Comlex Faq

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passthebiscuits

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Thought I'd post a few bullet points of my suggestions for studying for the COMLEX exams. Feel free to add to them if you'd like.

COMLEX I Do First Aid and know it cold. Make sure you know and understand your autonomics. Spend extra time with OB/GYN. Microbiology made ridiculously Simple is terrific if you're unsure of the topic. Kaplan notes are also very good. With any extra time do questions/questions/questions.
The test is harder than anticipated, so take it seriously and make sure to cover all of the areas-but when crunched for time, do questions. Study for 3 months.

COMLEX II Do Secrets or Crush. Then add Blueprints for OB/GYN. Spend some time remembering "best test to order next." IN Savaresse, spend time with sympathetics/parasympathetics. Then toss the rest and do USMLEworld. The questions there are much harder than Comlex, so make sure you pay attention to the intent of the question. The NBOME makes practice tests that are good to take also. In the end, step 2 is pretty random and focused on primary care. Boards and Wards can help supplement, but there is no real way to study other than questions.
Questions are much better than step 1, but still random enough to fail if you don't study for 3-4 wks.

COMLEX PE Don't be a jerk! Talk to your patients, look them in the eye. Offer comforting words when they ask you, "AM i gonna dye, doc?" Don't say "yes, good luck with that." Drape your patient. Remember the basics. LIQORSAAA--location, intensity, quality, onset, setting, alleviating/aggrevating, associated symptoms. Then meds, allergies, social, and past history. Everyone gets their heart and lungs checked in the same way--so spend some time with the basics!!!! Then you can add all that extra stuff you spent hours learning in how to be a doctor lab. Again, don't be a tool--practice writing a few soap notes very fast and calm the freak down! Also, dress like you know what you are doing. If you go in with a pair of pants that look like you're ready for south beach--don't examine me either!!! Study for 1-2 days.

COMLEX III Review the same as for COMLEX II and then pray. If crunched for time, pray some more. Study for 3 decades to make sure you pass.

Hope this helps!
 
passthebiscuits said:
COMLEX III Review the same as for COMLEX II and then pray. If crunched for time, pray some more. Study for 3 decades to make sure you pass.

Hope this helps!

Dang, 3 decades of studying is going to have me pushing up daisies! How about if I study for 2.5 decades?


Wook
 
I don't know if 2.5 will cut it... Maybe you can marry in to money... 😉
That thing is a beast of random....good luck to all who prepare for it!










wook said:
Dang, 3 decades of studying is going to have me pushing up daisies! How about if I study for 2.5 decades?


Wook
 
does the comlex 2 written also include the biostats? thx
 
i remember a total of two or three questions on biostats. I wouldn't worry about it--maybe review how to calculate (roughly) the positive pred. value, neg. pred. value etc. for the exam...the basics and move on.
 
For step 3, don't study, because none of the things in the review books are on the exam. I think the main way to pass step 3 is to pray! And hope you learned enough in your internship year to pull out a passing grade!
 
I agree folks, unfortunately. Step 3 is a crap shoot.
Maybe really brush up on BandW is my best thought.
 
DrMom said:
that's not very encouraging, DOtobe. I've personally run into 2 people who did just fine on steps 1/2 and then failed step 3. I have to admit that I'm concerned.

I am a little concerned too. It is like I know I need to study something but the concensus (sp?) is that there is nothing to study that will help you prepare for the impending step 3 comlexplosion.
 
DOtobe said:
For step 3, don't study, because none of the things in the review books are on the exam. I think the main way to pass step 3 is to pray!

Haha...I'm agnostic...but I prayed for the first time in years right before I took the COMLEX (for the 2nd time).

Dear God, I know that I normally don't pray to you or are even sure if you exist, but there's this horrible, horrible thing called the COMLEX, and I was wondering if you could.......

It went something like that.
 
DrMom said:
I don't think I had any biostats questions at all on Step 1 or 2.

Weird, cuz when I took it a few months ago (and failed), there were a ton of biostats questions. So, of course, I study tons of biostats...knew stuff I never knew in med school. Took the test again yesterday....ZERO biostats questions.

This thing is a beast.
 
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