Passed COMLEX with 626 but failed USMLE

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ProfAnon said:
There is a thread discussing this elsewhere in this same subforum, but so far this year the mean COMLEX score is 558.61 (and the pass rate is 96.08%). We won't know the absolute final number until after April 30, 2018 when the "COMLEX year" is up. However, it is not going to move much (they are not many people left to take it) and I know, for my school, with all students having taken the exam, the scores were far higher than ever before (both total and each discipline). Anyone taking the exam this past year should be aware of that so they are not surprised when applying for residencies. If you want to compare your score to past years, you should subtract 40-50 points, and this will give you an idea of where you sit competitively.
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The average last year was 530-540. Why would you subtract 40-50 points to figure out where you sit competitively?
 
JamesPotterMS-3 said:
Not sure.
I know that in 2018 (c/o 2021) there will be a new Level 1 because of the standards and content outline overhaul that happened last year.
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Surely you mean c/o 2020 and thereafter? C/o 2020 is taking boards next year
 
NecFasc92 said:
Source?
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J Senpai said:
Surely you mean c/o 2020 and thereafter? C/o 2020 is taking boards next year
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Master Blueprint 2018 - 2019

upload_2017-11-28_21-15-24.png


C/o 2021 is the first class to take the new exam
 
ProfAnon said:
There is a thread discussing this elsewhere in this same subforum, but so far this year the mean COMLEX score is 558.61 (and the pass rate is 96.08%). We won't know the absolute final number until after April 30, 2018 when the "COMLEX year" is up. However, it is not going to move much (they are not many people left to take it) and I know, for my school, with all students having taken the exam, the scores were far higher than ever before (both total and each discipline). Anyone taking the exam this past year should be aware of that so they are not surprised when applying for residencies. If you want to compare your score to past years, you should subtract 40-50 points, and this will give you an idea of where you sit competitively.
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Would you get out of here. There is so much misinformation in this thread that it’s sickening.

Subtract 40-50 points? An average of 558? Smh.

The average will continue being in the 520 range until the revamp. You guys need to calm down.
 
Moose A Moose said:
Would you get out of here. There is so much misinformation in this thread that it’s sickening.

Subtract 40-50 points? An average of 558? Smh.

The average will continue being in the 520 range until the revamp. You guys need to calm down.
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Actually, it's right on point from the previous thread about comlex averages. The initial thread started with "TCOM's class of 2019 scores above national average" or something along those lines. Their class average was a 594. Around that time the national average was then reported to be 570s in August, then dropped to low 560s a month or two later and now at 558, it makes perfect sense. It won't move much more and that will likely be the average, at least >550 final average. So in reality, it makes comlex even more obsolete and places even more emphasis on a Step 1 score.
 
Rekt said:
Actually, it's right on point from the previous thread about comlex averages. The initial thread started with "TCOM's class of 2019 scores above national average" or something along those lines. Their class average was a 594. Around that time the national average was then reported to be 570s in August, then dropped to low 560s a month or two later and now at 558, it makes perfect sense. It won't move much more and that will likely be the average, at least >550 final average. So in reality, it makes comlex even more obsolete and places even more emphasis on a Step 1 score.
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Where is this tracking taking place? Who’s pulling the current averages for the national cohort? Source/link to see these stats.
 
Moose A Moose said:
Would you get out of here. There is so much misinformation in this thread that it’s sickening.

Subtract 40-50 points? An average of 558? Smh.

The average will continue being in the 520 range until the revamp. You guys need to calm down.
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This comes straight from the NBOME website. You have to have an account to login, I don't think a student account will work. However, the information is not secret. If you look at the "TCOM...." thread mentioned above, you can see a screen capture of exactly what I see, except the figure I gave you is updated. My intent was merely to inform people and I really think the NBOME should just make the information accessible to everyone. Every time a new round of scores comes in the stats are updated. They also have old data going back to the mid 2000s, so you can see the old averages as well.

I also feel that if you are a student who is competing for a residency you should realize where you sit.
 
ProfAnon said:
This comes straight from the NBOME website. You have to have an account to login, I don't think a student account will work. However, the information is not secret. If you look at the "TCOM...." thread mentioned above, you can see a screen capture of exactly what I see, except the figure I gave you is updated. My intent was merely to inform people and I really think the NBOME should just make the information accessible to everyone. Every time a new round of scores comes in the stats are updated. They also have old data going back to the mid 2000s, so you can see the old averages as well.

I also feel that if you are a student who is competing for a residency you should realize where you sit.
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Duly noted, and I appreciate the reply, but I’m still skeptical. If the final, reported average jumps 30-40 points, that will just be ridiculous.

We’ll revisit this in a few months.
 
Moose A Moose said:
Duly noted, and I appreciate the reply, but I’m still skeptical. If the final, reported average jumps 30-40 points, that will just be ridiculous.

We’ll revisit this in a few months.
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The time to revisit would be after the end of the cycle, which is April 30, 2018. However, 6708 people have taken the test, there can't be more than a handful left. I know for my school, with 100% of the class having taken it, the averages are far higher than ever before and everyone that has access to their own school's data has reported the same thing.
 
Does anyone have sources for these comlex averages?
 
Back to the original question:
Pro: With a 626 COMLEX 1, OP could absolutely match something in the AOA match, because those programs don't see your USMLE scores. Submitting your USMLE to them isn't even an option on ERAS.
Con: there will be less AOA programs for OP to apply to in his/her year's match assuming the trend of programs getting initial accreditation and switching systems continues.
 
68PGunner said:
If you go to a DO school where you spend about 4 hrs in the OMM lab per week, you will be prepared for the OMM portion of the exam. I literally crammed 18 months of OMM stuff last week on my semester OMM exam and did fine.
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Whats your definition of doing fine? 70? Idk how anybody could cram for an OMM written exam

I'm not saying I do a ton of OMM prep (don't even go to class just OMM lab) but I have to at-least do 2 hours per week.

Theres too many small details to learn.
 
getfat said:
Whats your definition of doing fine? 70? Idk how anybody could cram for an OMM written exam

I'm not saying I do a ton of OMM prep (don't even go to class just OMM lab) but I have to at-least do 2 hours per week.

Theres too many small details to learn.
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Whatever that you need to get to pass while doing well in board prep materials.
 
Peach Newport said:
“those who failed step 1 are usually those who thought FA, pathoma, and UW were enough.”
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To anyone else reading this and freaking out about having enough resources: the UFAP method is enough to have you do well on Step 1. You can supplement with Sketchy Micro or Boards & Beyond as necessary, but by no means is it required that you do 2+ different Q-banks and have 10+ different resources.

Have material in First Aid memorized 100% (multiple passes) and go through UW at least 1.5x.
 
My experience:
I took 6 weeks to prepare for COMLEX and USMLE - I got 611 on COMLEX, chickened out on the USMLE last minute because I just felt so unprepared (in hindsight I'll probably do well)
-during that 6 weeks I did: FAx2, Pathoma x2, Uworld x1.5. NBMEs were in 240s (so OP should technically score in this range too, as we got similar COMLEX)
So after I chickened out, I re-registered for USMLE, studied during 3 month of 3rd year rotations
-did another 4 passes of FA, Uworld x2, Pathoma x2, and sketchy
Took USMLE last November, did well

Now this is not the recommended way to do it, but I do feel the COMLEX and NBME together should be more or less similar to what you score. OP probably got derailed because of his terrible COMLEX experience.
 
ricksimmonsrafowens said:
To anyone else reading this and freaking out about having enough resources: the UFAP method is enough to have you do well on Step 1. You can supplement with Sketchy Micro or Boards & Beyond as necessary, but by no means is it required that you do 2+ different Q-banks and have 10+ different resources.

Have material in First Aid memorized 100% (multiple passes) and go through UW at least 1.5x.
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I would go so far as saying having too many resources is detrimental and a good way to end up doing poorly.
 
hallowmann said:
I would go so far as saying having too many resources is detrimental and a good way to end up doing poorly.
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I agree, except I suggest doing as many questions as possible. Two schools I have been involved with collected data and showed a direct correlation between the number of practice questions and Step 1/Level 1 score. I suggest UWorld 2X and add in Combank, assuming you are trying to do well and not just pass, and perhaps even more questions. However, I agree that you want to limit your study resources (not question sets) -- do your research, develop a plan, and commit to it.
 
hallowmann said:
I would go so far as saying having too many resources is detrimental and a good way to end up doing poorly.
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Using too many resources is detrimental, but having too many isn't. In the end, we still get too many. However, if we still were use the tried and true UFAP and incorporate B&B and Sketchy ONLY when needed, it shouldn't be so bad. My biostats and epi are lacking thanks to my medical school, I called this problem years before medical school, and am glad B&B is there to help me understand the stats that I'm not proficient in.
 
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Ioannes Paulus said:
@DoctorVuitton Any updates? Curious what you decided to do. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
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You're not the only one haha; I've been getting a ton messages.

Basically, I decided to not re-take Step 1. Current plan is to go through the AOA match and only submit COMLEX.
My school was very supportive and offered to give me a vacation month to prep but 3 weeks was not enough time to re-learn all of OMS1-2 (I would also have to prepare for Level 2 at the same time).
I'm still really surprised at how this happened given my grades during OMS1-2 and a solid Level 1 score. But it is what it is. I just hadn't studied hard enough and didn't know the material at the level the examiners expect I guess. I believe I would be in a better place next year in the match had I decided to only take COMLEX. My advice to all OMS-2 is to take an NBME (probably one of the new ones) and use that as a measure of whether or not to sit for the real deal or postpone. Good luck to you all. It's very tough but plan ahead and be smart about your decisions because there is no turning back.
 
DoctorVuitton said:
You're not the only one haha; I've been getting a ton messages.

Basically, I decided to not re-take Step 1. Current plan is to go through the AOA match and only submit COMLEX.
My school was very supportive and offered to give me a vacation month to prep but 3 weeks was not enough time to re-learn all of OMS1-2 (I would also have to prepare for Level 2 at the same time).
I'm still really surprised at how this happened given my grades during OMS1-2 and a solid Level 1 score. But it is what it is. I just hadn't studied hard enough and didn't know the material at the level the examiners expect I guess. I believe I would be in a better place next year in the match had I decided to only take COMLEX. My advice to all OMS-2 is to take an NBME (probably one of the new ones) and use that as a measure of whether or not to sit for the real deal or postpone. Good luck to you all. It's very tough but plan ahead and be smart about your decisions because there is no turning back.
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I think you made the right decision. Good luck with Level 2 and the application season.

Would also like to reiterate the importance of taking at least one NBME, if not multiple during the course of board prep.
 
Peach Newport said:
Some notes on OPs study method compared to wisdom I’ve been handed...

1) pathoma and FA are very broad-stroke review material. They will not necessarily carry you through step 1.

2) only 70% of UW. Everyone DO I know who did well on step one went throug UW at least once (not finishing UW always seemed to correlate with poor scoring) but usually 1.5 times or twice.

3) Not doing enough practice Qs. As a certain board prep guru at my school is fond of saying, “those who failed step 1 are usually those who thought FA, pathoma, and UW were enough.”

For some people they are. But reviewing the material is different from thinking critically about it - which is why you gotta squeeze every bit of knowledge out of UW as you can, and pound every qbank possible.

Then again I’m just oms2.
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I appreciate your advice. This is sum gud advice. Ima follow what you say and be yo guinea pig.
 
psychMDhopefully said:
Is Step 1 harder than Comlex 1?
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very subjective

For me, I felt COMLEX was harder simply because I didn't like the questions style and OMM. Also, COMLEX has 50 questions per block and there are 8 blocks total. A good number of questions as about things you never seen, so the way to answer them is by ruling out the options you know are incorrect.

However, USMLE questions require more thinking.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
very objective.

For me, I felt COMLEX was harder simply because I didn't like the questions style and OMM. Also, COMLEX has 50 questions per block and there are 8 blocks total. A good number of questions as about things you never seen, so the way to answer them is by ruling out the options you know are incorrect.

However, USMLE questions require more thinking.
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...subjective? Lol
 
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