Matching IM or OBGYN

[FutureDoc01]

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I got my Comlex back today and got a 485. I'm pretty disappointed since I was doing so much better on practice. I'm interested in IM (pulm or cards) I was wondering if I would have a shot with my scores? I don't really want to do aoa because of location so I'm looking to do acgme. Possible?

 

[cliquesh]

You might be able to get into an Acgme IM program at a community hospital, but not a university program. I'm not sure about Ob/gyn.

You'd be fine for AOA internal medicine or obgyn. The average successful applicant for aoa internal medicine in 2011 was a 482.

That same year, the average comlex score for aoa Ob/gyn was a 485.

http://data.aacom.org/media/DO_GME_match_2011.pdf

I would strongly encourage you to take the usmle if you want to go to an Acgme program. You can always take usmle step 2 without step 1. Taking step 1 would be more helpful, though.

 

[pattr]

maybe you should study/review some more and try taking the USMLE. An average score would make you competitive for many ACGME IM and OB/GYN programs. If you want to do cards or pulm you'd have a much higher chance at fellowship with a strong USMLE score and having gone to a well-recognized ACGME residency program.

The ACGME IM programs you'd be competitive for with just your COMLEX score are limited. I'm not sure about for OB.

 

[cliquesh]

maybe you should study/review some more and try taking the USMLE. An average score would make you competitive for many ACGME IM and OB/GYN programs. If you want to do cards or pulm you'd have a much higher chance at fellowship with a strong USMLE score and having gone to a well-recognized ACGME residency program.

The ACGME IM programs you'd be competitive for with just your COMLEX score are limited. I'm not sure about for OB.

We're like the same person.

 

[pattr]

We're like the same person.

Haha... yeah I feel like you usually say exactly what I'm thinking and I want to just agree, or 'thumbs-up' your posts. Thumbs up and thumbs down really ought to be a feature on sdn!

... I am on a mission to get every DO student to take and pass the USMLE though.

 

[DrEnderW]

... I am on a mission to get every DO student to take and pass the USMLE though.

I'm only an incoming M1, but I think that is a great attitude. You got at least one down.

That would go a long way in proving to some naysayers that DO and MD education are both of the utmost quality (at least in the pre-clinical years.)

 

[Trogghunter]

What is better for acgme...average usmle step 1 or 650 comlex step 1?

 

[cliquesh]

Probably an average usmle. A 230+ for sure is better than a 650.

I had PDs ask if a 700 on the comlex was a good score.

I'm aware of a few programs that have a 220 usmle and/or a 600 comlex cut off score.

Comlex is pretty worthless for Acgme programs or, at least, good Acgme programs that you didn't rotate at.

With a 650, I'd imagine you'd do ok in the match, but you'd probably have to do audition rotations if you want a fair shot.

I'm talking about decent university programs. You should be fine with community programs and some lower university programs.

 

[DrWBD]

Practice more and take the USMLE

 

[NurWollen]

You might be able to get into an Acgme IM program at a community hospital, but not a university program. I'm not sure about Ob/gyn.

You'd be fine for AOA internal medicine or obgyn. The average successful applicant for aoa internal medicine in 2011 was a 482.

That same year, the average comlex score for aoa Ob/gyn was a 485.

http://data.aacom.org/media/DO_GME_match_2011.pdf

I would strongly encourage you to take the usmle if you want to go to an Acgme program. You can always take usmle step 2 without step 1. Taking step 1 would be more helpful, though.

maybe you should study/review some more and try taking the USMLE. An average score would make you competitive for many ACGME IM and OB/GYN programs. If you want to do cards or pulm you'd have a much higher chance at fellowship with a strong USMLE score and having gone to a well-recognized ACGME residency program.

The ACGME IM programs you'd be competitive for with just your COMLEX score are limited. I'm not sure about for OB.

We're like the same person.

Haha... yeah I feel like you usually say exactly what I'm thinking and I want to just agree, or 'thumbs-up' your posts. Thumbs up and thumbs down really ought to be a feature on sdn!

... I am on a mission to get every DO student to take and pass the USMLE though.

As an incoming MSI, my thought is, "of course I'll take the USMLE." What are some of the reasons that DO students don't take it? Fear of not passing seems like not a very good reason, because as a fallback they'll still have the COMLEX that they'll have to pass anyway to get licensed. Also that you can more or less target your prep towards the USMLE and will a little practive be fine for COMLEX. So what gives?

 

[pattr]

As an incoming MSI, my thought is, "of course I'll take the USMLE." What are some of the reasons that DO students don't take it? Fear of not passing seems like not a very good reason, because as a fallback they'll still have the COMLEX that they'll have to pass anyway to get licensed. Also that you can more or less target your prep towards the USMLE and will a little practive be fine for COMLEX. So what gives?

1) It's another 8 hour exam you have to study for, stress over, and take.

2) It costs >$500.

3) Your curriculum is not necessarily geared toward doing well on the USMLE. For example my school geared curriculum mostly toward COMLEX. Even our test questions were 'COMLEX-style.' If that's the case you have to do extra prep on your own time in addition to school work to make up for subjects you might be lacking in.

4) If you want surgical subspecialty or something like ophtho or derm, you're probably gonna be applying for the AOA match, so you don't need to take the USMLE. Why pay for an exam you don't need to take?

5) You are a marginal test-taker, haven't done well in medical school thus far, or for whatever reason don't feel confident enough to sit the exam and do well on it. *Passing* usually isn't enough to be competitive for most specialties.

6) You want to do an AOA residency, because you like OMM or want to stay 'in the profession.' Or there're ACGME programs you really like that take the COMLEX. Or you're applying for a specialty where it's easier to get by just taking the COMLEX.

7) If you're not really gung-ho about about matching a "competitive ACGME residency" then there's not that much incentive to pay for and take a test that doesn't really affect your future... so why deal with the stress/extra fees?

With that said... I still support everyone taking the USMLE 😀

 

[preDoGuy24]

As an incoming MSI, my thought is, "of course I'll take the USMLE." What are some of the reasons that DO students don't take it? Fear of not passing seems like not a very good reason, because as a fallback they'll still have the COMLEX that they'll have to pass anyway to get licensed. Also that you can more or less target your prep towards the USMLE and will a little practive be fine for COMLEX. So what gives?

Most people I know who opted out were afraid of not passing. Trust me it's easy to judge that from where you are but this will be a very different situation in two years. A fail essentially keeps you out of ACGME residency spots (unless you lie on your application), its Bad News Bears if thats your goal.

No one is concerned with licensing or any of that garbage, hell I would say most arent even concernced with failing Comlex, its just a situation in which not taking it is going to be better than taking it and failing or doing poorly.

 

[preDoGuy24]

Most people I know who opted out were afraid of not passing. Trust me it's easy to judge that from where you are but this will be a very different situation in two years. A fail essentially keeps you out of ACGME residency spots (unless you lie on your application), its Bad News Bears if thats your goal.

No one is concerned with licensing or any of that garbage, hell I would say most arent even concernced with failing Comlex, its just a situation in which not taking it is going to be better than taking it and failing or doing poorly.

Edit: Thought I should add the only good reason for not taking USMLE and I emphasize ONLY is if you have taken and failed or done very poorly on a practice exam. Failing the exam will close many more doors than simply taking comlex. Everyone else should drop the six hundo and take the stupid thing.

And just realized this "edit" was a double post. FML

 

[hallowmann]

... I am on a mission to get every DO student to take and pass the USMLE though.

Good mission! If the merger goes through, it'll be beneficial for any DOs applying through it, and if it doesn't it should at very least expose more DOs to ACGME residencies, just for the sake of paving a way through programs that aren't currently DO-friendly.

Edit: Thought I should add the only good reason for not taking USMLE and I emphasize ONLY is if you have taken and failed or done very poorly on a practice exam. Failing the exam will close many more doors than simply taking comlex. Everyone else should drop the six hundo and take the stupid thing.

And just realized this "edit" was a double post. FML

I appreciate your double post. I'm guessing its easy to know whether or not you'd fail based on practice tests. Now when you say, if you failed a practice test, do you mean after you studied or do you mean even if you fail the first test you take cold (assuming that you don't count the studying you did for basic sciences as exam prep)?

 

[SLC]

Good mission! If the merger goes through, it'll be beneficial for any DOs applying through it, and if it doesn't it should at very least expose more DOs to ACGME residencies, just for the sake of paving a way through programs that aren't currently DO-friendly.



I appreciate your double post. I'm guessing its easy to know whether or not you'd fail based on practice tests. Now when you say, if you failed a practice test, do you mean after you studied or do you mean even if you fail the first test you take cold (assuming that you don't count the studying you did for basic sciences as exam prep)?

Definitely after studying. But I always recommend taking a baseline test to see where you are before studying. If you take one every two or three weeks you can even assess your progress and make changes to your plan etc.

If you've studied for more than 2-3 weeks and can't pass the practice exams, it might be in your best interest to forgo the USMLE.

But if you've done we'll up to that point you will probably be able to at least pass the practice test right from the get go. My first one before studying was a 211, and I was mostly a B student.

 

[HoboCommander]

What is better for acgme...average usmle step 1 or 650 comlex step 1?

Anyone who can get 650 on COMLEX should take the usmle. My classmate got 651 on COMLEX and 255 on the USMLE Step 1. It's a very similar test so it would be stupid not to take USMLE if applying to allopathic residencies.

 

[preDoGuy24]

Definitely after studying. But I always recommend taking a baseline test to see where you are before studying. If you take one every two or three weeks you can even assess your progress and make changes to your plan etc.

If you've studied for more than 2-3 weeks and can't pass the practice exams, it might be in your best interest to forgo the USMLE.

But if you've done we'll up to that point you will probably be able to at least pass the practice test right from the get go. My first one before studying was a 211, and I was mostly a B student.

Took the words out of my mouth. This should be read by every 1st year DO student.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[ShyRem]

You could get into a dually accredited program with that comlex score. Then you would also have the acgme residency "stamp of approval" for fellowship should you decide to go that route.