KAPLAN COMLEX books- read this!

[euhsa]

I have a pretty interesting story to tell concerning the KAPLAN comlex books. Over the past three weeks, I have noticed erythema, dry skin, and pruritis with heavier concentrations on the distal tips of my fingers and on the skin overlying the hypothenar eminence. This outbreak occured days after I started studying for the COMLEX. In addition, the condition seemed to worsen after studying with the COMLEX books for a long period of time.

DX- Contact Dermatitis from KAPLAN COMLEX books.

Did this happen to anyone else? Well, I am late to church so I'll continue this story later.

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[euhsa]

Anyhow, most of you may know that the Kaplan USMLE books are word for word the same book as the KAPLAN Comlex books except the quality of the paper. Therefore, they were generous to make the switch.

However, the story does not end there. I visited my local center and to make up the live lectures that were missed through their videos. I found that the videos proved to be useful. Consequently, I then decided to sign up for MEDPASS. And now, they are going to send me another set of USMLE books. The same books that they replaced for my COMLEX books. As a result, I asked the center director, who has been very helpful through this process, if I can keep my COMLEX books rather than receive another set of USMLE books. However, she then proceeded to tell me that this cannot be done for the purposes of inventory and coding.

As a former analyst at MERCK, I am not naive to the operation of business and corporate America. In addition, I do not blame the medical site director because she is only doing her job not making the rules. However, do any of you feel that I am asking for too much as far as my requests for my COMLEX books are concerned?

 

[Popoy]

I don't think your asking for too much.... I'm not studying for the boards yet, but have had a similar experience with MCAT books when I was studying for it. That is, I asked to keep my old Kaplan MCAT study guide (which was exactly the same as the new ones I was about to purchase) and not add that $300-400 additional charges for the "new" books but they said the same thing to me as they did for you.... something about inventory and coding.... oh well.... life goes on, huh?!

So are is Kaplan that helpful in studying for the COMLEX? or is it just the same if I study for the boards by myself with purchased books on the USMLE or other study guides. Any suggestion for a future board taker would certainly be appreciated!!!

Thanks, Popoy

 

[euhsa]

Thanks for responding Popoy. I still have to take the test, but so far, I can say that if you can learn off books alone- then save yourself the money. However, if you are the type of student that benefits from classes then by all means pay for the classes.

If I were to start over from the beginning, I would have signed up for MEDPASS alone (no LIVE LECTURES). The Kaplan live lectures are good, but you get so drained by the end of the day. With the videos, you can simply go at your own speed, and hit the rewind button if you feel that you are missing anything important. That's my 2 cents.

Feel free to email me if you have any more ?s.