COMLEX II Finished!

[smgilles]

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[sophiejane]

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

Uh, no I didn't read it for COMLEX, but I read it cover to cover on my FM rotation. Didn't help a bit on the shelf, but I like to think I learned something...

 

[wwspeeds]

hey - congrats on finishing those tests. much respect to you guys after discovering comlex is 2 days - brutal.

cheers

ww

 

[HamletDr.Seuss]

Very much in agreement with SexPanther and the need for a change...USMLE plus OMM module

I feel very much let down by my fomal osteopathic education. What I have learned I got on my own, in spite of my school. OMM really was taught to me as an afterthought, unfortunately.
This is not to mention the lack of number and quality of DO residencies (for the most part). And to top it off, we get a test like COMLEX which demonstrates nothing.

There really are some excellent leaders in the DO world, some hard-working, bright students. However, it is time to dump the current regime...they seem incredibly out of touch and in la-la land.


Oh well, we still get to be doctors.

 

[sophiejane]

hey - congrats on finishing those tests. much respect to you guys after discovering comlex is 2 days - brutal.

cheers

ww

Thanks!

But thankfully, COMLEX 2 is now just one day and on computer. My class was the last to take COMLEX 1 old school style--two solid days of coloring in circles...

 

[sophiejane]

Very much in agreement with SexPanther and the need for a change...USMLE plus OMM module

I feel very much let down by my fomal osteopathic education. What I have learned I got on my own, in spite of my school. OMM really was taught to me as an afterthought, unfortunately.

This is not to mention the lack of number and quality of DO residencies (for the most part). And to top it off, we get a test like COMLEX which demonstrates nothing.

There really are some excellent leaders in the DO world, some hard-working, bright students. However, it is time to dump the current regime...they seem incredibly out of touch and in la-la land.

Oh well, we still get to be doctors.

I think, obviously, this is very school-dependent. I got a great foundation and felt prepared for rotations and for passing both osteo and allo boards by my first two years. Of course I had to put in a lot of time on my own--who doesn't--but the stuff they emphasized in lectures was generally pretty high yield. I'm sorry you had a bad experience at your school, but let's not blame it on the AOA, because some of us had a much better experience.

Also, I think COMLEX has its problems for sure, but I think it is unfair to say that it demonstrates nothing. You have to have a very broad foundation to pass that test. The wording is crappy, and you have to infer a fair amount, but I disagree that it was worthless.

 

[jon62781]

Now that I am done with my boards, I gotta sell my review stuff. Anyone ever sell books online? If so, where and were you satisfied?

Anyone interested can check out my post under the classifieds on this website or shoot me a private message!

 

[relish]

taking the test next week, anyone know how many questions there are, how long it was? Hard to find simple details.

 

[smgilles]

taking the test next week, anyone know how many questions there are, how long it was? Hard to find simple details.

400 questions, 8 blocks of 50. You get 60 minutes per block so you will have 8 hours to take the exam. 4 hours in the morning for the first 200 questions and 4 hours in the afternoon for the second 200 questions.

 

[group_theory]

did any of you get a ticket or a letter or something from nbome/comlex that you had to take with you to the exam place?

or did you just show up with 2 IDs?

 

[BadVB750]

did any of you get a ticket or a letter or something from nbome/comlex that you had to take with you to the exam place?

or did you just show up with 2 IDs?

No ticket, just show up with your ID.

 

[group_theory]

No ticket, just show up with your ID.

Cool. Thank you.

 

[Heeed!]

I really don't think you can actively "study" for the COMLEX. I think they pride themselves on that. I really felt USMLEworld, B&W, and Crush were a waste of time for this exam. They were awesome for the USMLE II.

The COMLEX was basically what I could recall from memory over past 3 years of medical school + Savarese.
QUOTE]

So true. My whole test was Peds, OB/GYN, and Geriatrics....hardly any questions about what I saw on a daily basis during those rotations...or any other rotation. Guess my medical education is lacking if COMLEX II is the yardstick by which to gauge what I should know at this point. I just hope I passed the test at this point.

 

[smgilles]

I really don't think you can actively "study" for the COMLEX. I think they pride themselves on that. I really felt USMLEworld, B&W, and Crush were a waste of time for this exam. They were awesome for the USMLE II.

The COMLEX was basically what I could recall from memory over past 3 years of medical school + Savarese.
QUOTE]

So true. My whole test was Peds, OB/GYN, and Geriatrics....hardly any questions about what I saw on a daily basis during those rotations...or any other rotation. Guess my medical education is lacking if COMLEX II is the yardstick by which to gauge what I should know at this point. I just hope I passed the test at this point.

Amen man! I hope I passed it too. I scored a 245 on the USMLE II, so if I do fail it I am going to send a copy of my score to the NBOME and ask them what their recommendations are for "studying" for their supposed exam.

 

[confused_amused]

When you guys talk about "studying for 4 weeks" for this exam, how many hours per day do you put in? I've got about a month till the test, but being on rotations the whole time, getting home at 7:30 after my hour commute and having to be up ready to leave at 6am, i only get about 2 hours in a night. Which turns into doing questions so that I don't fall asleep reading. Is that pretty average? Are you guys doing 6 hours a day when you say you study for 3-4 weeks?

I'd like to say that i'm putting in 8+ hour days on the weekends too, but having a family, that'd be a lie as well. I guess i'm starting to get nervous.

Please help.

 

[NKMU]

Earlier in this thread I said I planned to do bare-minimum OMT studying. At six days out from USMLE 2 and seven days out from COMLEX 2, I'm now thinking about NO OMT study time. Who's with me??

I really just want to scrape by on the COMLEX. The USMLE, however, I need to do well on.

Tired of studying.

 

[kpax18]

Earlier in this thread I said I planned to do bare-minimum OMT studying. At six days out from USMLE 2 and seven days out from COMLEX 2, I'm now thinking about NO OMT study time. Who's with me??

I really just want to scrape by on the COMLEX. The USMLE, however, I need to do well on.

Tired of studying.

just the viscero-somatic stuff should suffice the bare minimum i think

 

[sophiejane]

When you guys talk about "studying for 4 weeks" for this exam, how many hours per day do you put in? I've got about a month till the test, but being on rotations the whole time, getting home at 7:30 after my hour commute and having to be up ready to leave at 6am, i only get about 2 hours in a night. Which turns into doing questions so that I don't fall asleep reading. Is that pretty average? Are you guys doing 6 hours a day when you say you study for 3-4 weeks?

I'd like to say that i'm putting in 8+ hour days on the weekends too, but having a family, that'd be a lie as well. I guess i'm starting to get nervous.

Please help.

I wouldn't do it. But that's just me. I need dedicated time to review, with minimal other responsibilities, so I took a study month that doubled as vacation.

It totally depends on how you learn and what your knowledge base is like before you start reviewing.

 

[confused_amused]

Well, i started studying about 5 weeks ago 3-5 days/week, a few hours a night. I guess that I worded my question poorly.

I was just curious as to whether most people took time off, or if they are studying a few hours a night, on rotations.

It seems like 8 weeks of studying on rotations can't be equal to 4 weeks off. This is rough.

The school with the mandatory attendance and the shirts and ties isn't very flexible when it comes to trying to get time off.

 

[NoOneKnows]

Well, i started studying about 5 weeks ago 3-5 days/week, a few hours a night. I guess that I worded my question poorly.

I was just curious as to whether most people took time off, or if they are studying a few hours a night, on rotations.

It seems like 8 weeks of studying on rotations can't be equal to 4 weeks off. This is rough.

The school with the mandatory attendance and the shirts and ties isn't very flexible when it comes to trying to get time off.

It is definitely doable, but it also depends on your studying. Plus, we've been doing studying all throughout our rotations to prepare us for boards. I also know of several people in my class who aren't even taking any vacation time to study for boards and others that are only taking 2 weeks off. It just depends on what type of studier you are.

 

[Triathlon]

Well I just wasted a good chunk of my life studying for that exam. I think the COMLEX question writers are given a heap of our "review" books with the specific instructions of writing questions that are not answerable using the information contained within said books. I feel like they started their questions good and most of the time I could come up with the correct diagnosis, treatment, adverse effects, etc. then they would twist it to include some obscure detail that is not included in the high yield summaries I memorized. Or they would ask questions about some unique case they personally experienced 15 years ago in podunk clinic in rural missoura. I was disappointed, thouroughly.
Although I did like this question I had:

13 y.o. female presents with right sided pain and diffuse symptoms.

Guess what I'm thinking.
A. Sick
B. In Pain
C. In pain
D. Really sick
E. Call child protective services.

Did anyone else have this question????
So it seemed.

 

[sophiejane]

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[fuegorama]

I am bow 12 hours out currently inbound for this bastahd. I took the USMLE on tues. and am still pretty spent.
About two hours ago I started looking at the cranial and V/S chapters in Simmons and got completely freaked. I can't remember anything.

I just took his little 40 question quiz and got smoked.

2000 freakin' UW reviews and now I feel like an idiot.

Did anybody else try doing these in close proximity? How'd ya do?

 

[fuegorama]

duplicate

 

[sophiejane]

I am bow 12 hours out currently inbound for this bastahd. I took the USMLE on tues. and am still pretty spent.
About two hours ago I started looking at the cranial and V/S chapters in Simmons and got completely freaked. I can't remember anything.

I just took his little 40 question quiz and got smoked.

2000 freakin' UW reviews and now I feel like an idiot.

Did anybody else try doing these in close proximity? How'd ya do?

I did--USMLE on a Tues and COMLEX on Thurs. Don't have my scores back yet, but I can tell you I studied about 4 hours total of manip. The manip is basic and not as hard as Simmons or Savarese.

You'll do fine.

Best of luck.

 

[fuegorama]

Soph-thanks for the kindness

 

[alfond]

Alot of talk about what to use for studying. I have been using crush step2. It seems like a good book but is it enough for the comlex? Any other suggestions with a week to go?

Also did anyone use the comlex practice and if so how did it compare to the real deal? (ie in question structure and difficulty)

Thanks

 

[fuegorama]

Well the biaotch is dead.
What an incredible disappointment. I am not the nerdiest around, but I have grown to see exams as a certain reward. You spend all this time learning minutiae and your only objective measure of those efforts is how you score on a well prepared examination.

Finishing the USMLE on Tuesday, I felt like I had been well examined. There was this satisfying, exhausted feeling. I probably didn't set it on fire, but I know my prep was good. I know beause concepts and factoids I didn't have 6 months ago were all tested, and I applied them to a rigorous exam. It sure made that beer taste great when I got home.

In comparison, Comlex2 was just a bad dream.
Issue:
1. A medical student should never have to ask "what is my motivation?" when answering what supposedly is an objective question. I was never a great actor because I like solid ground. If someone suffers from CAD and HTN the right answer to "what is the most correct treatment modality" is beta-blocker (or something of that ilk) It is not OMT!! Why then did I find myself repeatedly clicking b/t OMT and the right answer? It's b/c I have purchased an education from a profession that has a bizarre, vindictive pride surrounding its loyalty to manipulation. I stuck to the right answer, but i may have failed that mutha.
2. A student shouldn't doubt the knowledge of the person making the exam. Let's face it, a large number of these questions were generated by DO FPs with familiarity with trauma/ID/EM. I found myself doubting whether the test maker actually knew that CT wins when you have a suspicious belly on a trauma case. When they were interns DPL was still a "go to". It is no longer the right answer.
3. Pictures should augment questions. Yep, that's a picture of a (fill in the body part). Now why does it have nothing to do with the question? WTF?!!!!

I finished an hour early. I have no idea if I passed. I mean I really might have failed that f@#$%^!!! Why? It wasn't a knowledge deficit. It might well be because I could not navigate the ambiguous, possibly incorrect, nonsensical queries of the clown crew that designed this abortion.

End of rant. Now I'll get back to my hangover that was previously in progress.

 

[smgilles]

Well the biaotch is dead.
What an incredible disappointment. I am not the nerdiest around, but I have grown to see exams as a certain reward. You spend all this time learning minutiae and your only objective measure of those efforts is how you score on a well prepared examination.

Finishing the USMLE on Tuesday, I felt like I had been well examined. There was this satisfying, exhausted feeling. I probably didn't set it on fire, but I know my prep was good. I know beause concepts and factoids I didn't have 6 months ago were all tested, and I applied them to a rigorous exam. It sure made that beer taste great when I got home.

In comparison, Comlex2 was just a bad dream.
Issue:
1. A medical student should never have to ask "what is my motivation?" when answering what supposedly is an objective question. I was never a great actor because I like solid ground. If someone suffers from CAD and HTN the right answer to "what is the most correct treatment modality" is beta-blocker (or something of that ilk) It is not OMT!! Why then did I find myself repeatedly clicking b/t OMT and the right answer? It's b/c I have purchased an education from a profession that has a bizarre, vindictive pride surrounding its loyalty to manipulation. I stuck to the right answer, but i may have failed that mutha.
2. A student shouldn't doubt the knowledge of the person making the exam. Let's face it, a large number of these questions were generated by DO FPs with familiarity with trauma/ID/EM. I found myself doubting whether the test maker actually knew that CT wins when you have a suspicious belly on a trauma case. When they were interns DPL was still a "go to". It is no longer the right answer.
3. Pictures should augment questions. Yep, that's a picture of a (fill in the body part). Now why does it have nothing to do with the question? WTF?!!!!

I finished an hour early. I have no idea if I passed. I mean I really might have failed that f@#$%^!!! Why? It wasn't a knowledge deficit. It might well be because I could not navigate the ambiguous, possibly incorrect, nonsensical queries of the clown crew that designed this abortion.

End of rant. Now I'll get back to my hangover that was previously in progress.

Best explanation I have heard of that test yet. I share the exact same sentiments and am waiting patiently to make sure I passed that thing, because I felt as you did after I was finished.

 

[DOapplicant]

i'd have to agree w/everyone that it's very difficult to study for this test.
with poor correlation to crush/world/B&W.

however, i didn't find questions to be poorly written. you had to think. about relevant issues i thought.

i'll be eager to hear how all the ppl who think they failed actually did since i'm somwhat doubtful if i was able to pass myself.

good luck to everyone who has yet to take it!!

 

[Sanchik]

i am curious how many of u had to take the nbome shelf exams throughout third year and how the exam compared to them. we had to take them and they are usually pretty ridiculous as well but hard to fail.

 

[DOapplicant]

i found the exam i took to be much better than the exit exams.

definately less detail oriented if that helps.

 

[Atlas]

i found the exam i took to be much better than the exit exams.

definately less detail oriented if that helps.

How much OMT was on it? 20% like step I? I just want to gauge how much time I need to put in to studying for OMT.

 

[alfond]

Q bank for comlex step 2.....is it overkill for the test vs. reading secrets and the like?

Also anyone know if the style of the exam is close to the practice put out by the NBOME?

Thanks.

 

[DOapplicant]

i would say slightly less omm percentage wise but overall easier.
knowing automomics and a some of the higher yield chapters from savarese should do it.

maybe around 10%. like 5 per 50 block. give or take.\
hope that helps.

 

[tkim]

i would say slightly less omm percentage wise but overall easier.
knowing automomics and a some of the higher yield chapters from savarese should do it.

maybe around 10%. like 5 per 50 block. give or take.\
hope that helps.

So what would the higher yield chapters be? Taking it in less than a week.

 

[Atlas]

i would say slightly less omm percentage wise but overall easier.
knowing automomics and a some of the higher yield chapters from savarese should do it.

maybe around 10%. like 5 per 50 block. give or take.\
hope that helps.

Thanks. That helps a lot! So..roughly expect about 40 OMM Q's give or take (10% of the exam). Damn...so much for freebie points this time around. I thought the OMM on Step I was a lot of gimmies (with some ridiculous ones thrown in). Oh well. Thanks again!

 

[jhug]

i would say that 25% of my test today was OMM...sometimes it was great..."pt has a cough, where's the dysfunction- C1, Thoracic's, LE, UE?"...then there was the "an egg fell from a tree in the Amazon...what was the effect in New York?" type.
All in all, it was MUCH easier than the NBME post-rotation exams...
i still have a hard time with the fact that cardiovascular dz was outdone by OMM. Very little neuro/pulm/nephrology...but i did get to diagnose a sacrum!?!?! oh, and i opened the lab value twice...just to say i did. i did have was a LOT of OMM & Peds...

 

[Hernandez]

...there was one about some guy in septic shock- what is the most effective OMM technique?!?!?! If i am dying of septic shock and one of you delay IVF or antibiotics to do a lymphatic pump i will haunt you after i am dead!!!

if they know something about septic shock that we don't, I suggest they publish it, but these types of questions serve no purpose and are either without backing or on extremely thin ground in the research and still have no business being on a medical licensing exam.

 

[DOapplicant]

sorry for the delay tkim,

i think the first half of the book esp sacrum/innom, sacrum, ribs, ext tend to what's considered the most hy amongst the ppl i know studying/taking it.

hope that helps
and
good luck!!

 

[VJWDO]

What is up with the scores??? It has been four weeks since I took level 2 and am going crazy. Anybody have any scores info??

VJWDO

 

[Ratch]

i dunno, but i checked the nbome today, and they have finalley acknowledged that i have taken the test (as opposed to the "scheduled" thing) - maybe this is a sign?

 

[tkim]

sorry for the delay tkim,

i think the first half of the book esp sacrum/innom, sacrum, ribs, ext tend to what's considered the most hy amongst the ppl i know studying/taking it.

hope that helps
and
good luck!!

Much love and thanks.

 

[sophiejane]

ok...so now when I obsessively check for my score 2-3x/day (I know, I said it was obsessive)...there is a ---silence please----NEW DEVELOPMENT.

It now says: "Exam Taken"

This is progress, people!

Does this mean scores are imminent...???

Stay tuned....

 

[TUCOMSam]

I am SOOOO glad that I'm not the only OCD one out there in SDN land! I'm also now up to checking for my results like 5 times a day (does NOT help that I have my own office and computer on this rotation)! So when I saw that change to "Exam taken" BS my heart nearly fell out through my a$$! So, I decided to be proactive or TRY to be anyway. I emailed da NBOME (2 different people) and amazingly enough they must share a brain because I got IDENTICAL replies from them, both saying: "Thank you Student Dr. (TUCOMSam), the score are available 4-6 weeks following the completion of COMLEX-CE Level II." Yadda yadda yadda... I just hope it doesn't end up being 3 months like it did for those poor f'ing MS3's who just now got their scores from Level I... we shall see...tomorrow will be the 4week benchmark. Ok, now I feel better... I need a beer... Sophie, you're a beer drinker, wanna have a beer? Damn, I've resorted to picking up chicks on SDN

 

[sophiejane]

Ok, now I feel better... I need a beer... Sophie, you're a beer drinker, wanna have a beer? Damn, I've resorted to picking up chicks on SDN

Medical school makes us all a little desperate, I think.

However, beer will cure all ills and solve all problems. My personal favorite right now is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. mmmmm....

Tell you what, I'll open one right now in TX, and you can too wherever you are and it will be just LIKE having a beer together!

 

[Hernandez]

However, beer will cure all ills and solve all problems. My personal favorite right now is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. mmmmm....

The cause of and solution to, all of life's problems.

7 more days until the test of my divination skills begins.

 

[TUCOMSam]

Hmmm, Sierra Nevada (also a top choice in my book, although I do like the seasonal Summerfest very much). Ahem.. anyway, I digress. So, I spoke with a classmate of mine who took Step 2 on June 1st and she had her score by June 18 (yep, 2wks 3days)... So maybe there's hope the scores are near for those of us in the July block.

 

[jon62781]

I also have now "Exam Taken"............

Since it didn't say "Blubbering Idiot" I'm hoping that is a sign from the great Spaten gods that I passed!

Good Luck all that have yet to take it!

 

[californiasky]

one immunization at a specific time and HOW it is delivered (IM vs SubQ)...

i have never been in the room when they are given. aren't most of them IM?

 

[melvin]

Thanks. That helps a lot! So..roughly expect about 40 OMM Q's give or take (10% of the exam). Damn...so much for freebie points this time around. I thought the OMM on Step I was a lot of gimmies (with some ridiculous ones thrown in). Oh well. Thanks again!

Don't even study for OMM. You're an OMM pimp!