Is the Comlex sufficient for Military ACGME residency?

[corpsman33]

I am currently in my 4th week of Osteopathic Med School as an OMS1. I am also a HSCP student in the Navy.

I know that the Comlex is nearly 2 years away, but I was wondering how the military viewed the Comlex vs. the USMLE since all residencies in the military are ACGME (somebody correct me if I am wrong). I know that I am required to take the Comlex (which is a requirement of nearly all Osteopathic schools), but the USMLE is optional.

Will most residency directors prefer that I also take the USMLE? Or will the Comlex be sufficient?

I have worked at a Naval hospital for the last 5 years prior to medical school and have talked with numerous DO physicians that have taken "only" the Comlex and others that took both the Comlex and USMLE.

If residency directors simply utilize an equation to convert the Comlex score to a USMLE score, will this be held against me?

Thanks in advance!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dwb8p]

If you're not set on FM, IM, peds, psych, or ob/gyn, then the safest bet is to plan on taking USMLE Step 1 and do reasonably well on it (235+). There is a noticeable bias against DOs in the competitive surgical and non-surgical specialties at least in the army; so this should help you get around that.

 

[bleeker10]

If you're not set on FM, IM, peds, psych, or ob/gyn, then the safest bet is to plan on taking USMLE Step 1 and do reasonably well on it (235+). There is a noticeable bias against DOs in the competitive surgical and non-surgical specialties at least in the army; so this should help you get around that.

Second this. I'm applying ortho now. Even though I have over 650 on level 1, I was told I should've taken USMLE step 1. I did take USMLE step 2 and did >240 on it and was told that helps out my app a lot. Even though the scores are supposed to be equal, they aren't for two reasons. The first is everyone who knows anything about COMLEX knows it's an inferior test to USMLE and doesn't even test similar material most of the time. The second is there isn't a quality score converter or an easy way to compare the scores (250 vs 700?). The DO residents have to explain how to interpret COMLEX scores but it isn't easy. Plus it's much easier to compare apples to apples. Since MDs can't take COMLEX, it's easier to compare USMLE scores.

There is an inherent risk for a DO student to take USMLE. If you do well, they will think you are on the same level as the MD students. If you do poorly (even if you did well on COMLEX), you will be thought of as a stupid DO student.

In the grand scheme of things, it's about $1100 for two tests that could (depending on how well you do) help you match into your specialty of choice. If I knew then what I know now, I'd have taken step 1. Going through the extra stress of studying for step 1 for a few months is much, much better than the stress of doing a TY and reapplying.

 

[psychbender]

I'm going to disagree and say the opposite. I'm a DO, took only the COMLEX, and am finishing my residency in Anesthesiology. We have a boatload of other DOs in my program (and all over the hospital) who, likewise, did not take the USMLE.

 

[haujun]

If you're not set on FM, IM, peds, psych, or ob/gyn, then the safest bet is to plan on taking USMLE Step 1 and do reasonably well on it (235+). There is a noticeable bias against DOs in the competitive surgical and non-surgical specialties at least in the army; so this should help you get around that.

Maybe in Neurosurgery or Dermatology. Most residents I know just took COMLEX and did well to match Radiology etc...

 

[corpsman33]

Well I have no desire to do Derm, neurosurgery, etc, but I do like emergency medicine and ortho (who knows how my sentiments will be a few years from now after rotations).

That being said I have been in the Navy for 5 years and have seen many happy flight surgeons. I have no problem doing a flight surgery tour first, and I am in fact looking forward to doing a tour (a once in a lifetime opportunity in my opinion). If I decide to do a 2-3 year flight surgery tour/gmo tour before matching will this help nullify the fact that I may only take the Comlex, 1 or should I still take the USMLE 1 as well.

The only reason I would be hesitant to take the USMLE 1 is for the exact reason that bleeker10 stated: I am required to take the Comlex, but if I also take the USMLE and do bad/fail, then I will have drastically hurt my chances at obtaining a desirable residency.

Choices, choices......

 

[psychbender]

Well I have no desire to do Derm, neurosurgery, etc, but I do like emergency medicine and ortho (who knows how my sentiments will be a few years from now after rotations).

That being said I have been in the Navy for 5 years and have seen many happy flight surgeons. I have no problem doing a flight surgery tour first, and I am in fact looking forward to doing a tour (a once in a lifetime opportunity in my opinion). If I decide to do a 2-3 year flight surgery tour/gmo tour before matching will this help nullify the fact that I may only take the Comlex, 1 or should I still take the USMLE 1 as well.

Dude, you're in the Navy...you're doing a GMO tour regardless.

 

[corpsman33]

Dude, you're in the Navy...you're doing a GMO tour regardless.

That is not 100% true. I know many, many physicians who have gone straight to intern/residency immediately following medical school. Also, at NMCSD they have begun to adopt a 4 year intern/residency program for Emergency Medicine docs (the specialty that I have the most interest in) that would make it easier for physicians to begin immediately in the program (without doing a gmo tour).

That being said.....I have absolutely no problem doing a flight surgery/gmo tour. In fact I look forward to it.

 

[ruiner]

Dude, you're in the Navy...you're doing a GMO tour regardless.

people always say this but in my company at ODS each of the docs had been residency trained (everyone except the family med doc in a civilian residency) and two guys were preparing to go off to residency. I know a lot of people do GMOs but I have trouble seeing how it is guaranteed, especially with the numbers they have been recruiting lately.

 

[corpsman33]

people always say this but in my company at ODS each of the docs had been residency trained (everyone else the family med doc in a civilian residency) and two guys were preparing to go off to residency. I know a lot of people do GMOs but I have trouble seeing how it is guaranteed, especially with the numbers they have been recruiting lately.

This!

 

[sonofva]

So here's my question. If you look at the Army GME slideshow, most of the COMLEX scores reported seem low. For example, ER, which is supposed to be a "competitive specialty" these days in the Army, had an average score of 536 with a minimum of 458. Rads 534 avg w/ 466 minimum. Seems low.

What's up with that? What's up with that?