Screwed up on comlex...

[hoping4em]

So...I messed up on comlex 1 and got low 400s score. Just flat out didn't perform on the big day.

I'm now stuck trying to figure out anything that might be possibly done to still end up in EM, if any...

Try and do better on comlex2...
Pray I can arrange some strategic auditions and just really nail them...
Really work hard for my EM rotation at home...

Anything I'm missing? Any advice to dig out of the hole?

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[bravotwozero]

Do residencies care less about boards and more about auditions. Rotate well and you'll have a chance


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[racerwad]

So...I messed up on comlex 1 and got low 400s score. Just flat out didn't perform on the big day.

I'm now stuck trying to figure out anything that might be possibly done to still end up in EM, if any...

Try and do better on comlex2...
Pray I can arrange some strategic auditions and just really nail them...
Really work hard for my EM rotation at home...

Anything I'm missing? Any advice to dig out of the hole?

Did you take the USMLE? I also got a similar COMLEX score and had no problems w/ the ACGME match because my USMLE was not nearly as terrible. Add netoworking, auditioning, and things worked out. Good luck.

 

[timbaktoo]

Did you take the USMLE? I also got a similar COMLEX score and had no problems w/ the ACGME match because my USMLE was not nearly as terrible. Add netoworking, auditioning, and things worked out. Good luck.

I was in a similar situation and I did not take USMLE 1. Does it make sense to take USMLE 2 along with COMLEX 2 and try to do well in both ? Will that help fill the gap

 

[ToKingdomCome]

I'm curious about this too how much comlex matters for DO residencies. I'm getting my score next week, I'm not expecting anything particularly high tbh.

I would say OP isn't dead in the water quite yet since comlex doesn't matter that much for osteo EM? What's the overall competitiveness of osteo EM? I know it nearly filled all 300 spots

 

[racerwad]

I was in a similar situation and I did not take USMLE 1. Does it make sense to take USMLE 2 along with COMLEX 2 and try to do well in both ? Will that help fill the gap

I mean, it will certainly help (assuming you do better); most ACGME PDs just don't know/care about COMLEX and giving them any data that they are actually able to understand would help. Someone else on SDN said that the competition takes the USMLE...

 

[Petypet]

DO residencies, even competitive ones, notoriously rank students with less than competitive COMLEX scores. However, you need to rotate at a few and some have cutoffs for scheduling rotations. With a barely passing board score, and some programs closing their doors due to ACGME merger, I would predict you will have a hard time matching.

I would recommend taking USMLE Step 1 at the least and maybe Step 2 too. Taking just Step 2 will help, but Step 1 is almost a requirement for interviews. People anecdotically match without Step 1 but you need 10-12 interviews to get a spot and you won't get that with 400 comlex and even an average step 2.

If you want AOA, do well on level 2 and have a backup (FM, IM, etc)

If you want ACGME, you need to take step 1 and 2 and do well (think 230's).

 

[gamerEMdoc]

I usually dont like telling students to take both boards, its alot of money, but in this case, if you do poorly on the comlex, it may make sense to take usmle step 1.

 

[gamerEMdoc]

Also, alot of this depends on your clinical performance. How do you usually grade out vs your peers on clinical rotations? Many acgme programs can overlook poor board scores for someone with standout sloes and EM grades. You may not match at Penn or Hopkins, but if you do great on your rotations, you'll likely match somewhere, poor board scores or not.

 

[hoping4em]

Also, alot of this depends on your clinical performance. How do you usually grade out vs your peers on clinical rotations? Many acgme programs can overlook poor board scores for someone with standout sloes and EM grades. You may not match at Penn or Hopkins, but if you do great on your rotations, you'll likely match somewhere, poor board scores or not.

My academic/preclinical performance (in terms of testing) is basically avg on a good day. I work hard but just don't set the curve. My concern with the idea of taking STEP1 is basically just adding another subpar number to the stack. I guess it can't really hurt the "testing" part of my app though so I'll have to think about it.

In terms of how I'll do on rotations, getting along with staff/classmates/patients has always been my strong point. I do quite well in most professional settings could probably get a LOR from every faculty member at my school. I serve in some EM clubs/groups and have some campus leadership roles. I'll certainly be even more so on my best behavior and working hard as possible to land some strategic rotations. My fear is just getting a clerkship director to look past that score and let me past the initial screening. I really do feel that if I can get a rotation somewhere I can show that I'm a hardworking and trustworthy team member. Would you have any advice as to how to pass screening...could it be worth asking a faculty member to make a phone call to my top few rotation wishes?

I'll probably spring for a step1 assessment just to make sure I'm not working with incorrect assumptions... thank you for your advice.

I truly appreciate it

 

[gamerEMdoc]

My academic/preclinical performance (in terms of testing) is basically avg on a good day. I work hard but just don't set the curve. My concern with the idea of taking STEP1 is basically just adding another subpar number to the stack. I guess it can't really hurt the "testing" part of my app though so I'll have to think about it.

In terms of how I'll do on rotations, getting along with staff/classmates/patients has always been my strong point. I do quite well in most professional settings could probably get a LOR from every faculty member at my school. I serve in some EM clubs/groups and have some campus leadership roles. I'll certainly be even more so on my best behavior and working hard as possible to land some strategic rotations. My fear is just getting a clerkship director to look past that score and let me past the initial screening. I really do feel that if I can get a rotation somewhere I can show that I'm a hardworking and trustworthy team member. Would you have any advice as to how to pass screening...could it be worth asking a faculty member to make a phone call to my top few rotation wishes?

I'll probably spring for a step1 assessment just to make sure I'm not working with incorrect assumptions... thank you for your advice.

I truly appreciate it

Plenty of places don't have board cuttoffs for rotating, and those that do miss out on really great students. Every year, we have several candidates in our top 15 who's board scores are in the 400's. We've not ranked people with step 1 and 2's in the 700s (yes this actually happened). Board scores are part of the application, but clinical performance trumps all IMO. If you have trouble getting any EM rotations (you shouldn't) and want to setup a rotation in the future at my residency, PM me and I'll put you in touch with our program coordinator when its time to schedule rotations. I screen every students application before giving the ok to rotate, but we have no board cuttoff, and don't plan on ever having one. Too many missed out hidden gems that you'd overlook.

 

[CajunMedic]

Appreciate all the good info in this thread. Took COMLEX a couple of days ago and not feeling really warm and fuzzy about it. I didn't make the decision to take USMLE until recently, so I'm going to have to work extra hard over the next couple of months to crush it.

 

[CajunMedic]

Novice question - are you then planning on taking the USMLE during third year? While I heard it's recommended to take both the COMLEX and USMLE during the summer after second year, at what point is no longer feasible/realistic to take the exam because of school/clinical commitments?

Yep. I'm shooting for the middle of October. My first Rotations are Psych and Family med, so I can study and get it knocked out before getting too far into my general surgery rotation. I'm not sure when it is no longer feasible, I guess that would depend on your schedule.

 

[Mehd School]

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[ToKingdomCome]

I'm in this exact situation.

Took comlex (did below average, was only worried about USMLE) then had a family member die a week before USMLE. NBME took a nosedive from 245 to 208, and I panicked. First three rotations are easier, so I'll be studying during the night. Really want ACGME anesthesia, this is why I didn't care about comlex. I figure a 230 will make me competetive for most places that I want to go.

PM me if you want to talk about this. I have a semi thought out plan about how I'm going to tackle it.

Not to derail this thread completely (as I am s till interested in comments regarding EM), but how competitive is AOA anesthesia if you're considering it and what scores do y ou need

 

[67552931811]

Not to derail this thread completely (as I am s till interested in comments regarding EM), but how competitive is AOA anesthesia if you're considering it and what scores do y ou need

Someone in the gas forums posted (unofficial?) comlex scores. Seemed almost identical to aoa em.