For those taking COMLEX and USMLE Step 1....

[CoachJPT]

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Which test of the two did you decide to take first and why did you decide that?

 

[ArcherM2]

USMLE first. If you're taking it, you want to crush it. I wanted to go into it full steam ahead and I figured the material on the COMLEX is the same and I could just study some OMT in between. Worked well for me. Anyone else have thoughts?

 

[ceftazidime]

I actually took both back to back. The COMLEX first, then USMLE next day. Did slightly above average on both. I originally wanted to take USMLE first so I could have some extra time to study OMM, but due to scheduling problems I wasn't able to do that. The fact of the matter is, the USMLE has a lot of extra biochem, biostats, and behavioral sciences that the COMLEX doesn't even touch, so I think it is of benefit to take the USMLE after COMLEX to study these topics in further detail. The OMM stuff you can learn in 1 day with the Savarese book.

 

[Terpskins99]

Which test of the two did you decide to take first and why did you decide that?

Are you still pre-med? Kinda odd that you'd be asking this already... but what the heck.

I took COMLEX first (scored 85) to get it out of the way. Then took another 1 1/2 months to focus on doing better on the USMLE (scored 98). Probably not the best strategy for everyone (including myself... I got REAL tired towards the end), but ultimately worked out for the better.

 

[Old_Mil]

USMLE first. If you're taking it, you want to crush it. I wanted to go into it full steam ahead and I figured the material on the COMLEX is the same and I could just study some OMT in between. Worked well for me. Anyone else have thoughts?

Good advice, for the reasons listed.

Keep in mind that the USMLE is (1) a much better written exam and (2) a much, much harder exam than Comlex 1. There's a lot of upside to doing well on the USMLE as a DO if you're going to do the MD match, but an equally bad downside should you fail USMLE and pass COMLEX.

 

[Terpskins99]

Good advice, for the reasons listed.

Keep in mind that the USMLE is (1) a much better written exam and (2) a much, much harder exam than Comlex 1. There's a lot of upside to doing well on the USMLE as a DO if you're going to do the MD match, but an equally bad downside should you fail USMLE and pass COMLEX.

Agree with (1), disagree with (2).

The difficulty of the USMLE relative to COMLEX is overrated. Its a different kind of exam that requires more thought... but I actually had a much easier time on the USMLE than I did on COMLEX.

With COMLEX, you get flooded with WTF questions that you either knew or had zero clue on. On the USMLE, you can pretty much noodle your way to the answer on every single question... you just don't have enough time to do so. You need to strategize how you attack the USMLE, but overall the USMLE questions are FAR more fair. COMLEX is just a poorly written exam.

 

[Bill_Brasky]

Agree with (1), disagree with (2).

The difficulty of the USMLE relative to COMLEX is overrated. Its a different kind of exam that requires more thought... but I actually had a much easier time on the USMLE than I did on COMLEX.

With COMLEX, you get flooded with WTF questions that you either knew or had zero clue on. On the USMLE, you can pretty much noodle your way to the answer on every single question... you just don't have enough time to do so. You need to strategize how you attack the USMLE, but overall the USMLE questions are FAR more fair. COMLEX is just a poorly written exam.

I took both and agree that the Step 1 is of equivalent difficulty. Really on my Comlex I didn't get the wtf questions either, I thought it was well written.

 

[ArcherM2]

I have to agree with Terpskins on this one. COMLEX was much more you either know it or you don't. The questions on the USMLE were often two to three step questions and required you to THINK! Plus the subjects tested were much more diverse on the USMLE, I felt like I was taking a board exam from the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists on COMLEX.

 

[Coxsuckie Virus]

hello friend,

I took both of them. I took the USMLE first. I also thought the USMLE was a little easier, both in that time management was a bit simpler, and how it was structured was better known to me when I took it.

The COMLEX has the OMM part to it. So I took the USMLE first because it has the same clinical info and knowledge requirements, and then spent a week brushing up some things and relearning OMM for the COMLEX.

Basically, I took the USMLE first because there was less to know. In the time between the two (5-7 days for me), I learned the OMM.

Get it? Got it? good...

In essence, you can pass the USMLE and not pass the COMLEX if you don't know OMM. But if you can pass the COMLEX, you can definitely pass the USMLE.

A square is a rectangle, but a rectangle isn't a square, sort of thing...

 

[Phallacious]

USMLE = good test, more clues. Stop.

COMLEX= good test, less clues. Stop.

Me like both. Stop.

OMM = marginal. Stop. Just study sympathetic innervation. Stop.

Take COMLEX first as warm up. Stop.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

hello friend,

I took both of them. I took the USMLE first. I also thought the USMLE was a little easier, both in that time management was a bit simpler, and how it was structured was better known to me when I took it.

The COMLEX has the OMM part to it. So I took the USMLE first because it has the same clinical info and knowledge requirements, and then spent a week brushing up some things and relearning OMM for the COMLEX.

Basically, I took the USMLE first because there was less to know. In the time between the two (5-7 days for me), I learned the OMM.

Get it? Got it? good...

In essence, you can pass the USMLE and not pass the COMLEX if you don't know OMM. But if you can pass the COMLEX, you can definitely pass the USMLE.

A square is a rectangle, but a rectangle isn't a square, sort of thing...

I plan on doing the same thing..others have adviced me to stick with usmle first and comlex after due to the differences in testing material. Study your tail off for usmle's and then integrate omm into your studying..you should be golden for both the exams!

 

[RockfordWF]

Which test of the two did you decide to take first and why did you decide that?

Comlex second. The reason why is that you can study for both with the exception of the OMM section, take the USMLE, and then study the OMM section just prior to the COMLEX.

It's also better to get the harder exam over with first.

 

[RajMahal]

I also thought the USMLE was a little easier, both in that time management was a bit simpler, and how it was structured was better known to me when I took it.

Basically, I took the USMLE first because there was less to know.

In essence, you can pass the USMLE and not pass the COMLEX if you don't know OMM. But if you can pass the COMLEX, you can definitely pass the USMLE.

Sorry Coxsackie, but statistics would beg to differ, seeing as how the first time pass rates for DO's are much higher on the COMLEX than on USMLE.

I propose that if you can pass the USMLE, you can definitely pass the COMLEX (seeing as how you don't need to pass the OMM section in order to pass the overall exam, i.e. you can miss every single OMM question and still pass).

The fact that the USMLE is a better organized and structured test as far as time management and how the questions are written makes it a more user-friendly test, but I don't think it makes the material any less difficult. The fact of the matter is that the basic science that is tested on the USMLE is both broader and more in-depth in nature than that on the COMLEX.

The fact that you can miss every OMM question and still pass the COMLEX is an embarassment. What should be done, and what I've stated repeatedly, is that ALL DO'S SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE USMLE, AND A SEPARATE OMM TEST ADMINISTERED BY THE NBOME TO DEMONSTRATE OMM PROFICIENCY. That way, we can 1) save ourselves from having to spend twice as much money to take both sets of boards, 2) save ourselves the time committment of having to take both sets of boards, and 3) Finally hold ourselves to the same standards as MD's and come one step closer to establishing ourselves and our educations as equally qualified.

 

[RajMahal]

Are you still pre-med? Kinda odd that you'd be asking this already... but what the heck.

I took COMLEX first (scored 85) to get it out of the way. Then took another 1 1/2 months to focus on doing better on the USMLE (scored 98). Probably not the best strategy for everyone (including myself... I got REAL tired towards the end), but ultimately worked out for the better.

This is precisely the strategy I used, with similar results.

 

[DrWBD]

If you are taking the USMLE as a DO, it's a plausible assumption that you want an ACGME residency (otherwise why bother taking the USMLE?). Thus, you should be trying to maximize your study time for the USMLE over the COMLEX, as most ACGME programs won't care about your COMLEX score if you're submitting USMLEs.

For this reason, it seems to me to make more sense to allow more study time for the USMLE, and to take it after the COMLEX.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

If you are taking the USMLE as a DO, it's a plausible assumption that you want an ACGME residency (otherwise why bother taking the USMLE?). Thus, you should be trying to maximize your study time for the USMLE over the COMLEX, as most ACGME programs won't care about your COMLEX score if you're submitting USMLEs.

For this reason, it seems to me to make more sense to allow more study time for the USMLE, and to take it after the COMLEX.

well it certainly is a route one could take, but you want to leave all doors open..never assume that one wouldn't apply to an osteopathic residency because now you feel the contrary. But you certainly have to hit the books hard ..i still believe taking USMLE's first will let you focus more thoroughly on COMLEX. The reason why i say that is due to the very fact that USMLE demands you to work extremely hard thus making you ready for both the tests and only requires you to integrate OMM in your preparation for COMLEX.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

Are you still pre-med? Kinda odd that you'd be asking this already... but what the heck.

I took COMLEX first (scored 85) to get it out of the way. Then took another 1 1/2 months to focus on doing better on the USMLE (scored 98). Probably not the best strategy for everyone (including myself... I got REAL tired towards the end), but ultimately worked out for the better.

Yea, i don't see it working for me..i don't want to hit the wall by maximizing my studying time. 4-5 Weeks seems to be the average on SDN..i don't think i would do better by studying 12 weeks.

 

[DrWBD]

well it certainly is a route one could take, but you want to leave all doors open..never assume that one wouldn't apply to an osteopathic residency because now you feel the contrary. But you certainly have to hit the books hard ..i still believe taking USMLE's first will let you focus more thoroughly on COMLEX. The reason why i say that is due to the very fact that USMLE demands you to work extremely hard thus making you ready for both the tests and only requires you to integrate OMM in your preparation for COMLEX.

Well, you're a student, and certainly entitled to an opinion. Having already taken COMLEX Level I-III as well as the USMLE, and having completed residency, I've got some real world experience that you lack, and am just trying to pass it on to those who want to read it.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

Well, you're a student, and certainly entitled to an opinion. Having already taken COMLEX Level I-III as well as the USMLE, and having completed residency, I've got some real world experience that you lack, and am just trying to pass it on to those who want to read it.

Well don't get me wrong, like ya said..it is my opinion. So how did you end up doing on your boards? Just curious...

 

[DrWBD]

Well don't get me wrong, like ya said..it is my opinion. So how did you end up doing on your boards? Just curious...

I don't even remember my COMLEX scores except that I passed (which speaks volumes about how unimportant they are in the ACGME world).
I did decently enough on the USMLE to get my residency and competitive fellowship.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

I don't even remember my COMLEX scores except that I passed (which speaks volumes about how unimportant they are in the ACGME world).
I did decently enough on the USMLE to get my residency and competitive fellowship.

good stuff buddy, that's all that matters..you got what you wanted!

 

[Krisss17]

Are you still pre-med? Kinda odd that you'd be asking this already... but what the heck.

I took COMLEX first (scored 85) to get it out of the way. Then took another 1 1/2 months to focus on doing better on the USMLE (scored 98). Probably not the best strategy for everyone (including myself... I got REAL tired towards the end), but ultimately worked out for the better.

I don't think it is odd at all...there are some applicants that are interested in DO schools, but would also like to look into allopathic residencies...why not know what is up ahead.