Mayo Clinic and COMLEX

[Tri4thlete]

Hey all,

Does anyone have any information regarding Mayo Clinic (Rochester) and their acceptance of COMLEX? Specifically for their emergency medicine residency program. I'm in the process of registering for boards, and I'm struggling with registering for just the COMLEX or both USMLE and COMLEX.

I would like to return back to the midwest for residency, and I worked at Mayo as an ED tech and loved it. I've heard that Mayo is pretty DO friendly, but if anyone has inside information I would appreciate it. I could just register for the USMLE to be safe, but if I don't have to, then why waste the money. I would probably just apply to Mayo, as Regions and HCMC in MN prefer USMLE. Do I want to apply to a program that doesn't accept COMLEX and probably has a DO bias? Nah.

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[Dharma]

Hey all,

Does anyone have any information regarding Mayo Clinic (Rochester) and their acceptance of COMLEX? Specifically for their emergency medicine residency program. I'm in the process of registering for boards, and I'm struggling with registering for just the COMLEX or both USMLE and COMLEX.

I would like to return back to the midwest for residency, and I worked at Mayo as an ED tech and loved it. I've heard that Mayo is pretty DO friendly, but if anyone has inside information I would appreciate it. I could just register for the USMLE to be safe, but if I don't have to, then why waste the money. I would probably just apply to Mayo, as Regions and HCMC in MN prefer USMLE. Do I want to apply to a program that doesn't accept COMLEX and probably has a DO bias? Nah.

I don't know anything about Mayo, but you should take the USMLE. It is THE gold standard and will keep doors open. Even as a psychiatry applicant, I have received interviews from some quality places that would not have offered me a spot without the USMLE. Don't listen to the naysayers saying COMLEX is enough. It is enough if you're looking to limit opportunities or are set on AOA programs, period.

The game is changing. Advice in years past don't exactly hold up anymore.

 

[Tri4thlete]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, that's the problem. We have people coming to our school to tell us that "most" residency programs now accept the COMLEX and we should just take that instead of both COMLEX and USMLE. They also tout that the merger will make the COMLEX even more acceptable. It's diluting my judgement.

 

[Tri4thlete]

What I struggle with is even if I do take the USMLE and do above average, are these programs that "want DO's to take the USMLE" going to have bias against me anyway? I realize it's probably an uphill battle regardless with these programs, but why take USMLE if these programs won't respect our profession's licensing exam. Do they really say "OH, he/she took the USMLE, I no longer care what degree he/she has."

 

[GUH]

What I struggle with is even if I do take the USMLE and do above average, are these programs that "want DO's to take the USMLE" going to have bias against me anyway? I realize it's probably an uphill battle regardless with these programs, but why take USMLE if these programs won't respect our profession's licensing exam. Do they really say "OH, he/she took the USMLE, I no longer care what degree he/she has."

Some will still count your degree against you when comparing you to a US MD with the same scores. However, you would still have an advantage over DOs without the USMLE or with lower scores at certain programs.

 

[costales]

If you want more options, ignore the propaganda and take the USMLE. You're already studying for it anyway. Faculty who discourage students from taking the USMLE are doing them a huge disservice. BTW "I would probably just apply to Program X" is never a good strategy.

 

[Tri4thlete]

If you want more options, ignore the propaganda and take the USMLE. You're already studying for it anyway. Faculty who discourage students from taking the USMLE are doing them a huge disservice. BTW "I would probably just apply to Program X" is never a good strategy.

I plan to apply to many programs and I know not to region lock myself, but returning back to MN, WI, or IA is just my personal preference. Since I worked at Mayo for a year and really enjoyed it, it's at the top of my list. 🙂

 

[costales]

Depending on your score and SLOR/SLOE, you might want to add MI and IL to that list as well.

 

[deleted564680]

Take a look at FREIDA. It lists the minimum scores for COMLEX and USMLE. If they do not list a COMLEX, then you can assume that they probably are less friendly toward it and maybe even DOs.

I would 100% recommend to take the USMLE. It's the standard and PDs want to compare apples to apples. Just because someone got an FM or IM community program somewhere with their COMLEX doesn't mean that "all programs are starting to look at COMLEX now."

Another BIG point is this - when you look on FREIDA, many times they will list a minimum and it will be something like 220 USMLE and 550 COMLEX or even 600 COMLEX. Now, we all know that those scores aren't similar, but that's how ACGME PDs view the test.

Take the USMLE.

 

[Dharma]

What I struggle with is even if I do take the USMLE and do above average, are these programs that "want DO's to take the USMLE" going to have bias against me anyway? I realize it's probably an uphill battle regardless with these programs, but why take USMLE if these programs won't respect our profession's licensing exam. Do they really say "OH, he/she took the USMLE, I no longer care what degree he/she has."

I wouldn't necessarily say that requiring/preferring the USMLE is a bias against the profession. Heck, I don't respect our profession's licensing exam but certainly respect the D.O. The USMLE is the gold standard and taking it (and doing well of course) not only shows that you have some extra drive but it also allows the PDs to more accurately compare you to other applicants (as well as giving you a 1-up when compared to D.O. colleagues who don't have the USMLE score). Don't buy into this b.s. about COMLEX score interpretation charts either. That's propaganda from the powers-that-be, who fear that their cash cow of an exam will go bye-bye someday because it's not up to par. Just wait until you take the USMLE and then the COMLEX. You will see. (BTW do take the USMLE first. COMLEX will seem like a breeze afterwards, although annoyingly so).

That said, you can't worry about bias; it's completely out of your control. It exists and sometimes for good reason, in that it isn't necessarily a true bias against the profession for the most part but rather a concern that osteopathic medical school clinical education is not always (or often) up to par. That's another story for another day. Don't get caught up in this "if they don't want my exam than they don't deserve me anyway" attitude because that's simply a defensive response to coddle the fragile ego... don't let that keep you out of the game.

 

[Goro]

If you're doing well in your coursework, I recommend taking USMLE.

Hey all,

Does anyone have any information regarding Mayo Clinic (Rochester) and their acceptance of COMLEX? Specifically for their emergency medicine residency program. I'm in the process of registering for boards, and I'm struggling with registering for just the COMLEX or both USMLE and COMLEX.

I would like to return back to the midwest for residency, and I worked at Mayo as an ED tech and loved it. I've heard that Mayo is pretty DO friendly, but if anyone has inside information I would appreciate it. I could just register for the USMLE to be safe, but if I don't have to, then why waste the money. I would probably just apply to Mayo, as Regions and HCMC in MN prefer USMLE. Do I want to apply to a program that doesn't accept COMLEX and probably has a DO bias? Nah.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, that's the problem. We have people coming to our school to tell us that "most" residency programs now accept the COMLEX and we should just take that instead of both COMLEX and USMLE. They also tout that the merger will make the COMLEX even more acceptable. It's diluting my judgement.

I think I know which school you are taking about. I remember speaking to one of the students there who stated that the vast majority don't even take the USMLE. This worried me a lot.

 

[Danglebells]

I only took comlex and it was one of the worst decisions I could have made.

Definitely take usmle

 

[Druggernaut]

Hey all,

Does anyone have any information regarding Mayo Clinic (Rochester) and their acceptance of COMLEX? Specifically for their emergency medicine residency program. I'm in the process of registering for boards, and I'm struggling with registering for just the COMLEX or both USMLE and COMLEX.

I would like to return back to the midwest for residency, and I worked at Mayo as an ED tech and loved it. I've heard that Mayo is pretty DO friendly, but if anyone has inside information I would appreciate it. I could just register for the USMLE to be safe, but if I don't have to, then why waste the money. I would probably just apply to Mayo, as Regions and HCMC in MN prefer USMLE. Do I want to apply to a program that doesn't accept COMLEX and probably has a DO bias? Nah.

Point blank: Taking only the COMLEX is a mistake. If you're going to apply to ACGME programs, you should plan on taking both.

You might also want to look at the residency rosters of these places. I'm a DO and interviewed at Hennepin, though they seem to only recently have started taking a few. Mayo, on the other hand, has none. That indicates to me that they aren't DO friendly. Nothing wrong with applying to a few places like that, but putting all your eggs in that basket is a mistake.

What I struggle with is even if I do take the USMLE and do above average, are these programs that "want DO's to take the USMLE" going to have bias against me anyway? I realize it's probably an uphill battle regardless with these programs, but why take USMLE if these programs won't respect our profession's licensing exam. Do they really say "OH, he/she took the USMLE, I no longer care what degree he/she has."

Maybe they will, maybe they won't. However, if you don't take the USMLE, lots of places aren't even going to look at you. Maybe "most places" will consider you if you only took the COMLEX, but "most places" aren't some of the most competitive residency programs in their field like you're shooting for.

 

[SLC]

My standard advice is similar to Goro's: take the USMLE if you feel confident you can do well one it.

It will only help, unless you do poorly or below average for the field you're applying to, then it will potentially harm you.

But if you think you can score well on it, you'd be foolish not to take the exam.

 

[Tri4thlete]

Thanks for the advice all, I definitely needed this swift kick in the butt.

 

[Danglebells]

I am studying again for USMLE as a fourth year because I listened to all the BS that my school and the AOA fed me about the comlex.

If you want any competitive fellowship, you are dead last without the USMLE

 

[costales]

You might also want to look at the residency rosters of these places. I'm a DO and interviewed at Hennepin, though they seem to only recently have started taking a few. Mayo, on the other hand, has none. That indicates to me that they aren't DO friendly.

Well, not exactly:
http://www.mayo.edu/mayo-edu-docs/m...ation-documents/emergency-medicine-alumni.pdf

 

[Tri4thlete]

I sent the Mayo Clinic EM program coordinator an email a month or so ago regarding their preference. Here is their response word for word:

"We accept either or both. "

That's all the email contained. No idea what that even means.

 

[Druggernaut]

Well, not exactly:
http://www.mayo.edu/mayo-edu-docs/m...ation-documents/emergency-medicine-alumni.pdf

So you're telling me there's a chance?

 

[FrkyBgStok]

According to FRIEDA, mayo's EM residency has 1.3% DOs among their residents. So......not very friendly.

 

[NurWollen]

Take a look at FREIDA. It lists the minimum scores for COMLEX and USMLE. If they do not list a COMLEX, then you can assume that they probably are less friendly toward it and maybe even DOs.

I would 100% recommend to take the USMLE. It's the standard and PDs want to compare apples to apples. Just because someone got an FM or IM community program somewhere with their COMLEX doesn't mean that "all programs are starting to look at COMLEX now."

Another BIG point is this - when you look on FREIDA, many times they will list a minimum and it will be something like 220 USMLE and 550 COMLEX or even 600 COMLEX. Now, we all know that those scores aren't similar, but that's how ACGME PDs view the test.

Take the USMLE.

This is spot on. And inferior USMLE score will get you over a cutoff at some places that a superior COMLEX score will not.

 

[EKGdoc]

Requiring USMLE doesn't necessarily make a program DO unfriendly. Our program (UICOM-Peoria) requires USMLE. DO's are well represented amongst our residents and faculty, and I was PD for over 20 years (and am a DO). So I guess you could say we're DO friendly. Programs want the best residents they can get that are a good fit. Work hard and kick ass on your EM rotations and things will fall into place.

 

[costales]

Requiring USMLE doesn't necessarily make a program DO unfriendly. Our program (UICOM-Peoria) requires USMLE. DO's are well represented amongst our residents and faculty, and I was PD for over 20 years (and am a DO). So I guess you could say we're DO friendly. Programs want the best residents they can get that are a good fit. Work hard and kick ass on your EM rotations and things will fall into place.

Been to Peoria. I have heard nothing but good things about your program and hospital.

 

[costales]

According to FRIEDA, mayo's EM residency has 1.3% DOs among their residents. So......not very friendly.

Mayo will give you serious consideration if you have a strong app, unlike places that use a DO filter. (BTW A guy from TCOM matched ortho there a couple of years ago.)

 

[DNC127]

Someone from A.T. Still Kirksville class of 2015 matched into plastic surgery at Mayo according to their match list.