COMLEX and USMLE?

[GIDO]

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Right now, I am signed up for the COMLEX in 10 days, and the USMLE in 12 days. Up until last weekend, I really only planned on taking COMLEX, but kept my USMLE spot just in case. I took NBME 17 last weekend and got a 225, and today took 16 and got a 225 again. I got a 605 on COMSAE D about a month ago and I am taking C tomorrow. I am torn whether I should take USMLE. I am notoriously a bad standardized exam test taker, so I am sure my grades will only go down from the predicted grades I am getting. I'm not sure if I should go all in for COMLEX (COMBANK/COMQUEST), or try and swing USMLE prep (more focused biochem and biostats and UWORLD) and take the USMLE too. Any thoughts?

 

[Rekt]

Right now, I am signed up for the COMLEX in 10 days, and the USMLE in 12 days. Up until last weekend, I really only planned on taking COMLEX, but kept my USMLE spot just in case. I took NBME 17 last weekend and got a 225, and today took 16 and got a 225 again. I got a 605 on COMSAE D about a month ago and I am taking C tomorrow. I am torn whether I should take USMLE. I am notoriously a bad standardized exam test taker, so I am sure my grades will only go down from the predicted grades I am getting. I'm not sure if I should go all in for COMLEX (COMBANK/COMQUEST), or try and swing USMLE prep (more focused biochem and biostats and UWORLD) and take the USMLE too. Any thoughts?

I think you're in a good spot to take it. Don't set yourself up for failure automatically by saying you're a bad standardized test taker. You just took some standardized tests and did well enough. Take another NBME in a few days and see where you land.

 

[GIDO]

Thank you! I'll have to see. I just took a comsae today and went down by 15 points compared to the one before my dedicated time, which is very disheartening. I think I have to focus on comlex right now.

 

[USMLE_Pro]

Agree with focusing on COMLEX. Would give yourself a bit more time for USMLE prep unless your goal is just to pass. The UW self assessments are best for predicting your scores (in my experience overpredict by up to 10 points from actual on average).

 

[GIDO]

Agree with focusing on COMLEX. Would give yourself a bit more time for USMLE prep unless your goal is just to pass. The UW self assessments are best for predicting your scores (in my experience overpredict by up to 10 points from actual on average).

Thanks for your input!
The only thing is this is my one shot at USMLE. I start rotations the Monday after, so it's either now or never. So, as of right now, it's looking like never haha.

 

[GIDO]

How did C go? Also, why in the world would you nix it if you've gotten a 225 back to back? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Dude above is nuts for thinking that someone is gonna go from mid 220s on the nbmes (notorious for underpredicting, especially for lower than average scores) to barely passing. 😕

I'm still torn about taking it. I flip flop between taking it and not. If I got a 225 on the actual thing, while my goal was to be above average, I'd be happy. I'm just worried come test day, I may not get that 225 again and the 210's kind of scare me. I feel like the USMLE will close more doors if I do poorly than it will open if I do well.

I got a 589 on C today. While I would be thrilled if I got that on the real thing, it just bugs me that it is down from my score before my dedicated. I feel like I am stressing too much about whether or not I should take the USMLE and not focusing as much on COMLEX as I should be. I also haven't been working UWORLD as much as I should have if I were taking USMLE. The biggest problem is that I haven't been planning on taking USMLE, so I have been skimping on studying for the differences between the two exams (biochem and stats, etc.). I wish there was an easy answer.

 

[littleblackbear]

I have the same NBME scores as you and took Step 1 yesterday. I think you should try taking UWSA 2 to see where you stand, because it's allegedly more predictive of your score than the NBMEs. If I hadn't have done well on UWSA 2, I would have cancelled. I planned on taking USMLE from the start though, so I focused more on UWORLD, biochem, and biostats.

The COMSAEs are really weird. I took COMSAE D and C a month apart, and only went up 9 points (whereas in the same time frame, I jumped twice that in NBMEs). I also thought COMSAE C was harder just because it was so vague.

 

[GIDO]

@littleblackbear I wish I had more time to think about USMLE. My COMLEX is on wednesday, so I am solely preparing for that right now. I wish I had time to take the UWSA, but I really need to focus on HY stuff right now. I know it is supposed to be a good predictor, but I don't want to hurt comlex trying to shove usmle in there too. Here's to hoping I don't fall in love with any competitive specialty, or a miracle happens with the merger so COMLEX is fine lol.

 

[littleblackbear]

@littleblackbear I wish I had more time to think about USMLE. My COMLEX is on wednesday, so I am solely preparing for that right now. I wish I had time to take the UWSA, but I really need to focus on HY stuff right now. I know it is supposed to be a good predictor, but I don't want to hurt comlex trying to shove usmle in there too. Here's to hoping I don't fall in love with any competitive specialty, or a miracle happens with the merger so COMLEX is fine lol.

Ah okay, I hadn't realized your COMLEX was so soon! You've been doing well on COMSAEs, I think you'll do great on COMLEX. 🙂
Best of luck!