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- Feb 24, 2015
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Asking for a friend...
I have no idea why this question keeps getting asked, but you should take both even if you suck at exams. Now I am reading on here that fellowships even look at step I and step II scores (when they don't even consider step III)...
It depends. What is your friend's class standing? And just as importantly, has s/he taken any sort of diagnostic exams in med school, like COMBANK/COMSAE/NBME shelf exams???Asking for a friend...
I'm actually not on the SDN "take the USMLE!" hype train. I've seen the disastrous results it can bring. In my opinion, you shouldn't even sign up unless you're in the top quartile of your class. If you're not, then wait until you take at least two NBMEs before you decide (NOT UWSA1). It's over 600$ that you cannot get back if you back out from taking it. If those are both sub-215, I would not plan on taking it.
I'm actually not on the SDN "take the USMLE!" hype train. I've seen the disastrous results it can bring. In my opinion, you shouldn't even sign up unless you're in the top quartile of your class. If you're not, then wait until you take at least two NBMEs before you decide (NOT UWSA1). It's over 600$ that you cannot get back if you back out from taking it. If those are both sub-215, I would not plan on taking it.
I'm actually not on the SDN "take the USMLE!" hype train. I've seen the disastrous results it can bring. In my opinion, you shouldn't even sign up unless you're in the top quartile of your class. If you're not, then wait until you take at least two NBMEs before you decide (NOT UWSA1). It's over 600$ that you cannot get back if you back out from taking it. If those are both sub-215, I would not plan on taking it.
Pretty much everyone I know who was above the 1/3rd mark got a 220. I don't think you need to be a genius to break a 215. Hell, I was below 50th percentile in my class I still was above average.
I'm actually not on the SDN "take the USMLE!" hype train. I've seen the disastrous results it can bring. In my opinion, you shouldn't even sign up unless you're in the top quartile of your class. If you're not, then wait until you take at least two NBMEs before you decide (NOT UWSA1). It's over 600$ that you cannot get back if you back out from taking it. If those are both sub-215, I would not plan on taking it.
I'm actually not on the SDN "take the USMLE!" hype train. I've seen the disastrous results it can bring. In my opinion, you shouldn't even sign up unless you're in the top quartile of your class. If you're not, then wait until you take at least two NBMEs before you decide (NOT UWSA1). It's over 600$ that you cannot get back if you back out from taking it. If those are both sub-215, I would not plan on taking it.
My school is currently having this exact same discussion. Why should we force students who are not meeting standards who are interested in DO family medicine or community IM to take an exam that they are likely to fail and close even more doors? The USMLE is a BEAST. I thought it was significantly more challenging than the COMLEX and, despite the narrative on SDN that they are similar exams, each exam requires a completely different approach to problem-solving and emphasizes different aspects of your medical training.
As a MD student, I have no idea how COMLEX looks like. However, we had access to COMBANK at the beginning of 2dn year and if COMLEX is anything like COMBANK, I completely agree with you.There's no difference in approach to problem solving or emphasizing different aspects of medical training. The USMLE simply requires you to be far more intimately knowledgeable of pathology and pathophysiology. The COMLEX is in my opinion somewhat more reasonable in that the knowledge requirement is probably more reflective of what a real practicing doctor requires to be successful and what not.
That being said, I think everyone should work towards passing step 1 these days.
There's no difference in approach to problem solving or emphasizing different aspects of medical training. The USMLE simply requires you to be far more intimately knowledgeable of pathology and pathophysiology. The COMLEX is in my opinion somewhat more reasonable in that the knowledge requirement is probably more reflective of what a real practicing doctor requires to be successful and what not.
That being said, I think everyone should work towards passing step 1 these days.