂

 

[tideleonheart]

TAKE THE USMLE !!!!

No matter what you think you want to do residency in, no matter where you think you want to go, no matter how well you know the program director in your chosen specialty in your preferred location.......TAKE THE USMLE 🙂

👍

 

[the1doc]

TAKE THE USMLE !!!!

No matter what you think you want to do residency in, no matter where you think you want to go, no matter how well you know the program director in your chosen specialty in your preferred location.......TAKE THE USMLE 🙂

The Dean of my Osteopathic school went so far as to encourage all of us, via a lengthy email, NOT to take the USMLE...I can't even remeber the silly logic...something along the lines of "If they can't accept you for who you are, then you don't want to be with them anyway." Oh, and "if you do really bad on the USMLE, you will hurt your chances." What a pathetic, defeatist attitude...and this person will likely become President of AOA one day (everything she does is posturing for this position.)

I ignored her advice and landed a spot in a prestigious allopathic anesthesia program. Had I limited myself by only taking the COMLEX, I wouldn't have ended up where I wanted to be geographically, I would have trained in a small osteopathic community program (which I didn't want to do), and I would have been generally bitter that I hadn't taken the USMLE. I can't state strongly enough, TAKE THE USMLE - KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN. Cough the five hundred bucks up for the Step 1, it is absurd to not take it secondary to the cost. In the grand scheme of things, the cost is nothing. Don't find yourself logging onto SDN one day, five years down the road, bitter, jaded, making one third of what you could be, and cursing the dean of your osteopathic medical school because he/she said not to take the USMLE.

You will thank me for it.

 

[Instatewaiter]

TAKE THE USMLE !!!!

No matter what you think you want to do residency in, no matter where you think you want to go, no matter how well you know the program director in your chosen specialty in your preferred location.......TAKE THE USMLE 🙂

The Dean of my Osteopathic school went so far as to encourage all of us, via a lengthy email, NOT to take the USMLE...I can't even remeber the silly logic...something along the lines of "If they can't accept you for who you are, then you don't want to be with them anyway." Oh, and "if you do really bad on the USMLE, you will hurt your chances." What a pathetic, defeatist attitude...and this person will likely become President of AOA one day (everything she does is posturing for this position.)

To the OP, if you want to go to a large academic program and/or are thinking about a fellowship, you should take the USMLE.

Remember though, if you apply to ACGME programs, you have to report all USMLE scores regardless of how you did... so take it seriously.

 

[Hoyas04]

For those of you that took both exams, how did you schedule your tests?

As of right now I am scheduled for the COMLEX on June 3 (Thursday) and have yet to sign up for the USMLE. I was considering taking the USMLE on Monday May 31. Is this enough time between the two tests?

 

[bonesawz]

For those of you that took both exams, how did you schedule your tests?

As of right now I am scheduled for the COMLEX on June 3 (Thursday) and have yet to sign up for the USMLE. I was considering taking the USMLE on Monday May 31. Is this enough time between the two tests?

Only study for the USMLE. Know first aid cold, do USMLE world and read all explanations. If you did fine on your omm exams during the year, I would only spend one day reviewing OMM before the test. I did the usmle first, took the next day off, studied OMM for one day then took the comlex and both scores were good. I used a 14 page omm review our OMM dept put together, it was enough for all the OMM questions.

 

[MDpride]

Only study for the USMLE. Know first aid cold, do USMLE world and read all explanations. If you did fine on your omm exams during the year, I would only spend one day reviewing OMM before the test. I did the usmle first, took the next day off, studied OMM for one day then took the comlex and both scores were good. I used a 14 page omm review our OMM dept put together, it was enough for all the OMM questions.

can u post or email that review?

 

[metalmd06]

can u post or email that review?

I strongly second this notion.

 

[Slevin]

I strongly second this notion.

I concur... I would like to see the review

Thanks

 

[countthestars]

I would also like a peak at this review sheet

 

[IDBasco]

Hell, add me to the list...

 

[Medbear]

I'd like to see this review as well.

 

[TeamZissou]

+1

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Me three - thank you!

 

[Dissected]

Only study for the USMLE. Know first aid cold, do USMLE world and read all explanations. If you did fine on your omm exams during the year, I would only spend one day reviewing OMM before the test. I did the usmle first, took the next day off, studied OMM for one day then took the comlex and both scores were good. I used a 14 page omm review our OMM dept put together, it was enough for all the OMM questions.

What school do you go to?

 

[J1515]

Do not listen to what everyone here is telling you. If you bomb the USMLE it has zero effect on their lives.

Study your hardest with first aid, take the COMLEX obviously. Then do two NBME practice exams and see how you do on them. If you can't break the equivalent of a 215 on them, then DO NOT take the USMLE. You will only be hurting yourself.

 

[IMDoc607]

I agree that taking the USMLE can be very benefical. However, if you plan on applying for the less competitive fields like I am (IM) then you will be ok. My COMLEX alone is suiting me very very well.

 

[nlax30]

I also took both and had a similar test schedule as the shiver poster had.

Basically geared all studying toward USMLE (first aid, goljan, kaplan videos, usmleworld, etc...). Took USMLE on a monday, used the next day to review OMM (using class notes and the green Savarse review book) and then took COMLEX on a Wednesday and did well.

 

[IMDoc607]

I agree you should take the USMLE. I did not for a particular reason, but definitly take it. With that being said, my COMLEX has gotten me a decent amount of interviews at some good programs.


Either way, I do recommend taking it.

 

[deleted212936]

Some people suggested to take only USMLE Step 2, ignore Step 1. Is this a good advice?

 

[gclax30]

Some people suggested to take only USMLE Step 2, ignore Step 1. Is this a good advice?

No, that is terrible advice considering that many allopathic programs (especially the more competitive specialties at the better institutions) often filter out applications based on Step 1 scores. And even if they don't use it as a filter, it will be much easier for them to compare you to the other MD applicants.

I absolutely agree with the above posters that you should take USMLE Step 1. You will NOT regret it. Take it. Rock it out.

 

[deleted212936]

I see... How well do D.O. schools (vs. MD schools) prepare you for the USMLE?

 

[nlax30]

I see... How well do D.O. schools (vs. MD schools) prepare you for the USMLE?

I really don't think it's a matter of the school. Point is, YOU will ultimately be responsible for preparing yourself for the exam. With the exception of OMM it's all the same material being taught at medical schools across the country. And there is WAY too much variability among curriculum styles among individual schools that I don't think there is any general DO vs. MD differences.

At least at my school we were given access to Kaplan's online question bank during 2nd year which included COMLEX and USMLE sections. We were given copies of First Aid which is technically a "USMLE study guide".

Out of my class I think ~40 of us took USMLE step 1 and we all passed, and I "think" we were all above the avg as well.

 

[deleted212936]

If you decide to take the USMLE, do you have to take all the Steps (1-3), and when do you take them?

 

[nascardoc]

If you decide to take the USMLE, do you have to take all the Steps (1-3), and when do you take them?

You do not have to take all 3 steps. Be aware that more and more programs are requiring Step 2 scores to be in when considering you for residency. I am not sure if an osteopathic student applying to an allopathic residency that requires USMLE is required to have both USMLE Step 1 & 2, or just Step 1, along with their COMLEX Step 2. Perhaps someone else can comment on this.

 

[deleted212936]

Usually, MD students take Step 1 after their 2nd year, and Step 2 after 3rd year, right?
But if you're a DO student, do they care when you take the USMLE?

 

[schrute]

...I had kids to feed, I could not afford to take both the Comlex and Usmle.

Oh please.
$500 is not going to put you in the poor house (you're a med student...suck it up and take loans like the rest of us), and $500 was not what came between your failed career in neurosurgery and your reluctant acceptance of FP.

Bottom line: some programs explicitly require USMLE scores. All it takes is a phone call to the program coordinator to find that out.

But even if they say they don't "require" the COMLEX, that in NO way translates into your COMLEX comparing apples-to-apples with the USMLE.

I know from personal experience over several years now, that program coordinators, program directors, etc, have no magical computation that translates your COMLEX into a comparable USMLE.

I'm not saying you have to follow a steadfast rule of either "always take the USMLE" or "never take the USMLE," but err on the side of confident caution, and investigate the programs / fields you're considering before ultimately making that decision.

 

[MSmentor018]

Oh please.
$500 is not going to put you in the poor house (you're a med student...suck it up and take loans like the rest of us), and $500 was not what came between your failed career in neurosurgery and your reluctant acceptance of FP.

Bottom line: some programs explicitly require USMLE scores. All it takes is a phone call to the program coordinator to find that out.

But even if they say they don't "require" the COMLEX, that in NO way translates into your COMLEX comparing apples-to-apples with the USMLE.

I know from personal experience over several years now, that program coordinators, program directors, etc, have no magical computation that translates your COMLEX into a comparable USMLE.

I'm not saying you have to follow a steadfast rule of either "always take the USMLE" or "never take the USMLE," but err on the side of confident caution, and investigate the programs / fields you're considering before ultimately making that decision.

yep, that's true.....if you're entering allopathic medicine, you should take their exam. that's the only way they can equally compare the candidates. I can't remember but there was a good in depth discussion on this.....in EM forum? use the search feature. if i run into it again, I'll post the link