COMLEX II in 2 weeks. Freaking out! Doing so badly in comquest

[blueridgenc]

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Hey all! This is truly embarrassing. Many here say COMQUEST is so easy. I am at a loss. I used USMLEWORLD during my 3rd year. I was using UW until recently.

I started using COMQUEST few days ago and hoping to finish it by the end of this week. However, everytime I do a block of question, I get so discouraged. I am getting 52 - 60%. I am taking notes and I feel like I am learning a lot.

But my test is in 2 weeks. I am just freaking out a little. Does this sound like a good plan:

1. Finish COMQUEST this week. And also COMBANK OMM questions.
2. Then read USMLE Step 2 Secrets book cover to cover and re-do comquest questions.

Any other suggestions would be great! Thanks! Help me pass or even get a decent score.

 

[goodstuff33]

I used COMQUEST in order to prepare for COMLEX. Did random question blocks of 40. Some exams I would score well in high 80s, others I would score pretty bad in 50s. I honestly never felt I was having an upward progression as I did on UWorld. This was frustrating and defeating to say the least. Took the exam today. Still decompressing but some quick thoughts as it pertains to your post. COMQUEST did not contain enough OMM in my opinion. Even though many questions on the real deal were straightforward, there were enough to make me wish I paid more attention the green book or at least do another qbank. Second, if anything COMQUEST taught me how to take this test and what to expect. I wouldn't get frustrated over your percentage. I strongly feel just getting used to the types of questions is more of a benefit because it forces you to get into a different mindset when dealing with the COMLEX.

 

[pianoman511]

One thing that I overlooked for COMLEX 1 (and am determined to not do again for COMLEX 2...tomorrow) was that when you prepare for the COMLEX you should use COMLEX-specific resources instead of USMLE resources. The content may be the same, but the question styles are different.

If you have been using UWorld for a majority of your studying then you will find that while it is difficult, it also contains everything you need to make a diagnosis. Sometimes (and COMBANK even says this), COMLEX questions are not amazingly well written or they are super short but packed with info (i.e. every word is important).

It may take you a while to get used to the COMLEX-style question, so I wouldn't be too upset about your COMQUEST score...yet. Just keep on going, try to read EVERY word in the questions, and try to think like the COMLEX. Don't neglect OMM either, I would suggest breaking out something like Savarese - the green book (hopefully you have it or something like it) and read through Chapman's points, sympathetic innervation & cranial. Remember that OMM comprises a good portion of questions so don't neglect it !

If after all that you still don't feel you are ready to take the test, reschedule. But....you can't reschedule once it gets within 5 days of the test so watch the calendar. Good luck ! I will try and post something about how it went tomorrow 🙄

Oh, agree with above too 😀

 

[Slevin]

One thing that I overlooked for COMLEX 1 (and am determined to not do again for COMLEX 2...tomorrow) was that when you prepare for the COMLEX you should use COMLEX-specific resources instead of USMLE resources. The content may be the same, but the question styles are different.

If you have been using UWorld for a majority of your studying then you will find that while it is difficult, it also contains everything you need to make a diagnosis. Sometimes (and COMBANK even says this), COMLEX questions are not amazingly well written or they are super short but packed with info (i.e. every word is important).

It may take you a while to get used to the COMLEX-style question, so I wouldn't be too upset about your COMQUEST score...yet. Just keep on going, try to read EVERY word in the questions, and try to think like the COMLEX. Don't neglect OMM either, I would suggest breaking out something like Savarese - the green book (hopefully you have it or something like it) and read through Chapman's points, sympathetic innervation & cranial. Remember that OMM comprises a good portion of questions so don't neglect it !

If after all that you still don't feel you are ready to take the test, reschedule. But....you can't reschedule once it gets within 5 days of the test so watch the calendar. Good luck ! I will try and post something about how it went tomorrow 🙄

Oh, agree with above too 😀

Hey P man

Good luck tomorrow. I'm here in Texas sweating my arse off, it's hot, COMLEX on 7/12. I'll be back at the mother ship on 9/1 for a month so I'll see you then.

 

[pianoman511]

Yeah - so a little feedback on COMLEX II...not so great. Mostly peds, OB/GYN, GI & OMM. The usual array of esoteric questions about ethics, medical jurisprudence. Two questions on PPV, NPV (need to calculate) and a few more on study design & study types. Pictures were terrible (as usual) but I felt they were improved from COMLEX I. We'll see in a month how it went.

Slev - I'll be in buffalo in sept, but otherwise stuck in Erie for the duration. Good luck on the COMLEX.

 

[medmom]

All I can say is ditto. I have been so frustrated in my studying COMQUEST. My averages have ranged from the 40s to the 80s. My overall average is around 63% and I am NOT feeling thrilled or confident as I go into the last 2 weeks of studying. Step II 7/15.

 

[ares8402]

Just took it today. Agree that it was heavy on peds and ob/gyn. I though most of the OMM was very straight forward. Had the same PPV NPV calculation (calculating the actual %, not just knowing the formula). Had one CXR that was really poor quality, just big chunks of pixels. I though the length of the questions were similar to Combank, most just a couple sentences with a few long USMLE style questions thrown in. I finished most blocks with at least 15-20 mins to spare. Wished I looked over EKGs more before going into it.

 

[blueridgenc]

Since I originally posted this thread - thought I would add my feedback/2 cents.
I took COMLEX II yesterday (Thursday) - I have no idea why I am up at 6am Friday. Nightmare?

My test was heavy on ob/gyn and pediatric vaccination. There were quite a few questions on Biostat - various types of study etc.

I used comquest mainly but I also did 500/1400 combank questions. I really think there is a need for a question bank that is more realistic in terms of content and style of actual COMLEX questions. Real question stems were much longer than these two question banks. However, timewise it was not a problem. 50 Questions in 1 hour is very doable.

While I am on the topic - the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that - DO students should take USMLE and USMLE only. Wanting to see conversion of all DO schools to MD schools won't happen. But I think DO students should be required to take USMLE only and completely get rid of COMLEX. Have students take a seperate OMM only test.

I remember seeing a similar suggestion by a DO student in a publication somewhere. And his idea was shot down by a DO school prof/dean whose logic made absolutely no sense.

Good luck everyone!

Just took it today. Agree that it was heavy on peds and ob/gyn. I though most of the OMM was very straight forward. Had the same PPV NPV calculation (calculating the actual %, not just knowing the formula). Had one CXR that was really poor quality, just big chunks of pixels. I though the length of the questions were similar to Combank, most just a couple sentences with a few long USMLE style questions thrown in. I finished most blocks with at least 15-20 mins to spare. Wished I looked over EKGs more before going into it.

 

[PistolPete]

While I am on the topic - the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that - DO students should take USMLE and USMLE only. Wanting to see conversion of all DO schools to MD schools won't happen. But I think DO students should be required to take USMLE only and completely get rid of COMLEX. Have students take a seperate OMM only test.

I remember seeing a similar suggestion by a DO student in a publication somewhere. And his idea was shot down by a DO school prof/dean whose logic made absolutely no sense.

Good luck everyone!

I completely agree with this but this will never happen because apparently osteopathic medicine is so "distinct" that it needs it's own test, and for the bigger reason, NBME needs their $$$$$$

I also feel that the NRMP should be ALL one match (AOA and ACGME residencies combined in one list), but this will also never happen, and not because the ACGME doesn't want it, but because the old guard D.O.'s that are supposedly our "leaders" don't want to join ranks with ACGME.