Should a DO take the COMPLEX or both the COMPLEX & USMLE

[bgworm]

Hey everyone, I will be a MS1 at NSUCOM in the fall. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on whether or not I should take the USMLE when I apply to a military residency. I am an HPSP student with the Army. I would consider taking both if it would help my chances at getting the residency I want. (Haven't decided yet). Would taking the USMLE help with more competitive spots like ortho. I don't know how the military compares/contrasts the two tests. Anyway, thanks a lot in advance.

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[Heeed!]

The military accepts both scores. I'm AF HPSP and I'm only taking COMLEX. If you want competetive civilian residencies, though, you might consider taking the USMLE.

 

[bgworm]

Hey Heeed,
Are you wanting a military residency or a civilian one? Also, do you go to NOVA?

 

[Heeed!]

I was prior service so I definitely want a military residency. I'd like those residency years to count toward retirement. But I want to match to the career field so I'd take a civilian residency just to get my chosen specialty.

And yes, I attend that bastion of higher learning; that problem-and-politic-free institution; that non-adversarial-learning-establishment affectionately known as Nova Southeastern University.

 

[bgworm]

And yes, I attend that bastion of higher learning; that problem-and-politic-free institution; that non-adversarial-learning-establishment affectionately known as Nova Southeastern University

I am hoping for my sake that this quote was not filled with sarcasm

 

[texdrake]

There is absolutely no reason for a DO on scholarship to take the USMLE. I will give you several reasons.

1. The military accepts both and really doesn't differentiate between them

2. If you get to defer to civilian you can still apply to all DO residencies and most MD residencies, with exception to some of the really competitive ones and some surgery ones.

3. Your training may hinder you. I have done a lot of reading on this. DO education, especially the first 2 years is much more clinically based than MD education. The USMLE has a lot more emphasis on Histology, Biochemistry, and to some degree Neurology and Immunology (at least in the heavy details) than the COMLEX does. This is why DO's tend to score lower on USMLE than MD students do, they are traditionally scoring worse in particular areas of the test. Likewise I would expect if MD's actually took the COMLEX they would score worse on the OMM (obviously) and also probably score slightly lower in behavioral medicine, and physical diagnoses areas (the USMLE uses more "buzz words" than COMLEX does). You will see "moon facies" in USMLE, you have see it in COMLEX as well, but you are more likely to see "round, edematous face"....

 

[Heeed!]

I am hoping for my sake that this quote was not filled with sarcasm

Why don't you create a thread entitled, "M1 NSU student reactions to latest Bacteriology exam" and see what happens.

Can't wait for that attendance to be fully enforced next year!!

 

[bgworm]

Well this is all good to know that the military takes both tests equally. And Heeed I remember them talking about the mandatory attendance . Oh well at least I know up front what I'm in for even if it is a bummer.