COMLEX And USMLE

[jimmmmyi]

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Do most osteopathic students take both comlex AND usmle? If so, how do you find time to study for both? Is it a very difficult task to attack both tests AND score well?

thanks!

 

[cyclohexanol]

Do most osteopathic students take both comlex AND usmle? If so, how do you find time to study for both? Is it a very difficult task to attack both tests AND score well?

thanks!

DO students are required to take the COMLEX, many choose to also take the USMLE. Most also just study for the USMLE, take it, then study the OMM junk for the COMLEX and take it a couple days afterwards.

It's a difficult task to score well on either test, but it isn't additionally difficult to score well taking both.

 

[DragonWell]

This link might get you started http://share.studentdoctor.net/do/comlex.asp

Given that the pass rate on the USMLE for 1st time osteopathic testers in 2006 was 77%, I'd say it is pretty difficult to do well on both. (Link)

I haven't been able to find the overall COMLEX pass stat for the same year, but I am sure it's higher than 77%. Most schools that release this info seem to have COMLEX pass rates in the high 90's. Part of this might reflect USMLE being a more difficult test, part may reflect a slightly different focus in osteopathic curricula.

Whether it will be advantageous to take both depends on a lot of variables; a couple that come to mind are specialty desired and geographic region you'd like to live in.

 

[RajMahal]

USMLE is harder than COMLEX, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The numbers support this assertion. Also, most osteopathic curricula do not prepare you well for the USMLE. I personally didn't really give a s**t about doing well in classes while a medical student. I used to skip class, and played a TON of mariokart. I spent my time wisely, studying for the USMLE. I read a lot of Robbin's, and a whole lot of board review books (Kaplan q-bank, USMLEworld q-bank, Step-Up, first-aid, and the majority of the BRS books, as well as several buzzwords audio CD's.)

If you can pass the more difficult test, the easier one should be no problem, right? i.e. if you're going to run both a 5K and 10K race, are you going to train for the 5K and then wonder why you struggled with the 10k? Of course not, you'll train for the 10 and smoke the 5.

I would recommend using some of your vacation time to study for USMLE. I did, and it served me well.

You will be viewed as more of an equal to MD applicants if you have taken the USMLE and done well on it.

 

[schrute]

USMLE is harder than COMLEX, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The numbers support this assertion. Also, most osteopathic curricula do not prepare you well for the USMLE. I personally didn't really give a s**t about doing well in classes while a medical student. I used to skip class, and played a TON of mariokart. I spent my time wisely, studying for the USMLE. I read a lot of Robbin's, and a whole lot of board review books (Kaplan q-bank, USMLEworld q-bank, Step-Up, first-aid, and the majority of the BRS books, as well as several buzzwords audio CD's.)

If you can pass the more difficult test, the easier one should be no problem, right? i.e. if you're going to run both a 5K and 10K race, are you going to train for the 5K and then wonder why you struggled with the 10k? Of course not, you'll train for the 10 and smoke the 5.

I would recommend using some of your vacation time to study for USMLE. I did, and it served me well.

You will be viewed as more of an equal to MD applicants if you have taken the USMLE and done well on it.

Ditto what Raj said. COMLEX was a joke, USMLE was quite difficult, but it also depends on what you want to do. FP, peds, psyche...most primary care fields...don't bother. Most everything else, it wouldn't hurt. But then again, it depends on the program / part of the country / what match you want to enter (eg. if you're doing ortho, you're MUCH more likely to match osteopathic, so why bother taking the USMLE...a smoking high score is no guarantee for interviews).

Having taken both, I don't have any idea how many residency interviews I would have gotten had I only taken the COMLEX, and I'm doing path...there aren't any DO path residencies, so all the programs were large university settings.

 

[Kappy1]

In order to be a fellow of MD Organizations do you need to take the USMLE? For example, if I would want to be a Pediatric Cardiologist to become a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cardiology would I need to take the USMLE? or if I get accepted into a allopathic fellowship from a dually accredited residency ( which would mean I only took the comlex) would I still be able to become a follow of both organiztions?

 

[polygonal]

I disagree. I think the USMLE is a better written test than the COMLEX, but I did not think it was more difficult. I took step 1 and 2 of each.

Also, if you are applying to allopathic residency spots, I think taking the USMLE is important. The scores are completely different, not interchangeable, and the VAST majority of allopathic programs directors cannot (understandably) compare you apples to apples with the MD candidates. I know for a fact I got several more interviews when I applied due to my USMLE scores.

Having said all that, the USMLE is a slightly different test and if you take it you better study more of the stuff they emphasize (molecular, biochem, genetics).

 

[polygonal]

In order to be a fellow of MD Organizations do you need to take the USMLE?

No.

 

[Phallacious]

USMLE is inferior because it has no sacral or cranial questions.

 

[novado]

Statistically speaking, more DO's do the allo match than the DO match. If you decide a year later you want something competitive or a competitive location, many doors will not be open to you if you do not take the USMLE. I know many people with even higher COMLEX scores than I who could not get any interviews in the same competitive specialty that I did. The only difference btwn the 2 of us, I took the USMLE. Take the USMLE, and do well on it. It is well worth the money.

 

[DrWBD]

In order to be a fellow of MD Organizations do you need to take the USMLE?

No.

For example, if I would want to be a Pediatric Cardiologist to become a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cardiology would I need to take the USMLE?

No.

or if I get accepted into a allopathic fellowship from a dually accredited residency ( which would mean I only took the comlex) would I still be able to become a follow of both organiztions?

Yes.

😀

 

[Dr JPH]

Take the USMLE if you plan on applying to ANY allopathic residencies.

 

[bobo]

Take the USMLE if you plan on applying to ANY allopathic residencies.

I wouldn't quite go that far but USMLE is best for applying to allopathic residencies that are anything above non competitive.

 

[JonnyG]

I wouldn't quite go that far but USMLE is best for applying to allopathic residencies that are anything above non competitive.

there are always competitive programs in non competitive specialties. The two aggrevations for taking the USMLE was the extra money and the extra test day. Studying wasn't any different.

The nice thing was the countless people who said I was smart for taking both.

 

[schrute]

there are always competitive programs in non competitive specialties. The two aggrevations for taking the USMLE was the extra money and the extra test day. Studying wasn't any different.

The nice thing was the countless people who said I was smart for taking both.

I disagree in that studying wasn't any different. It was quite different: step 1 had lots of biochem, neuroanatomy, some stats, more involved questions; step 2 was much more thinking...comlex 2 was just a bunch of random memorization questions, very clinical; usmle was MUCH more in depth.

 

[JonnyG]

I disagree in that studying wasn't any different. It was quite different: step 1 had lots of biochem, neuroanatomy, some stats, more involved questions; step 2 was much more thinking...comlex 2 was just a bunch of random memorization questions, very clinical; usmle was MUCH more in depth.

I was only talking about the step 1 and first aid covered me. I studied for the usmle and just added saverese. Thats why the studying wasnt any different i didnt have to shift focus at all. The biochem in first aid was more than enough to cover mee.

 

[RockfordWF]

Do most osteopathic students take both comlex AND usmle? If so, how do you find time to study for both? Is it a very difficult task to attack both tests AND score well?

thanks!

The only thing you study differently is using Savarese for the OMM portion. That can be done in 1-2 days.

 

[bravotwozero]

is all of first year material (i.e. biochem, anatomy, histo, biochem, micro) on both board exams?

I'm finished with all of the aforementioned courses (except micro), and I was wondering if it would be useful to periodically keep reviewing the material, so it remains fresh in my head when I'm about to take the boards. Is it?

 

[cyclohexanol]

is all of first year material (i.e. biochem, anatomy, histo, biochem, micro) on both board exams?

I'm finished with all of the aforementioned courses (except micro), and I was wondering if it would be useful to periodically keep reviewing the material, so it remains fresh in my head when I'm about to take the boards. Is it?

Yes, all 1st and 2nd year material are on both board exams. Yes it is useful to periodically keep reviewing material. 👍

 

[bth7]

Do most osteopathic students take both comlex AND usmle? If so, how do you find time to study for both? Is it a very difficult task to attack both tests AND score well?

thanks!

Pretty good paper tackling the first question.
Osteopathic Medical Students and the Allopathic Licensing
Examination

Apparently, the percentage of D.O. students taking USMLE is on the rise, now at around 50%.

Studying for USMLE is studying for COMLEX. The extra OMM material on COMLEX can be covered in one day at most. In my opinion, COMLEX is easier than USMLE, but also more random in what it emphasizes. COMLEX is a bit more clinical, and USMLE is a bit more basic sciences. But in my opinion, the difference is negligible.

I took COMLEX first, as a warm up. I wanted to put all my energy into scoring as high as I possibly could on USMLE.

bth