Should I keep studying for STEP1 and COMLEX or focus on COMLEX

[Doc.95]

Hi,

I am currently preparing to take USMLE STEP 1 and COMLEX early July and need help figuring out if I should focus on COMLEX review and cancel my STEP 1 date.

Practice Test Scores:

May 4 - NBME 15: 360 (198 on step) 53 incorrect
May 19 - NBME 16: 360 (198 on step) 56 incorrect
May 26 - NBME 17: 410 (209 on step) 42 incorrect

May 12 - COMSAE Phase 1 Form A - 543
June 1- COMSAE Phase 1 Form E - 561

I'm not sure what specialty I want to do yet, but I am interested in OBGYN, IM, and Anesthesiology. My priority is matching to a program in DFW, TX.

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[theriverman]

You have plenty of time to get it up. Keep grinding UWorld, videos, sketchy, and pathoma. Hammer your weaknesses. Seems like you're taking a ton of practice tests, I probably wouldn't take any more for another 7-10 days so you can get some good studying in.

 

[Esskeetit]

Hi,

I am currently preparing to take USMLE STEP 1 and COMLEX early July and need help figuring out if I should focus on COMLEX review and cancel my STEP 1 date.

Practice Test Scores:

May 4 - NBME 15: 360 (198 on step) 53 incorrect
May 19 - NBME 16: 360 (198 on step) 56 incorrect
May 26 - NBME 17: 410 (209 on step) 42 incorrect

May 12 - COMSAE Phase 1 Form A - 543
June 1- COMSAE Phase 1 Form E - 561

I'm not sure what specialty I want to do yet, but I am interested in OBGYN, IM, and Anesthesiology. My priority is matching to a program in DFW, TX.

Have you taken any of the UWSAs? Those will give you a much better idea of where you stand

And I agree with the post above, you have plenty of time and you should take the 1st UWSA in a week or so

 

[Doc.95]

I've been saving UWSAs and NBME 18/19 until late June since I don't plan on taking my tests until second week of July and I knew I had to take COMSAE-E early June.
I finished UW April 28th with a 55% correct but have been consistently scoring ~73% since resetting my account. I have watched Pathoma twice, read through FA twice, B&B once, Sketchy Pharm/Micro a few times, and have been working on finishing SketchyPath for the first time.

 

[TheOther]

I've been saving UWSAs and NBME 18/19 until late June since I don't plan on taking my tests until second week of July and I knew I had to take COMSAE-E early June.
I finished UW April 28th with a 55% correct but have been consistently scoring ~73% since resetting my account. I have watched Pathoma twice, read through FA twice, B&B once, Sketchy Pharm/Micro a few times, and have been working on finishing SketchyPath for the first time.

You should be taking one practice test a week and adjusting your studying in between to highlight the week areas of the prior test. So between now and test time, you can do UWSA, NBME, NBME, UWSA. Don't save 4 practice exams until late June, 2 weeks out from your exam.

 

[yellowbluegreen]

Anyone know which practice test is most predictive of Comlex I? Also I heard alot of emphasis on bugs drugs and neuro? Any other advice anyone has would be much appreciated!

 

[shabby11789]

Hi,

I am currently preparing to take USMLE STEP 1 and COMLEX early July and need help figuring out if I should focus on COMLEX review and cancel my STEP 1 date.

Practice Test Scores:

May 4 - NBME 15: 360 (198 on step) 53 incorrect
May 19 - NBME 16: 360 (198 on step) 56 incorrect
May 26 - NBME 17: 410 (209 on step) 42 incorrect

May 12 - COMSAE Phase 1 Form A - 543
June 1- COMSAE Phase 1 Form E - 561

I'm not sure what specialty I want to do yet, but I am interested in OBGYN, IM, and Anesthesiology. My priority is matching to a program in DFW, TX.

i feel like studying for the USMLE was studying for the COMLEX other than OMM. I took my USMLE a week before my COMLEX and just studied the OMM in between and felt very prepared. U-world and the level of in depth studying you do for USMLE makes COMLEX easier to tackle. The questions on COMLEX are more straight forward as well, not as many 2nd or 3rd order, more first order questions. I read the green OMM book and did all the OMM questions on COMBANK in between and felt like it was enough time. With that said, I never really struggled with OMM in school so depending on your strength you might just want to sprinkle OMM in there. Highly recommend taking both exams. When is your step 1 date?

 

[Doc.95]

Update:

I took NBME 19 June 11th: 400 (207) 40 incorrect
Finally took UWSA 1 today and scored a 222

Test is scheduled for July 12th, not sure how much more I can improve. I took COMLEX 3 days ago and did spend a lot of time reviewing OMM and less time reviewing Biochem/Biostats. Not sure if I should risk taking Step, any advice would be helpful!

 

[UnoMas]

Update:

I took NBME 19 June 11th: 400 (207) 40 incorrect
Finally took UWSA 1 today and scored a 222

Test is scheduled for July 12th, not sure how much more I can improve. I took COMLEX 3 days ago and did spend a lot of time reviewing OMM and less time reviewing Biochem/Biostats. Not sure if I should risk taking Step, any advice would be helpful!

One trick I found helpful in boosting my practice scores and understanding of the material on Step 1 is: put aside 1-2 days, really sit down and go over chapter 1-3 from Pathoma, I mean really try to understand every single word from Dr. Sattar, take detailed notes. YMMV, I did this + review questions in BRS physio (the little book) and I saw 10-15 points jump on my practice test

 

[dabears405]

similar position as you but havent done UWSAs yet. Low 200s, high 190s. Not sure what to do at this point whether or not to take Step :\

 

[Doc.95]

One trick I found helpful in boosting my practice scores and understanding of the material on Step 1 is: put aside 1-2 days, really sit down and go over chapter 1-3 from Pathoma, I mean really try to understand every single word from Dr. Sattar, take detailed notes. YMMV, I did this + review questions in BRS physio (the little book) and I saw 10-15 points jump on my practice test

I'll definitely try that. I haven't touched the BRS book in more than a month and I'm not sure when was the last time I watched those chapters of Pathoma. Thank you!