Failed COMLEX Level III

[Teufelhunden]

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I don't know what happened. I've passed all my boards up until this one on the first try, and both times with a decent margin. Like most of you, I was going to the NBOME site everyday looking to see if the scores were in - seeing "Failed" caused an actual shriek. What was even more alarming was my raw score, which was in the low 200's. Is that even possible? That would have to be, like, the lowest score in the nation. I mean, I'm a decent test taker. How could I have failed by more that 100 points?

Any of you think there's a chance that this is an error? Of course, it's the weekend and I can't call NBOME until Monday.

What's really scary is, if I really did fail THAT badly, how the hell am I supposed to make up for that much of a knowledge deficit?

I tell you what. This hurts the ego, the pocketbook, reputation within my department...ouch! What ever happened to two months, two weeks and two pencils?

Granted, I'm a psych intern and my year has been heavily slanted towards psych and neuro. The last time I was in a primary care clinic was my MSIII year. I thought that that might hurt me a bit (apparently it did). I'm not sure what to do now? I have Crush, Swanson's and the Qbook - I guess I'd better get started (again). Any advice would be appreciated. Hope you all did better (a lot better) than me.

 

[DrMom]

I have no real suggestions, but I wanted to say that you're the 3rd resident I've run across recently who has done well on steps 1-2 and then failed step 3. Scares the crap outta me cause I've always figured that step 3 was the one I didn't have to worry about.

That all said, the other 2 residents were also in more narrow specialties, so there's probably something to your assumption that working in one basic area hurt you on this.

So sorry.

 

[arch]

I thought the Comlex 3 was tough too. Just took it and I was totally underprepared given that i'mnot primary care. Wouldnt be surprised to start studying again for it also...

Just wondering, does anyone know how that thing is scored. I had 400 questions...so I was under the impression that getting 200 of them right passing? But you said you didnt pass with a "raw score of low 200s"

 

[Teufelhunden]

You know what's crazy - the few QBook sections I did, I was getting 65-70%. This doesn't make any sense. I paid NBOME the $50 to have my test re-scored. I just don't get how I can fail THAT badly when I've always tested well before (?)

As far as the scoring goes...I cut this from the NBOME site:

Standard scores (3-digit). The mean 3-digit standard scores of all three written examinations are 500, regardless of when the examinations are given. The minimal passing 3-digit standard score for Level 1 and Level 2 (CE) is 400, for Level 3 is 350, regardless of when the examinations are taken.

Standard deviations of COMLEX written examination 3-digit scores are Level-specific and time-specific. For Level 1 examinations given between 1998 and 2001, the standard deviation is 71; from 2002 to October 2005, the standard deviation is 79. For Level 2 written examinations given between 1997 and 2000, the standard deviation is 85; from 2001 to June 2005, the standard deviation is 73; from July 2005 to present, the standard deviation is 83. For Level 3 examinations given between 1995 and 1999, the standard deviation is 111; from 2000 to June 2005, the standard deviation is 120.

 

[Lefty]

You're scarin' me man. I take step 3 in 2 days and hope its easier than the first 2, cuz I sure have forgotten a lot since finishing med school.

 

[Teufelhunden]

I have a question: Anyone out there who did REALLY well on Level III? If so, what's the secret. I'm NOT a horrible test taker (did 50th percentile on Steps 1 and 2), so it's not an issue of test-taking ability (I know for some it is - ppl w/ good fund of knowledge who just test poorly). I'm just not getting what the focus of the exam is. It seems all over the place, i.e. weird primary care type stuff...by weird I mean, stuff you COULD see in a primary setting, but usually don't (errr....never do). As far as the poor question writing, I guess there's nothing to be done about that. I'm just trying to get a bead on the content of the exam, so I can focus my studying for attempt #2.

Also, I'm doing QBank. Do you think there's any correlation between QBank performance and COMLEX 3 performance, i.e. if I improve my QBank score by 20%, would that yield me a similar improvement on my COMLEX?

I'm really scared here, folks. I need to get this behind me.

 

[racquetball]

Hey Teufelhunden -

I would be interested in what NBOME says about the regrade. Please let us know. I heard of people trying this for Step 1 & 2 but I never followed up with them. Hopefully, there would not be a punitive decrease in the score just for asking.

Well, I have also re-registered for this test May 23 since that is the soonest time that I can take it. I really don't think that knowledge deficit was the biggest factor for me on this test since I did prepare well and I did make a concerted effort. Like I said before, I finished Crush Step 3, over 1000 in QBank & QBook, reviewed ACLS, Savarese & skimmed B & W. Plus the NBOME exam online of course. Now, where to start for the retake.

Based on the blogs I've read, I am looking into the following to study for the retake:

Strong Medicine
NMS Step 3
Blueprints for CCS
USMLE World
AFP - online
ACLS
Comlex exam by NBOME
Savarese - OMT

I don't have time to study all of the above but I already own or have access to most without additional $ - especially since we just forked over another $600 for the retake. Lame. My worst area was Diagnostic Technologies and my best was Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Scientific Understanding of Technologies. Whatever those are - I like the way they narrow those right down for us.

Anyway, I'm motivated to rock this, get the license and move on!!! Failure is a good motivator - Good luck! 👍