Suggestions for Boards for PM&R Residencies

[MusicIsLife511]

Hi,

I'm currently an OMS-II, and I'm registering to take the boards right now. I am leaning heavily towards PM&R with a fellowship in Pain Management. I know people have posted about this before, but they all seemed to have been from years ago. I have talked to a PM&R doctors and know PM&R residencies are very DO friendly, so COMLEX is sufficient for most PM&R programs. With the recent AOA & ACGME merger talk which fell through, however, my mentor suggested I take the USMLE along with COMLEX to stay on the safe side. I have also heard that DO students can opt to take Step 2 of USMLE in place of Step 1, but I'm not sure if there is any truth to that. I was just wondering if any of you had any insight into this. Thank you in advance for your answers.

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[cbest]

Hi,

I'm currently an OMS-II, and I'm registering to take the boards right now. I am leaning heavily towards PM&R with a fellowship in Pain Management. I know people have posted about this before, but they all seemed to have been from years ago. I have talked to a PM&R doctors and know PM&R residencies are very DO friendly, so COMLEX is sufficient for most PM&R programs. With the recent AOA & ACGME merger talk which fell through, however, my mentor suggested I take the USMLE along with COMLEX to stay on the safe side. I have also heard that DO students can opt to take Step 2 of USMLE in place of Step 1, but I'm not sure if there is any truth to that. I was just wondering if any of you had any insight into this. Thank you in advance for your answers.

This has been discussed many times before.

In order to make sure you're as competitive an applicant as possible, I'd suggest taking both USMLE 1 and 2CK and doing well on them. As a DO, you can take USMLE 2CK without having taken/passed USMLE 1. Good luck!

 

[Hextra]

I'm finishing up interviews this month. I've had multiple PDs point out their satisfaction with me having taken USMLE 1/2 in addition to COMLEX 1/2. I have classmates who only took COMLEX, however, and they were also successful on the trail.

For me, it was about knowing that I did everything I could to make myself a competitive applicant in the eyes of any PD. If you know you'll second-guess yourself for not taking USMLE, take it. Applying and interviewing is stressful enough without having something like this clouding your thoughts.

Also keep in mind that unless you specifically want to do an AOA pgy1 year, you'll be applying to allopathic TYs and prelims, many of which strongly prefer at least USMLE 1 for consideration.