Do I need USMLE step2 CK?

[SLC]

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Hello everyone, 4th year DO student here. Applying family medicine this fall.

My USMLE-1 score is in the high 220's
My COMLEX-1 score is in the high 550's

I have a strong background in community medicine, which is where I want to end up.

I will have good letters, and average of high pass on all rotations; most shelf exams (including Family Med) were honored.

My question is: Should I take USMLE-2 CK in a few weeks or is it low yield at this point. I signed up a few months back when I still thought I was going into Internal Medicine. Now that I'm doing Family Medicine, and haven't seen any programs that won't accept COMLEX-2, is taking both exams worth the time/effort/risk?

 

[lovebes]

There are 40 something programs in FREIDA that say they don't require CK:
Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Program
Altru Health System (Grand Forks) Program
AnMed Health (Anderson) Program
Atlantic Health (Overlook) Program
Christ Hospital/University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Program
Concord Hospital/New Hampshire-Dartmouth Family Medicine Program
Creighton University Program
East Tennessee State University (Bristol) Program
Ellis Hospital of Schenectady Program
Fort Wayne Medical Education Program
Hunterdon Medical Center Program
John Peter Smith Hospital (Tarrant County Hospital District) Program
Kern Medical Center Program
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center Program
Los Angeles County-Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Program
Loyola University/Cook County Hospital Program
Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross Program
Medical College of Georgia Program
Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (St Joseph) Program
MedStar Franklin Square Hospital Center Program
Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island/Brown University Program
Memorial Hospital of South Bend Program
Mercy Medical Center (Redding) Program
Munson Medical Center Program
New York Medical College (Phelps) Program
Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Program
Rush University Medical Center/Copley Memorial Hospital Program
San Joaquin General Hospital Program
Scottsdale Healthcare-Osborn Program
Somerset Medical Center Program
University of Arizona Program
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences AHEC (West) Program
University of Colorado (University Hospital) Program
University of Illinois College of Medicine (Rockford) Rural Program
University of Massachusetts Program
University of New Mexico (Santa Fe) Rural Program
University of New Mexico Program
University of North Dakota (Minot) Program
University of Wisconsin (Eau Claire) Program
University of Wisconsin (Wausau) Program
University of Wyoming (Casper) Program

But that's 42 out of 480-something. Just saying..

 

[SLC]

Just to clarify, I'm not asking whether or not I need to take step 2 boards before applying; just whether or not I should go through with both USMLE step 2 in addition to COMLEX part 2; or if COMLEX part 2 alone is sufficient.

 

[DrLeon]

I would call your top programs and ask if it's necessary. I made sure usmle wasn't a requirement before I put any of my top MD FM programs on my eras list

 

[SLC]

Any other advice? I'm scheduled for the CK in three weeks, it's not too late to cancel.

If you were in my shoes, would you go through with the CK?

 

[DrLeon]

A lot of people don't take ck for the more competitive specialties, so I personally wouldn't take it, I didn't take step 1 and I'm applying to some of the most competitive FM programs on the east coast.

 

[Dharma]

Any other advice? I'm scheduled for the CK in three weeks, it's not too late to cancel.

If you were in my shoes, would you go through with the CK?

Did you take it (or is it this week)?

 

[Dharma]

A lot of people don't take ck for the more competitive specialties, so I personally wouldn't take it, I didn't take step 1 and I'm applying to some of the most competitive FM programs on the east coast.

You sure they don't want to see (i.e. prefer) Step 1 and 2 at these places? I can't help but think that if someone is going to do well it gives him a one-up on those who don't take it. Just my 2 cents (but probably worth less).

BTW what are considered the competitive programs on the east coast?

 

[SLC]

Did you take it (or is it this week)?

Yeah, I did. It was tough, but nowhere near as painful as COMLEX-2 was. The questions were in an entirely different league of quality, and there were slightly fewer.

I just hope my score doesn't drop from USMLE-1 (I hit the national average exactly)

 

[Dharma]

Yeah, I did. It was tough, but nowhere near as painful as COMLEX-2 was. The questions were in an entirely different league of quality, and there were slightly fewer.

I just hope my score doesn't drop from USMLE-1 (I hit the national average exactly)

Good call on taking it. I'm sure you did well on both. How far did you space the two apart? (I was thinking of doing them both within a week of one another next spring/early summer).

 

[SLC]

Good call on taking it. I'm sure you did well on both. How far did you space the two apart? (I was thinking of doing them both within a week of one another next spring/early summer).

6 days this time.

7 for step/level 1

I wasn't worried about failing, and I made USMLE my priority so I took COMLEX first both times with the intention of using it as a "warm-up" of sorts.

 

[DrLeon]

You sure they don't want to see (i.e. prefer) Step 1 and 2 at these places? I can't help but think that if someone is going to do well it gives him a one-up on those who don't take it. Just my 2 cents (but probably worth less).

BTW what are considered the competitive programs on the east coast?

When I attended the AAFP conference I was told by every acgme program I spoke to that they would take comlex scores. Not one said they preferred usmle, but that doesn't mean they didn't withhold that info. I guess I'll see after the acgme programs open.

As far as competitive Programs, I'm not sure there's a consensus on those. I'm applying to Penn and Jefferson, and I already have II's at upmc and Christiana since they have dual accreditation. Those are 4 of my top 5

 

[SLC]

When I attended the AAFP conference I was told by every acgme program I spoke to that they would take comlex scores. Not one said they preferred usmle, but that doesn't mean they didn't withhold that info. I guess I'll see after the acgme programs open.

As far as competitive Programs, I'm not sure there's a consensus on those. I'm applying to Penn and Jefferson, and I already have II's at upmc and Christiana since they have dual accreditation. Those are 4 of my top 5

I know of at least two programs in my target area that require USMLE step 1, I think both are willing to accept COMLEX-2 only though.

 

[MidwestFM]

As someone who has filled out the FRIEDA information for our program, I will say there is not a good way to convey that we do require a full complement of 3 tests but it doesn't matter at all whether it is from the USMLE or COMLEX. When we answer the questions it says "do you require...?" for each test individually.
Do I answer yes to all of them? That makes it sound like we require both sets of tests for DO students. If I say "No" to any of them it might appear that we favor either DO or MD candidates. So basically, I looked at what other programs in our area answered and did the same thing. All this to say-- don't rule a program in or out based on their answer to a single question like this.

 

[Dharma]

I know of at least two programs in my target area that require USMLE step 1, I think both are willing to accept COMLEX-2 only though.

Did you do alright on USMLE?

 

[SLC]

Did you do alright on USMLE?

Yeah, did fine. Not a world beating score, but plenty good, especially considering my goals.

 

[Dharma]

Yeah, did fine. Not a world beating score, but plenty good, especially considering my goals.

Right on man. Good luck in the match!

 

[SLC]

Right on man. Good luck in the match!

Thanks.

My advice, take both if applying ACGME regardless of your specialty plans.

 

[Dharma]

Thanks.

My advice, take both if applying ACGME regardless of your specialty plans.

Sounds good to me. Leaning more in the direction of FM than anywhere else.

 

[SLC]

Sounds good to me. Leaning more in the direction of FM than anywhere else.

Good, we need good people! Not that I'm there just yet 😀

And by both, I mean both USMLE exams (step 1 and 2). I feel like PD's respect that a lot; even the ones that accept comlex