First Aid USMLE vs COMLEX editions

[Helen Wheels]

So, I will be an OMS-1 in just 8 short weeks. I went ahead and bought First Aid for USMLE. I know this sounds really neurotic but Med School Confidential recommended that you have this right from the start and use it as you go along so it is really familiar when board exams come around. I am thinking I will be likely to also take Step I in addition to COMLEX when the time comes.

Anyway, I didn't realize there was a First Aid for COMLEX version until after I bought this. Is it worth it to also buy the COMLEX one? It doesn't look like they update the COMLEX edition every year like they do the USMLE one.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DuxburyPembroke]

While it's useful to have FA as you go through first and second years ("how much of this am I learning just for the test and how much is really high-yield?"), I don't know that an OMT review is so helpful for those years. If you did feel like you really wanted one, the OMT review book by Savarese ("the green book") is tried and true, and reviews on the FA for Comlex seem pretty mixed, so I'd stick with Savarese.

 

[Colbert]

while it's useful to have fa as you go through first and second years ("how much of this am i learning just for the test and how much is really high-yield?"), i don't know that an omt review is so helpful for those years. If you did feel like you really wanted one, the omt review book by savarese ("the green book") is tried and true, and reviews on the fa for comlex seem pretty mixed, so i'd stick with savarese.

+1

 

[bleeker10]

So, I will be an OMS-1 in just 8 short weeks. I went ahead and bought First Aid for USMLE. I know this sounds really neurotic but Med School Confidential recommended that you have this right from the start and use it as you go along so it is really familiar when board exams come around. I am thinking I will be likely to also take Step I in addition to COMLEX when the time comes.

Anyway, I didn't realize there was a First Aid for COMLEX version until after I bought this. Is it worth it to also buy the COMLEX one? It doesn't look like they update the COMLEX edition every year like they do the USMLE one.

FA for the COMLEX is OMM only. It doesn't have info like FA for the USMLE does. I'd get Savarese instead. IMHO it is a better review book for OMM. Also the only issue with buying FA now is they release a new edition every year so you may want to buy the newest edition for boards.

 

[nlax30]

Agree with the above.

I used USMLE FA (along with other various review books) for USMLE step 1 and COMLEX level 1 and did great.

All I used for OMT review was that green Savarese review book. It's an extremely quick read and plenty for general review before Level 1 & 2.

 

[BobBarker]

First Aid+Savarese and you will be ahead of the game. I think its a great idea to have both books and use them throughout the first two years. Polish things off with Comquest+USMLE World sometime during 2nd semester of 2nd year and board prep will be pretty painless.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Thanks so much for everyone who posted! I'll definitely get the Savarese.

 

[drctother]

So im actually surprised at the lack of Anti-Keener comments from med students (just going off trends on the forums)

Maybe im missing something cuz Im technically not a med student yet either...... same situation OMS-I in 2 months....

So should we as first years be buying FA for USMLE ??? Is this too intense and should we wait until halfway through 2nd year?

 

[nlax30]

I'm sure you'll get different advice from everyone.... but I didn't get or use my FA until 2nd year when I started annotating it alongside my normal studying.

 

[voidlogin]

I took comlex level 1 and usmle step 1 last year. Use first aid, which is good for both comlex and usmle. use green OMM book for the omm sections. The green omm book is better than first aid for comlex (the one with pictures of omm techniques) because most of OMM questions on comlex is not about how to do OMM but indications/contra, mechanism, anatomy etc. The green book also has pictures and shows you how to do basic omm anyway. (BTW, the kaplan omm book for comlex level 1 is actually green OMM book without the valuable questions in the end of book.)

 

[BodyMechanic]

I took comlex level 1 and usmle step 1 last year. Use first aid, which is good for both comlex and usmle. use green OMM book for the omm sections. The green omm book is better than first aid for comlex (the one with pictures of omm techniques) because most of OMM questions on comlex is not about how to do OMM but indications/contra, mechanism, anatomy etc. The green book also has pictures and shows you how to do basic omm anyway. (BTW, the kaplan omm book for comlex level 1 is actually green OMM book without the valuable questions in the end of book.)

I agree with the above posters. Get First Aid for USMLE and Savarese for OMT, which is good for both Comlex I & II. I took both steps of USMLE and Comlex, and I studied essentially the same for both with First Aid for USMLE, Savarese and Uworld (in my opinion the best study resource for all three levels of boards).

 

[faith100]

I agree with the above posters. Get First Aid for USMLE and Savarese for OMT, which is good for both Comlex I & II. I took both steps of USMLE and Comlex, and I studied essentially the same for both with First Aid for USMLE, Savarese and Uworld (in my opinion the best study resource for all three levels of boards).

I've heard that it's best to study from only a few sources vs. many different guides/books. So, would most of you say that you were well prepared for the USMLE and COMLEX exams with only the following three sources:
1. FA for USMLE
2. Savarese
3. UWorld

Any suggestions for other sources are also welcome...I'd like to use no more than 4 resources when studying...if that would properly prepare me. I'm an incoming first year.

 

[beachblonde]

While I love FA right now, I would NOT bother buying it for your first year. I bought it right as I started my M1 year and found it to have so little detail for first year classes that it was basically worthless. Your money will be much better spent buying Savarese and assorted basic science review books, like BRS Physiology and Lippincott's Biochem.

I ended up wasting $$$ because I bought the 2010 edition of FA for my second year because otherwise the edition I would be using for step 1 would be two years out of date (not the best idea).

And FA for the COMLEX kinda sucks. I only have it because I got it for free, I would not have spent money on it.

 

[BodyMechanic]

I've heard that it's best to study from only a few sources vs. many different guides/books. So, would most of you say that you were well prepared for the USMLE and COMLEX exams with only the following three sources:
1. FA for USMLE
2. Savarese
3. UWorld

Any suggestions for other sources are also welcome...I'd like to use no more than 4 resources when studying...if that would properly prepare me. I'm an incoming first year.

For Step 1, it is very important that you do your best to learn the material during your first two years of school; this will make boards studying much easier. When you are studying for boards you should be reviewing material, and not learning a bunch of new stuff. Of course there's always some new tidbits that you will pick up that you might not have known before.

Now, as far as materials, I first read BRS Phys by Costanzo, RR Path by Goljan, and had Micro and Pharm review cards on top of First Aid, Savarese, and Uworld.

I used Uworld exclusively for the last two weeks before the exam, and I would recommend doing mostly UWorld questions near the end of your study time to get you ready for test day. (I scored 230+ on USMLE and 600+ on Comlex with this strategy).

My method won't work for everyone, as boards studying is very individualized, but these are just my 2 cents.