Should I take the USMLE?

[DrDrangus]

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ive searched through threads about this and nobody seems to have a concrete yes or no answer (probably because there isnt one) but maybe someone knows more about this than I do and can help me with my situation...
Took the COMLEX a week ago, think I did fairly well (which is surprising, considering everyone seems to think the tanked it). I took NBME 16 two weeks ago and scored a 215...
I'm unsure what I want to go into, possibly IM, EM or general surgery. I'm in NJ and would like to stay in the area (northeast). I really dont care about "prestige" of residency programs as long as they produce solid doctors. I feel like when I talk about it with other students not taking the USMLE as a DO is a guaranteed sentence to FM in the midwest (also what it sounds like on here).

Thoughts?

 

[YANKEES88]

I'm in the same spot right now. Took COMLEX last week and I'm hoping it went okay. I was scheduled to take the Usmle this week and got a similar score on nbme 16 and decided to push it back. The best advice I have gotten is to take it when you are 100% ready even if it means studying through the first few rotations. For me that would be getting a 230+ on an Nbme

 

[Petypet]

The best advice I have gotten is to take it when you are 100% ready even if it means studying through the first few rotations.

That sounds like recipe for a trouble. Some schools have FM/psych and easier stuff early on, but if you are working 50-60 hours per week, and studying for shelf exams, you won't have the energy or time to prep for step 1. Studying for boards was like a 50-60 hour week job for me personally, and I can't imagine having my score increase while focusing on clinical medicine.

 

[YANKEES88]

/

 

[Goro]

With my students, if they do well on COMLEX, then they'll do OK on USMLE. Keep in mind that nationwide DO students fare worse on USMLE than on COMLEX, simply because they're two very different tests. In my subject, I see a lot of minutiae in the questions, especially the harder ones.

IF you struggled in your curriculum, then I suggest holding off on Step I, but take Step II. Your last two years of training tend to even out DO and MD students.

ive searched through threads about this and nobody seems to have a concrete yes or no answer (probably because there isnt one) but maybe someone knows more about this than I do and can help me with my situation...
Took the COMLEX a week ago, think I did fairly well (which is surprising, considering everyone seems to think the tanked it). I took NBME 16 two weeks ago and scored a 215...
I'm unsure what I want to go into, possibly IM, EM or general surgery. I'm in NJ and would like to stay in the area (northeast). I really dont care about "prestige" of residency programs as long as they produce solid doctors. I feel like when I talk about it with other students not taking the USMLE as a DO is a guaranteed sentence to FM in the midwest (also what it sounds like on here).

Thoughts?

 

[HooliganSnail]

With my students, if they do well on COMLEX, then they'll do OK on USMLE. Keep in mind that nationwide DO students fare worse on USMLE than on COMLEX, simply because they're two very different tests. In my subject, I see a lot of minutiae in the questions, especially the harder ones.

IF you struggled in your curriculum, then I suggest holding off on Step I, but take Step II. Your last two years of training tend to even out DO and MD students.

This is very accurate in my experience. DO students do worse on the USMLE Step one only. They tend to do just as well as MD's on Step 2

 

[koan]

OP, take another NBME practice test. Two weeks is a good chunk of time, and your score may go up more than you think.

 

[DrDrangus]

just took nbme 15, got a 237 so I'll be scheduling it soon. thanks for the help!

 

[Dharma]

just took nbme 15, got a 237 so I'll be scheduling it soon. thanks for the help!

Nice. 15 isn't easy either. Good luck!

 

[pentasamanou]

Yes