Army COMLEX vs. USMLE or both for Army anesthesia, gen surg or ortho

[MahoganySmoothC]

I know this has been asked before and it may be a bit early for me to be asking but I'll be attending a DO school fall 2019 and am in the process of applying for army HPSP. For specialties like gas, gen surg and ortho in the Army is the USMLE really required? I'd rather focus the few brain cells I have left on one test rather than 2 if taking the USMLE makes no significant difference in the military match. If I was civilian, I would most likely take both but I'm hearing that is unnecessary in the military. Given the army rarely does civilian deferments I cant think of any good reason to take both, especially given I am a crappy test taker to begin with. I'm banking on some surgery related research that I already have and audition rotations to help me stand out. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

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[Gastrapathy]

As a DO, you need COMLEX for licensure. So...both

 

[AvrgPreMedKid]

I know this has been asked before and it may be a bit early for me to be asking but I'll be attending a DO school fall 2019 and am in the process of applying for army HPSP. For specialties like gas, gen surg and ortho in the Army is the USMLE really required? I'd rather focus the few brain cells I have left on one test rather than 2 if taking the USMLE makes no significant difference in the military match. If I was civilian, I would most likely take both but I'm hearing that is unnecessary in the military. Given the army rarely does civilian deferments I cant think of any good reason to take both, especially given I am a crappy test taker to begin with. I'm banking on some surgery related research that I already have and audition rotations to help me stand out. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Most DO students I have talked to have only taken COMLEX. I personally know people who have matched Derm and Rads with just COMLEX, and the general consensus when you talk to 4th year students and residents is to just take the one test.

If you haven't already, google "Army GME slideshow 2018." You will see respective COMLEX/USMLE scores for all specialties. Notice there are no COMLEX scores for neurosurg/ENT/urology depending on the year - this could mean no DO students applied, but I take it as no DO students were accepted. I believe urology and ENT do take DO students. Neurosurg is just crazy because there are usually only 1-4 spots available.

If you were Air Force or Navy, I would tell you to take both, but with the Army they basically guarantee you a job with them. I should mention, however, I recently learned at a conference that the Army has instructed applicants to certain specialties to apply civilian in addition to Army - this past year, they apparently had gen surg/ortho applicants apply civilian in order to address the projected increased demand for these specialties.

 

[MahoganySmoothC]

Most DO students I have talked to have only taken COMLEX. I personally know people who have matched Derm and Rads with just COMLEX, and the general consensus when you talk to 4th year students and residents is to just take the one test.

If you haven't already, google "Army GME slideshow 2018." You will see respective COMLEX/USMLE scores for all specialties. Notice there are no COMLEX scores for neurosurg/ENT/urology depending on the year - this could mean no DO students applied, but I take it as no DO students were accepted. I believe urology and ENT do take DO students. Neurosurg is just crazy because there are usually only 1-4 spots available.

If you were Air Force or Navy, I would tell you to take both, but with the Army they basically guarantee you a job with them. I should mention, however, I recently learned at a conference that the Army has instructed applicants to certain specialties to apply civilian in addition to Army - this past year, they apparently had gen surg/ortho applicants apply civilian in order to address the projected increased demand for these specialties.

Thanks for the info, however, now Im more confused on whether I need to take both or not for gen surg/ortho. I’m not sure applying civilian would do me any good as a DO in acgme ortho, if they end up telling me to do so I’m not sure what i’d do. Are you able to rank more than 1 specialty in army match? I could just take comlex and rank gas as well as ortho/gen surg

 

[Gastrapathy]

Or...take both

 

[WernickeDO]

Take both. You don’t know whether or not you will complete training in the military, and if you get out and apply to MD residencies you will be glad that you took the USMLE. Especially if you are going after competitive specialties in the military. Usually Step 1 and 2 will suffice, don’t need to take the clinical skills test.


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[AvrgPreMedKid]

Thanks for the info, however, now Im more confused on whether I need to take both or not for gen surg/ortho. I’m not sure applying civilian would do me any good as a DO in acgme ortho, if they end up telling me to do so I’m not sure what i’d do. Are you able to rank more than 1 specialty in army match? I could just take comlex and rank gas as well as ortho/gen surg

Sorry for the confusion, but the decision does require some thought. To be honest, my friend and I who both only took COMLEX (and crushed it) look back and say we should have taken USMLE since we probably would have done well. In the moment, however, your 2nd-year-med-student mind does not want to take 2 board exams. You mentioned you're not a great test taker - you could run with that and only take COMLEX to avoid tests, or you could get better at tests and try to crush both. It's up to you, but I don't think taking only the COMLEX will limit you too significantly in the Army.

As for the ranking question. You have to use all 5 ranks for the one specialty you want. So, for ortho, you would be required to rank 5 ortho sites. For specialties that don't have 5 sites (anesthesia, derm) you would rank derm 1st and 2nd, then I guess theoretically you could rank a different specialty 3rd-5th. Most people I have talked to in this situation ranked TY's for their remaining spots. You can always hit up the rebuttal board, as well, which has some goodies depending on the year (see aforementioned GME slideshow).

 

[MahoganySmoothC]

Sorry for the confusion, but the decision does require some thought. To be honest, my friend and I who both only took COMLEX (and crushed it) look back and say we should have taken USMLE since we probably would have done well. In the moment, however, your 2nd-year-med-student mind does not want to take 2 board exams. You mentioned you're not a great test taker - you could run with that and only take COMLEX to avoid tests, or you could get better at tests and try to crush both. It's up to you, but I don't think taking only the COMLEX will limit you too significantly in the Army.

As for the ranking question. You have to use all 5 ranks for the one specialty you want. So, for ortho, you would be required to rank 5 ortho sites. For specialties that don't have 5 sites (anesthesia, derm) you would rank derm 1st and 2nd, then I guess theoretically you could rank a different specialty 3rd-5th. Most people I have talked to in this situation ranked TY's for their remaining spots. You can always hit up the rebuttal board, as well, which has some goodies depending on the year (see aforementioned GME slideshow).

You mind if i ask what specialties you and your buddy matched into? I’ve been told the army PD’s don’t even get to see my usmle scores if i were to take them. This makes it seem like a total waste of time unless I were to not do a residency in the army, which i don’t see myself doing.

 

[AvrgPreMedKid]

You mind if i ask what specialties you and your buddy matched into? I’ve been told the army PD’s don’t even get to see my usmle scores if i were to take them. This makes it seem like a total waste of time unless I were to not do a residency in the army, which i don’t see myself doing.

Not to that stage of our careers yet lol. Last I talked to him he wanted gas, but he's all over the place like I am. I bounce between surgical subspecialties and then sometimes tell myself I like IM/FM. Idk. It drives me nuts. The good thing is, if I get rejected by any residency, it won't be because of my board scores 😛