Please tell me what I already know

[zero0]

DO student here. Boards are coming up and I'm planning on taking both USMLE and COMLEX, assuming I do well on practice NBMEs. Thing is, almost everyone in the administration at my school discourages us from taking USMLE, saying it's just too hard to get ready for both. I'm not arguing that, but they also say that we won't have any trouble matching things like surgery, EM, and gas with just COMLEX if we do well. Even a former EM PD at my school said this, so now I'm lost.

Are there any anesthesiology PDs or grads who recently matched who can clear this up? I'll be applying for the 2020 match. Can I match gas just fine with an average COMLEX, good ECs, no red flags, etc.? If I think I can score above 220 on USMLE it can only help, right? What score is the line where USMLE could actually hurt me?

Thanks in advance!

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[Arch Guillotti]

Take the USMLE, no question.

 

[LLCoolK]

what is your school doing giving you that terrible advice? my school is the same way. they specifically told us not to study too hard for step 1 because "it doesn't actually reflect how well of a doctor you will be. it was originally meant to be a pass/fail test." well, reality check, your score is probably the most important metric in residency applications.

 

[pocafx]

Take usmle wait 3-4 days and study omm then take comlex. Study for usmle. Uworld FA pathoma , sketchy micro. Did this for both steps, works well

 

[DocVapor]

Totally agree with @pocafx here. It is definitely NOT "too hard to prep for both." Prep for the USMLE and your COMLEX score will improve. I took both USMLE 1 and 2 with the respective COMLEX following 1-2 weeks behind (would have liked sooner, but that's how the schedule worked out.) While Anesthesiology is possible without USMLE, having a decent one will open more doors, and then they won't even care what you got on your COMLEX as long as you passed (with the caveat that if you apply to the DO programs that they will care about your COMLEX). I matched two cycles ago and will be graduating residency 2020.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Not taking the USMLE would be an eyebrow raising move. Literally every competitive DO applicant has them, and it’s hard for allopathic residencies to correlate COMLEX and USMLE. If you want to do an allopathic residency, you need to complete the allopathic exams. Period.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

DO student here. Boards are coming up and I'm planning on taking both USMLE and COMLEX, assuming I do well on practice NBMEs. Thing is, almost everyone in the administration at my school discourages us from taking USMLE, saying it's just too hard to get ready for both. I'm not arguing that, but they also say that we won't have any trouble matching things like surgery, EM, and gas with just COMLEX if we do well. Even a former EM PD at my school said this, so now I'm lost.

Are there any anesthesiology PDs or grads who recently matched who can clear this up? I'll be applying for the 2020 match. Can I match gas just fine with an average COMLEX, good ECs, no red flags, etc.? If I think I can score above 220 on USMLE it can only help, right? What score is the line where USMLE could actually hurt me?

Thanks in advance!

Typical crappy DO guidance. Take it.

 

[zero0]

Sigh thank you all. My school is pretty new so I guess they're just hyper-paranoid about getting us into residencies. We're also primary care focused so that might explain it.

Any idea what the bare minimum score I'd need to make for it to benefit me is? I was told that anything above 220 was better than no USMLE.

 

[zero0]

Take usmle wait 3-4 days and study omm then take comlex. Study for usmle. Uworld FA pathoma , sketchy micro. Did this for both steps, works well

That was pretty much the plan, take USMLE, study Savrese, take COMLEX

 

[surfguy84]

DO student here. Boards are coming up and I'm planning on taking both USMLE and COMLEX, assuming I do well on practice NBMEs. Thing is, almost everyone in the administration at my school discourages us from taking USMLE, saying it's just too hard to get ready for both. I'm not arguing that, but they also say that we won't have any trouble matching things like surgery, EM, and gas with just COMLEX if we do well. Even a former EM PD at my school said this, so now I'm lost.

Are there any anesthesiology PDs or grads who recently matched who can clear this up? I'll be applying for the 2020 match. Can I match gas just fine with an average COMLEX, good ECs, no red flags, etc.? If I think I can score above 220 on USMLE it can only help, right? What score is the line where USMLE could actually hurt me?

Thanks in advance!

Fine, I'll argue that. DO student here. It's not at all hard to study for both. Study for USMLE ONLY + a few days of OMM if you're decent enough at it. 240s/660+ here. Your school is bull**** and they're lying to you. You need USMLE to match.

 

[Robotic Wis-Hipple]

This is the DO schools speaking for the group. As in, it’s best for the group if all DO students only took the COMLEX they’d like to believe Allopathic programs would all have to learn to judge the COMLEX. It’s long term optimistic thinking that absolutely fails to have the individuals best interest at heart.

I’m a few years out of the loop but I wonder how the ACGME taking over all residencies is going to change things.

Regardless, agree with above. Study for and take the USMLE. Schedule comlex for a few days after, take a day of rest, cram OMM, and take COMLEX.

 

[Reveler]

Just because a program "takes COMLEX" doesn't mean that they will view it on equal footing with USMLE or that you will be evaluated by this metric regardless of your score. That is, a >700 score doesn't mean much to many programs, because the majority of their applicants won't submit COMLEX, and they may view your lack of USMLE as worrisome. If you want to play ball, show up with a bat, not a tennis racquet.

 

[LLCoolK]

Sigh thank you all. My school is pretty new so I guess they're just hyper-paranoid about getting us into residencies. We're also primary care focused so that might explain it.

Any idea what the bare minimum score I'd need to make for it to benefit me is? I was told that anything above 220 was better than no USMLE.

aim for 240+. try not to have 220 on your mind, it'll only limit you.

 

[Psai]

aim for 240+. try not to have 220 on your mind, it'll only limit you.

It doesnt matter what you have on your mind the f

 

[Teeny91]

4th year D.O. student here. Definitely take the USMLE, both step 1 and 2. Imo, all DO students should plan on taking the USMLE no matter which specialty they intend to apply for. Also, it's not that much more difficult to study for both sets of exams. First aid, uworld, sketchy are your main resources for level/step 1. I'd recommend pathoma as well. Do tons of practice questions. 75% uworld, 25% combank is a good ratio I think. Take USMLE first, 4-7 days later take COMLEX. Good luck.

 

[LLCoolK]

It doesnt matter what you have on your mind the f

you don't think it matters? you don't think it would place a limit on yourself, even if unconsciously?

 

[zero0]

aim for 240+. try not to have 220 on your mind, it'll only limit you.

Right, but if I only wind up breaking 220 on NBMEs idk if it's worth taking USMLE for that score

 

[Reveler]

Right, but if I only wind up breaking 220 on NBMEs idk if it's worth taking USMLE for that score

Take the USMLE. Study hard and take it. If you absolutely tank it then don’t report it.

 

[68PGunner]

DO student here. Boards are coming up and I'm planning on taking both USMLE and COMLEX, assuming I do well on practice NBMEs. Thing is, almost everyone in the administration at my school discourages us from taking USMLE, saying it's just too hard to get ready for both. I'm not arguing that, but they also say that we won't have any trouble matching things like surgery, EM, and gas with just COMLEX if we do well. Even a former EM PD at my school said this, so now I'm lost.
Are there any anesthesiology PDs or grads who recently matched who can clear this up? I'll be applying for the 2020 match. Can I match gas just fine with an average COMLEX, good ECs, no red flags, etc.? If I think I can score above 220 on USMLE it can only help, right? What score is the line where USMLE could actually hurt me?
Thanks in advance!

I'm hearing this bs a lot from DO admin people, mainly from their insecurity. They need to STFU and stop giving bad advice to the new generation of DOs. At the end of the day, most DOs nowadays at school don't give a damn about the whole DO holistic principles and their mumbo mumbo bs. A 220s is still better than a 600+ COMLEX.