Is there something I'm missing in the report for LECOM bradenton's COMLEX First Time Pass Rate? Is it GENUINELY that high with a PBL Curriculum?

[GAMING4FUNN]

I have recently also been accepted to ACOM which provides a systems-based curriculum & a 4 year supply if Uworld, Sketchy & Pathoma with weekly integration of Board style question students must complete. Yet their COMLEX First Time Pass Rate is DEVASTATINGLY LOW & in many cases below the national average.

LECOM-B has nothing like that for students and incorporates a PBL where over 60% of the course material is taught through the PBL format. There is no professor lecturing you so students are on their own within the groups to study the material. Yet they have the HIGHEST First Time Pass Rate for COMLEX.

How can this be? Is LECOM-B intentionally letting certain students who score beyond passing to take the COMLEX & holding back others?

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[khnz786]

Lecom-B grad here. Yes they make you take a series of practice comlex exams before allowing you to sit for the test.

 

[Goro]

There are a number of schools that game the system and prevent the weakest students from taking COMLEX. I think LECOM turned it into an art form.

ACOM is probably also burdened by having to accept weaker students.

 

[hallowmann]

There are a number of schools that game the system and prevent the weakest students from taking COMLEX. I think LECOM turned it into an art form.

ACOM is probably also burdened by having to accept weaker students.

This is not gaming the system, its looking out for the students. Students who fail the COMSAE can still technically take the test. Its not like they are not certified for it or kicked out before they can take it like some of the Carib big 4. They literally are told they should postpone and encouraged to enter an elective period for studying or board review course. Everyone ends up taking it by the Fall of 3rd year, and most people pass because of it. I don't recall anyone actually being barred from taking the test or being kicked out solely for their performance on the COMSAE.

The purpose of medical school is to educate you and give you the tools to attain a residency. Passing your board exam is an essential part of that process. I would argue that schools that don't actively try to make sure you pass are doing a disservice to their students.

Also, one thing that is rarely talked about with regards to the PBL curriculum at LECOM, which likely has a role to play in board preparation is the exam lengths throughout the curriculum. Exams are like 4 hours long and 200 some questions. You get used to marathon test taking, because that's what most of the basic sciences curriculum is like. That makes actually sitting for the practice tests and boards way more manageable.

 

[Goro]

This is not gaming the system, its looking out for the students. Students who fail the COMSAE can still technically take the test. Its not like they are not certified for it or kicked out before they can take it like some of the Carib big 4. They literally are told they should postpone and encouraged to enter an elective period for studying or board review course. Everyone ends up taking it by the Fall of 3rd year, and most people pass because of it. I don't recall anyone actually being barred from taking the test or being kicked out solely for their performance on the COMSAE.

The purpose of medical school is to educate you and give you the tools to attain a residency. Passing your board exam is an essential part of that process. I would argue that schools that don't actively try to make sure you pass are doing a disservice to their students.

Honestly, I had forgotten about the positive side of this! My school doesn't allow our weakest students to take COMLEX without some extended prep time.

But we do this to protect the student, as you rightly point out. We don't do it to manipulate Board pass rates which some schools are know to do. Trying to figure out which is which does get into a grey area. So my apologies for the confusion!

 

[khnz786]

This is not gaming the system, its looking out for the students. Students who fail the COMSAE can still technically take the test. Its not like they are not certified for it or kicked out before they can take it like some of the Carib big 4. They literally are told they should postpone and encouraged to enter an elective period for studying or board review course. Everyone ends up taking it by the Fall of 3rd year, and most people pass because of it. I don't recall anyone actually being barred from taking the test or being kicked out solely for their performance on the COMSAE.

The purpose of medical school is to educate you and give you the tools to attain a residency. Passing your board exam is an essential part of that process. I would argue that schools that don't actively try to make sure you pass are doing a disservice to their students.

Also, one thing that is rarely talked about with regards to the PBL curriculum at LECOM, which likely has a role to play in board preparation is the exam lengths throughout the curriculum. Exams are like 4 hours long and 200 some questions. You get used to marathon test taking, because that's what most of the basic sciences curriculum is like. That makes actually sitting for the practice tests and boards way more manageable.

Yes the exams are massive and cover 45-60 chapters. I totally forgot about that.

 

[GAMING4FUNN]

Lecom-B grad here. Yes they make you take a series of practice comlex exams before allowing you to sit for the test.

I am gonna contact the school on this topic. How many students get withheld from or are cautioned from taking the COMLEX. You state they have to take a series of COMLEX practice exams. How many? Are they more than what some schools provide as practice exams?

 

[khnz786]

I can’t speak for other schools, but we had an exam at the end of every semester (so 4 total I believe).

 

[GAMING4FUNN]

I can’t speak for other schools, but we had an exam at the end of every semester (so 4 total I believe).

Sorry for continually digging deeper into this topic but these exams were not the lengthy PBL exams. These were their own separate entities specifically designed to gauge if you could sit for COMLEX?

Additionally was it frequent that students performed failed these or was most of your class passing these without remediation?

 

[khnz786]

Sorry for continually digging deeper into this topic but these exams were not the lengthy PBL exams. These were their own separate entities specifically designed to gauge if you could sit for COMLEX?

Additionally was it frequent that students performed failed these or was most of your class passing these without remediation?

Yes these were separate from the PBL exams, they’re designed to simulate your performance on COMLEX. PBL exams are a separate beast all together. I have no idea what happens if you performed poorly on those exams - I wasn’t one of those students and I didn’t know who those students were. It wasn’t publicized.