COMLEX II Finished!

[smgilles]

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[NKMU]

I plan on bare minimum OMT/M studying d/t taking USMLE the day before COMLEX. Are the OMT/M questions similar in scope and difficulty to those on STEP I? I plan on just reading through Savarese quickly again, paying the most attention in chapter 10 (the cord level chapter?).

 

[smgilles]

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[Ratch]

yeah, it was a very fast test for sure (took it today)

i had tons of neuro on mine, and the OMM was indeed very reasonable (i actually looked forward to it for the first time ever)

i think people should do fine on this, its a bit more straightforward than stepI although just as poorly written

 

[VJWDO]

Totally agree with Ratch. Step 1 was more difficult and I felt really comfortable with all of the concepts tested on step 2. Now how those concepts were presented was completely BS, but that is COMLEX for you. I swear half the time I feel like I am working a logic puzzle:

If Jan sat next to Bob,
And Bob sat next to Joe,
Then how long did it take for Dick to get to the party?

Who the hell knows??

Oh well glad it is over. OMT was definitely minimal and easy. I had a lot of OB/GYN and a fair amount of neuro (Epidural Hematoma pics three times!!!! )
Good luck to everyone else and hopefully I will feel this good when the scores come back!!

VJWDO

 

[lama]

hey guys congrats!

I take it tomorrow. Two questions... First, was there any cranial (of significant difficulty) and second, was that damn small pox vaccine picture on there again? just asking...

peace.

 

[VJWDO]

I had maybe three cranial Q's on the whole thing. I had a ton of hip and thoracic, go figure! Only one full out sacrum Q.

 

[s42brown]

Glad that things over. Overall not bad

Whats up with the medical-legal questions give me a break.

 

[smgilles]

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[ameier14]

What is the breakdown of the test (total # of q's, # in a block) and how many breaks do we get? Couldn't find it on the nbome website.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mcfly]

not a hard test. OMM is very basic in the exam. very....very poor case presentations with little info in order for you to make a educated decision on what is going on. Not sure who makes this exam up.......but medical education has come along way since some of these questions. Some images would not show up which were needed to answers the 2-3 questions. IN addition...vitals and PE would be helpful in my determining if the case is an emergency or not.......

 

[mcfly]

In addition.........ethical questions were the most poorly written questions onthe exam(which is saying alot). the ethical/med legal questions raised more questions than you were to answer. a little proof reading would have seen this.

 

[DOapplicant]

vitals mcfly?

doc, now you're just asking too much. i mean who considers bp, temp in differentials.

congrats to all that just took it. i still have a couple of weeks to go.

 

[sophiejane]

wow...so, I was thinking of doing a little last minute review tonight but after hearing your comments I might do just as well to go out for a beer, and get a good night's sleep.

Should be good times. Kind of like those Q's on the OBGYN shelf that basically said, young woman comes in with discharge. No other info, no smell or color or microscopic exam. What does she have? Then they list all the usual subjects. Love that.

I HATE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

over, soon....over,soon....


I'm going to get a beer.

 

[jon62781]

I am taking mine in about 15 hours.....

My game plan for tonight is a Flexaril in one hand and an ICE COLD SPATEN OCTOBERFEST IN THE OTHER!!!!


Good Luck All!!!

Jon

 

[smgilles]

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[sophiejane]

I am taking mine in about 15 hours.....

My game plan for tonight is a Flexaril in one hand and an ICE COLD SPATEN OCTOBERFEST IN THE OTHER!!!!

Come to think of it, I do have some little goodies left over in the medicine cabinet from that "back strain" I had a few months ago...

...but I think I might wash mine down with a Real Ale Full Moon Pale Rye...

 

[NKMU]

I am taking mine in about 15 hours.....

My game plan for tonight is a Flexaril in one hand and an ICE COLD SPATEN OCTOBERFEST IN THE OTHER!!!!


Good Luck All!!!

Jon

Spaten Oktoberfest is a good one. Try the Optimator for maximal effect!

 

[melvin]

Hey Guys,
Just finished COMLEX Step 2. I agree with the above posters that the questions were easy, but not representative of what we learn in Medical school. The OMM questions were fair, though a couple were very poorly worded. It is a test of endurance, stay focused toward the end when you start to get tired. As far as the ethics questions go, in the real world we will never make abrupt decisions like the answers require us to do, instead we will be contacting the ethics committee and lawyers for the hospital whenever in doubt. USMLEWorld had much tougher and better questions without a doubt. I do, however, respectfully disagree that you can't study for the exam. Obviously the best thing to do is study during your rotations, but a couple of weeks of USMLEworld and Boards and Wards will pay off.

Congrats You Back Crackers,
Melvin

 

[jon62781]

Just finished!!!

That sucked donger!!!!!!

So, for all of you slackers who havent taken it yet, I firmly disagree with Melvin...... There is no way to study for this!!

Just take your dartboard with ABCDE on there and a dart.....
I hope noone gets tendonitis from this testing procedures like I did!

And one more small FYI- A Flexeril + A Spaten = 9 hours of GREAT SLEEP!

 

[ElZorro]

My experience was quite different. I really didn't think the questions were that bad. I did think that unlike USMLE, there were many 1st order questions. USMLE felt to me at times like a really complex exam, with very long question stems and miles of lab results to sort through. On COMLEX, they told you the results for most of the labs just qualitatively, i.e. high/low, nl. This was nice, not like the real world, but really made things easier. I am curious as to how they are going to stratify people effectively with such a simple exam. I don't say that to seem arrogant or anything, its just that this test was all fact in my opinion. Very little multistep thinking was involved, which is typically what testmakers use to stratify canidates. I actually thought the format of the test was better than USMLE in terms of display, and opening exhibits, so forth. All in all, I would say that AOA has done quite an improvement to the paper versions, they should probably just incorporate some more complex questions.

 

[BadVB750]

Does anyone know how long it will take to get our scores?

 

[HoodyHoo]

All I know is the NBOME question writers either all have Down's or no clue of what we learn in medical school. Again, probably 350/400 poorly worded questions with ambigious signs and symptoms. I can't believe they can even suggest that the COMLEX is anywhere close to being comparable to the USMLE. The USMLE II was such a dream compared to this exam.

The OMM was the best part of the exam...I guess it's difficult to ask it in a completely bassackwards way.

It was the usual set up of questions...lots of softballs, some attempts to make 2nd-3rd order questions, but the questions are missing the necessary information to really lead you in one direction or the next. I even found myself laughing out loud at some of their questions.

Very short questions stems too. I started at 9am and was done by 2pm, with a 40 minute lunch break.

If you have questions, let them fly....hopefully I will calm down after a few others chime in who took it today.

Go hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! u go 2 DMU??? i'm a hawkeye.

 

[smgilles]

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[SexPanther]

I love the anger! I'll be with you come August 24th. I just talked to a buddy who took it today and the f-bomb was dropped about 30 times in 4 minutes. We all know that COMLEX is bogus, but can we do anything about it?

I propose that we start a massive petition to use the USMLE as our standardized test (which definitely is better written and tests medical knowledge) with the addition of an OMM module at the end if we must continue to show how "unique" we are.

What does everyone else think?

 

[Atlas]

What kinda peds was on it?

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

[

 

[kpax18]

anyone thinks the nbome released practice bookelt helped at all?

 

[jon62781]

anyone thinks the nbome released practice bookelt helped at all?

Not at All!!!!

I did the 100 questions a day before and rocked them....

Then the real test came and I felt like they were speakin spanish

 

[sophiejane]

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[sophiejane]

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[San_Juan_Sun]

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[jon62781]

Yeah, we must have. I had a bunch of EMTALA and the cervical mucus question too.

The EKGs weren't too bad, but the CXRs were awful.

I had alot of those too...... the freaking cervical mucous?? I literally spent 15 minutes (fast test taker.... I had the time!) going, well hell, if I were cervical mucous, what would I be like around ovulation....

RIDICULOUS

Did anyone else have a cranial question?? Under the comments i just put "Seriously??"

I did however rip them a new A-hole at the end of the test. The "bastid" sucked and I wish i coulda brought my dartboard.... OR MY GERMAN BEER. Either way, I woulda had a better chance at doing well.

 

[sophiejane]

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[smgilles]

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[s42brown]

 

[raspberry swirl]

i had the cervical mucous question too ...
i went nuts in the comment boxes. i think i had a negative comment for about every 3rd question. that better not affect my score ... i agree with all the other stuff people have said - everything was super vague. no vitals, no labs, nada. i used step up to medicine, usmleworld and boards and wards, and i felt like i completely wasted my time. i think i would have done the same without any studying at all.

my question is ... according to the nbome website, a 400 is still required for passing, although we only had 400 questions- how exactly is that going to work? anyone?

 

[s42brown]

You have to get 100% to pass, I hope you didn't miss one!

 

[melvin]

We can complain about the test and rightfully so, but come on, it was a pretty easy exam. I personally thought the cervical mucous was a fair question, there were much worse questions, but none were as silly as the male pattern baldness question on step 1..Ain't that right ATLAS!!!

For those who haven't taken it yet, its a very easy exam. Much easier than step 1. Poorly worded questions are the ones that stick in our heads when we leave the exam and we forget about all the gimmes. Think back, there were a ton of very simple questions.

Glad that sucker is done,
Melvin

 

[s42brown]

I think its bad form to be saying it was an easy test for all of those that will follow us. Yeah there were a good number of gimmes but I feel it went well after 3.5 weeks of preparation. Maybe you think it was easy to just pass the test but putting up high numbers takes some work. Was it better than step I, yes. Was it easier, yes. But I would definitely recommend putting in a few weeks of solid preparation to maximize your score.

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

I think its bad form to be saying it was an easy test for all of those that will follow us.

I agree, and would add that it's a bit premature to call it an "easy test" until scores come back.

 

[smgilles]

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[sophiejane]

I agree, and would add that it's a bit premature to call it an "easy test" until scores come back.

I think it's just that there are a lot of first and second order questions. Of course if you don't remember the answer, there really is no reasoning through the question--you either know it or you don't. That's why I disagree with people who say you can't study for it. You can and you should. But a fair amount of the test (not a majority, but a good chunk) is not stuff that the USMLE review books focus on.

And since there are no Step 2 COMLEX review books (which I feel is totally wrong, since there are so many for USMLE), we all study from the USMLE books, then on the COMLEX, we're like, "Where the hell did THAT come from??"

I think that many of us who took the USMLE first feel that in comparison, it was a more basic test. Again, the knowledge base you need to have for both tests is huge, and things can and do fall through the cracks.

All I can say for those who haven't taken it yet, is that soon you will know what we mean. Just because there were easy questions doesn't mean I (or anyone else) got them all right. I expect to have a similar score to my Step I, which was above average but not stellar. I know I forgot some really dumb stuff. But the point is, you don't have to do a lot of higher level reasoning on the COMLEX.

 

[Atlas]

We can complain about the test and rightfully so, but come on, it was a pretty easy exam. I personally thought the cervical mucous was a fair question, there were much worse questions, but none were as silly as the male pattern baldness question on step 1..Ain't that right ATLAS!!!

For those who haven't taken it yet, its a very easy exam. Much easier than step 1. Poorly worded questions are the ones that stick in our heads when we leave the exam and we forget about all the gimmes. Think back, there were a ton of very simple questions.

Glad that sucker is done,
Melvin

Oh man! I can't believe you remembered that I missed that! That question was BS anyways! I still can't get over the fact that I missed that!

 

[melvin]

You guys are right, perhaps I shouldn't say it was easy as to not make people feel bad who might not do well on it, but people's self worth should not be dependent on some stranger who makes a post on this forum. Do any of you honestly think someone will say "Melvin said it was easy, so I won't study" or "Melvin said it was easy and I failed, now I feel bad" If they do then I do not feel bad for them. I stand by my point that it was easy in the sense that 95 percent of people should pass the exam.

Melvin

 

[Sanchik]

can u guys list some books/question sources that u found helpful? i have 3 weeks to study for the exam.

 

[Ratch]

crush
swansons family practice
savarese
blueprints peds and ob (first 10 chapters in each are probably most relevant)
then some sort of Q-book

 

[Sanchik]

thanx, i have heard that swansons might be helpful b/c it is a "primary care" type test. anyone else use it?

 

[Atlas]

You guys are right, perhaps I shouldn't say it was easy as to not make people feel bad who might not do well on it, but people's self worth should not be dependent on some stranger who makes a post on this forum. Do any of you honestly think someone will say "Melvin said it was easy, so I won't study" or "Melvin said it was easy and I failed, now I feel bad" If they do then I do not feel bad for them. I stand by my point that it was easy in the sense that 95 percent of people should pass the exam.

Melvin

Dude, if I fail I'm totally blaming it on you!

 

[Induc(junc)tion]

Anyone find MKSAP useful? What about USMLE World?