DO Prep for USMLE

[docbsb2015]

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Hey guys. So I have been looking for the answer to this question but haven't quite come up with a solid answer. I was wondering if there are any osteopathic schools that help students prepare for USMLE (if they choose to take it)? Obviously, schools are involved with their students' COMLEX prep but I was wondering if that extended to USMLE? If I were to guess….this is probably a no considering the COMLEX is the only test needed to graduate. Any insight is appreciated!

 

[baxt1412]

i think i remember someone saying that some schools require or at least strongly suggest both. same thread i also saw that basically said if you are prepped for USMLE you are basically already prepped for COMLEX minus a week or so for OMM review

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Yea I know there are 3 or 4 schools that either currently, or are planning on requiring students to take the USMLE.

Dont ask me which they are off the top of my head though haha.

 

[AlteredScale]

Yea I know there are 3 or 4 schools that either currently, or are planning on requiring students to take the USMLE.

Dont ask me which they are off the top of my head though haha.

I believe KCUMB is going to be one if those schools as per the current med students.

 

[hallowmann]

Every medical school (DO or MD) prepares you for the USMLE, simply by virtue of teaching you medicine. Every school (DO or MD) also varies with the degree to which they do that, with some very clearly teaching to boards, and others not so much.

That said, I imagine the DO schools participating in that study, during which they'll require all of their students to take both the COMLEX and USMLE will probably give the most resources to both. I will say that my school, LECOM, gives us COMBANK questions, specifically both the COMLEX prep and USMLE prep questions from COMBANK. That said, anyone planning for the USMLE would get UWORLD regardless of what their school offers.

I honestly wouldn't make this a big issue in terms of picking a school. By all means make the amount of time for board prep an issue, but regardless you'll be getting UWORLD if you want to take the USMLE, and that's only $320 for 6 mos (all you'll ever need), so if its offered by your school or not, it wouldn't make a huge difference in the longrun.

 

[costales]

The best preparation is to turn off your FB/Xbox/Netflix and work through as many UW questions as you can until you're tired, and do the same thing the next day.

 

[DrEnderW]

My prep would be 0% different for board exams if I was in an MD or DO school aside from adding OMM at the end. All the major resources: first aid, pathoma, uworld, firecracker, goljan, etc are used by both. Additionally, all the major textbooks and content the first two years would be the same as well.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

I believe KCUMB is going to be one if those schools as per the current med students.

Dean Dubin has really emphasized how important it is to stay competitive in the new environment. He wants us to take both exams to stay competitive but for our class it isn't a requirement right now.

We kinda have stuff available to us for board prep. For first years who don't know what I'm talking about, it's on the D'Angelo library page under USMLE Easy.

 

[allantois]

I can't imagine why COMLEX should stay in place after the residency merger.

 

[AlteredScale]

I can't imagine why COMLEX should stay in place after the residency merger.

Current AOA programs that are merged will be denoted as "ACGME Programs with Osteopathic Focus". I think it will be up to the program director to require the COMLEX score and because of the change of plans of keeping current AOA PD's as the field director, perhaps they will want the COMLEX score as a sort of "stand out" piece to DO grads. Perhaps even to filter MD grads trying to apply to these programs even (requiring the COMLEX score).

 

[cliquesh]

You need to pass Comlex level 1 through 3 to get a medical license as a DO in many states. Until the licensing requirements change for DOs all DOs must take the Comlex.

 

[IslandStyle808]

You need to pass Comlex level 1 through 3 to get a medical license as a DO in many states. Until the licensing requirements change for DOs all DOs must take the Comlex.

I remember reading about this topic a while back. To practice in all 50 states you need to take the COMLEX. However, if you pass USMLE all 3 steps, but don't take level III of the COMLEX (you need to pass all the other COMLEXs to graduate medical school), you can still practice in 45 of the states. Your right in saying that this seems to be more of a state level political thing than just with the licensing institutions.