KCOM Step 1 Low Pass Rate?

[moy505]

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Hey guys,

I was recently accepted to KCOM, and it seems like an awesome school. The students were obviously brilliant, but they still seemed down to earth and easy going. However, one of the things that concerns me about KCOM is that the COMLEX 1 pass rate for the late 6 years is 89%:

https://www.atsu.edu/kcom/prospective_students/boardscores.htm

I'm mainly really worried about passing med school and passing COMLEX. Should I be worried, or is it typical for ~10% of the class to fail?

Also could anyone comment on how difficult it is to simply pass in MS1/MS2?

 

[ButterButter]

Also could anyone comment on how difficult it is to simply pass in MS1/MS2?

The preclinical years are designed to prepare you for COMLEX/USMLE, but ultimately, your preparedness depends on several factors including the strength of your curriculum, your own willingness to bust your ass, etc. At my school, they've mentioned that the best indicator of medical school performance is your MCAT score. Of the ~100 of us that started first year, only 2 failed out completely. We lost a few others for illness and various other LOAs. A few just decided they didn't want to continue so they left. What are your stats like?

As for the COMLEX pass rate: a lot of schools catch these students before they get a chance to fail the first time. They do this by requiring COMSAEs, etc. to ensure that students are where they need to be to score well. Those students that are at risk to fail may delay the start of 3rd year rotations and take COMLEX a month or so later. Many schools use this method in order to keep their first-time pass rate high. Ultimately, if you're willing to work hard and use a lot of resources outside of your curriculum to study for boards and track your progress, then you should be well-prepared to pass.

 

[deleted564680]

Hey guys,

I was recently accepted to KCOM, and it seems like an awesome school. The students were obviously brilliant, but they still seemed down to earth and easy going. However, one of the things that concerns me about KCOM is that the COMLEX 1 pass rate for the late 6 years is 89%:

https://www.atsu.edu/kcom/prospective_students/boardscores.htm

I'm mainly really worried about passing med school and passing COMLEX. Should I be worried, or is it typical for ~10% of the class to fail?

Also could anyone comment on how difficult it is to simply pass in MS1/MS2?

Look at the data in your own link....it was one bad year and I can speak to that...The class that year as a whole decided that partying and being lazy was the cool thing to do and they all bombed the Step exam. The last four years since then the averages for all COMLEX have been above the national average...

Last 4 years:
Step 1: KCOM (93.3%) National (92.3%)
Step 2 CE: KCOM (91.8%) National (90.7%)
Step 2 PE: KCOM (95.0%) National (93.5%)
Step 3: KCOM (97.0%) National (95.5%)

Like above poster stated, many schools pass rates are inflated artificially because they don't allow their own students to take the exam unless they pass a COMSAE with a 450 or something.

Way to start a thread and make KCOM look bad with misleading data.

 

[jockdoc97]

Look at the data in your own link....it was one bad year and I can speak to that...The class that year as a whole decided that partying and being lazy was the cool thing to do and they all bombed the Step exam. The last four years since then the averages for all COMLEX have been above the national average...

Last 4 years:
Step 1: KCOM (93.3%) National (92.3%)
Step 2 CE: KCOM (91.8%) National (90.7%)
Step 2 PE: KCOM (95.0%) National (93.5%)
Step 3: KCOM (97.0%) National (95.5%)

Like above poster stated, many schools pass rates are inflated artificially because they don't allow their own students to take the exam unless they pass a COMSAE with a 450 or something.

Way to start a thread and make KCOM look bad with misleading data.

I am confused. I don't think it is "inflating" data to require students to pass a COMSAE. Wouldn't you rather have the school be confident in your abilities to pass the boards before you take them? I mean, a failure on comlex is more significant than taking an extra month to study....

 

[deleted564680]

I am confused. I don't think it is "inflating" data to require students to pass a COMSAE. Wouldn't you rather have the school be confident in your abilities to pass the boards before you take them? I mean, a failure on comlex is more significant than taking an extra month to study....

It's not that it's a bad practice for a school to do this, and if I ran a medical school I would do it also. It's the fact that schools who do it will have higher pass rates than schools who don't. KCOM is a good example actually. They used to not "check" their students with a COMSAE, but the last 4 years they have (I think they still do). You can see the difference in pass rates.

 

[Mbeas]

KCOM is a good example actually. They used to not "check" their students with a COMSAE, but the last 4 years they have (I think they still do). You can see the difference in pass rates.

This is true. They still have to pass several COMSAE's (I think we had 3) before you can take Level 1.




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[Mbeas]

Hey guys,

I'm mainly really worried about passing med school and passing COMLEX. Should I be worried, or is it typical for ~10% of the class to fail?

Also could anyone comment on how difficult it is to simply pass in MS1/MS2?

You'll most likely be fine. Even if 10% of the class failed (which they don't), you still have a 90% chance of passing.

As for MS1/MS2 year, I honestly think it is easy to simply pass. If you want to do exceptionally well or be in top 10%, that is a different story.

 

[moy505]

Sorry if I made the school look bad. It's a great school, and I'm just trying to get some info.

Look at the data in your own link....it was one bad year and I can speak to that...The class that year as a whole decided that partying and being lazy was the cool thing to do and they all bombed the Step exam. The last four years since then the averages for all COMLEX have been above the national average...

Unless I'm reading the chart incorrectly, this is not correct. The last four years, since the bad year, KCOM was below the national average in 2015 and 2012, and above average in 2013 and 2014.

 

[moy505]

I honestly think it is easy to simply pass.

Is passing similar/only slightly harder than getting good undergrad grades?

 

[deleted564680]

Sorry if I made the school look bad. It's a great school, and I'm just trying to get some info.



Unless I'm reading the chart incorrectly, this is not correct. The last four years, since the bad year, KCOM was below the national average in 2015 and 2012, and above average in 2013 and 2014.

The average over the past 4 years.

 

[Mbeas]

Is passing similar/only slightly harder than getting good undergrad grades?

No, it's definitely harder than that. I didn't study a lot in undergrad and I got good grades. I had to study a lot in medical school.

For the most part, the material in medical school is not hard to understand. The problem is the volume. I still think that getting mediocre grades and mediocre board scores isn't difficult.

With that said, you really shouldn't be going into medical school with a lackluster attitude. Go in with confidence that you will study hard and do well, instead of trying to achieve the bare minimum.




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[Goro]

That's on the low side. I'd be concerned. But keep in mind that the 10% who fail are ones who should have been dismissed after the first semester of med school.

Unfortunately, we have this addiction to the idea that once we accept them, we do everything in our power to get them to graduation, even if they're kicking and screaming all the way. Hmmmm...maybe LUCOM is doing something right after all (with an 11% attrition rate for their first class after OMSI!)

At my school the worst performing students usually have mental health issues, and a poor work ethic and/or motivation issues.

Hey guys,

I was recently accepted to KCOM, and it seems like an awesome school. The students were obviously brilliant, but they still seemed down to earth and easy going. However, one of the things that concerns me about KCOM is that the COMLEX 1 pass rate for the late 6 years is 89%:

https://www.atsu.edu/kcom/prospective_students/boardscores.htm

I'm mainly really worried about passing med school and passing COMLEX. Should I be worried, or is it typical for ~10% of the class to fail?

Also could anyone comment on how difficult it is to simply pass in MS1/MS2?

 

[abolt18]

I know this has been quiet for a few months, so I wanted to share some update info for COMLEX Level 1 first time pass rates.

Class of:
2010 94%
2011 88%
2012 77%
2013 91%
2014 96%
2015 93%
2016 93%
2017 94%
2018 94%

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I know this has been quiet for a few months, so I wanted to share some update info for COMLEX Level 1 first time pass rates.

Class of:
2010 94%
2011 88%
2012 77%
2013 91%
2014 96%
2015 93%
2016 93%
2017 94%
2018 94%

What the hell happened in 2012 lol.