Take both Comlex and USMLE or just Comlex?

[futuredrdo]

Hey all, been a lurker for a while, haven't decided to post until now. Currently an MS2 and plan on matching either EM or IM. If I do IM probably looking at a subspecialty. I wanted to know if I should take both COMLEX 1 and Step 1 next year or just take COMLEX 1 this year and then follow up third year with both COMLEX 2 and Step 2?

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[FutureInternist]

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[Trogghunter]

Hey all, been a lurker for a while, haven't decided to post until now. Currently an MS2 and plan on matching either EM or IM. If I do IM probably looking at a subspecialty. I wanted to know if I should take both COMLEX 1 and Step 1 next year or just take COMLEX 1 this year and then follow up third year with both COMLEX 2 and Step 2?

Both, within a week or so of each other. Priority goes to usmle. Trust me, I'm a doctor.

 

[001100010010011]

Both. Do not delay one. You will regret it.

 

[Goro]

We have found that there's no need to take USMLE I, but if you're gunning for an allo residency, it helps to have USMLE II.

In any case, do NOT take USMLE I if you've been in the bottom quartile of your class.

Hey all, been a lurker for a while, haven't decided to post until now. Currently an MS2 and plan on matching either EM or IM. If I do IM probably looking at a subspecialty. I wanted to know if I should take both COMLEX 1 and Step 1 next year or just take COMLEX 1 this year and then follow up third year with both COMLEX 2 and Step 2?

 

[Dr. Zombie]

We have found that there's no need to take USMLE I, but if you're gunning for an allo residency, it helps to have USMLE II.

I completely understand that you're very supportive of the osteopathic branch of medicine, but something about this comment throws me off. I've never heard anyone say that taking USMLE 1 wasn't useful for an Allo residency.

 

[Goro]

Just to make sure, I was talking about DO students, not MD. From what I hear RD or PDs like Step II, and both types of students are on an even footing at that level.

Let me know if I'm wrong.

I completely understand that you're very supportive of the osteopathic branch of medicine, but something about this comment throws me off. I've never heard anyone say that taking USMLE 1 wasn't useful for an Allo residency.

 

[pathologyDO]

Just to make sure, I was talking about DO students, not MD. From what I hear RD or PDs like Step II, and both types of students are on an even footing at that level.

Let me know if I'm wrong.

On an equal footing at that level? Explain please.

 

[MRSAful Fate]

If you want ACGME EM take USMLE step 1 and 2 and do well on both.

Source: multiple ACGME PD's.

 

[meliora27]

I thought the COMLEX was a terrible exam. The questions were vague, didn't seem to test important concepts, and riddled with typos. I did fine (well above the average) but I found the USMLE Step 1 to be so much more straightforward and coincidently did much better on it.

Why not take a practice test and see how you do and go from there?

 

[Goro]

Meaning both types of students will have had clinical training from 3rd/4th year rotations. Hence, the step II assessments are on the same level, to test for knowledge of clinical mgt etc.

On an equal footing at that level? Explain please.

 

[FutureInternist]

http://www.jaoa.org/content/112/2/83.abstract?etoc

 

[Petypet]

Just to make sure, I was talking about DO students, not MD. From what I hear RD or PDs like Step II, and both types of students are on an even footing at that level.

Let me know if I'm wrong.

Yes but MANY programs require step 1 for interview.

 

[pathologyDO]

Over 50% of students at my COM take usmle in addition to the comlex because we know that PDs at ACGME accredited residencies a lot of times don't know how to compare an applicants comlex to another persons usmle... It is much easier for them if everyone is using the same exam

 

[Goro]

Ahh...good to know. The key thing I'm trying to pass on is that in our program, we see a huge corrrellation between poor performance on USMLE I and poor med school grades from the first two years.

Hence my caveat that if you struggled in med school academically, taking USMLE Step I is not a good idea.

Yes but MANY programs require step 1 for interview.

 

[SLC]

Hey all, been a lurker for a while, haven't decided to post until now. Currently an MS2 and plan on matching either EM or IM. If I do IM probably looking at a subspecialty. I wanted to know if I should take both COMLEX 1 and Step 1 next year or just take COMLEX 1 this year and then follow up third year with both COMLEX 2 and Step 2?

Tough question.

I'd say that if you're set on applying ACGME, then you should definitely try and do USMLE-1&2. However, as @Goro is hinting at; if you struggled at all in the first two years, or even if you did well, the USMLE-1 might hurt you:

It's not an easy exam (though I generally disagree with the notion that it's really any harder than COMLEX-1); but if you do poorly on it, yet well on COMLEX, ACGME residencies are not going to overlook that and focus on just your COMLEX score.

If you take the USMLE, ACGME programs will use that, and only that, in evaluating your board exam performance. To them at that point, your COMLEX exam score doesn't even exist. This is why if you're taking both, USMLE should probably be your priority; and you better be damn sure you can perform well on it. It's a high risk, high reward type gamble.

As an example, I have seen students get through the didactic years with great grades; busting their butts and painstakingly memorizing minutiae to get above 90% on exams. However; many of them memorized and regurgitated without gaining a real mastery of the material. During exam reviews they'd know the right answer to a question most of us missed; but when we'd ask them to explain, they'd only be able to say where in a particular lecture slide it was. It was clear they were good at memorizing, but less skilled with understanding and internalizing the info. These are the folks who were gunning for surgery programs and had lofty ambitions of what they would do.

Then flash forward to board study time; they just couldn't get it done. Practice exams showed them the hard way that they hadn't learned what they needed to learn. And many of them either failed, or barely passed the USMLE. These folks are no longer going to match ACGME, and they may be looking at less competitive AOA programs too.

It's a shame that we as DO students can't elect to take only USMLE if we want to completely abandon the AOA match: we're stuck taking two board exams while our MD friends only have to study for, and take, one exam. But that's just the way it is. We've been getting by for years this way, and we'll probably be required to do so for the foreseeable future.

So my advice would be, if you are thinking of taking the USMLE, definitely make absolutely sure you can do well. Take lots of practice exams, and if you're not scoring where you need to, don't hesitate to cancel your exam. Even if you lose the money; it's better than eliminating yourself from contention at some of the ACGME programs that will accept COMLEX only.

 

[meliora27]

It's a shame that we as DO students can't elect to take only USMLE if we want to completely abandon the AOA match: we're stuck taking two board exams while our MD friends only have to study for, and take, one exam. But that's just the way it is. We've been getting by for years this way, and we'll probably be required to do so for the foreseeable future.

This would be incredible. Sadly, I can't see this happening as the NBOME would be bound to lose millions of dollars.

Seeing as USMLE and COMLEX are licensing exams, and they are held equivalent in terms of recognition for licensing, why not lets students chose who they want to certify through.

Why not require all DO students to pass the OMM COMAT but when it comes to choosing a licensing exam, if COMLEX = USMLE, let the student chose who they prefer to license through.

 

[AMEHigh]

So my advice would be, if you are thinking of taking the USMLE, definitely make absolutely sure you can do well. Take lots of practice exams, and if you're not scoring where you need to, don't hesitate to cancel your exam. Even if you lose the money; it's better than eliminating yourself from contention at some of the ACGME programs that will accept COMLEX only.

Ditto this. I ultimately decided not to take USMLE because I didn't think I would do well, had other personal things going on and didn't want it to hurt me. So far I have no regrets and am applying to at least 35 acgme programs.

I think that not taking the USMLE will shut you out of being considered for some programs, but you'll still have options for ACGME.

But I would absolutely take it if you think you'll do well, but my point is that I don't think it's the end of the world if you only take comlex as obviously plenty of people do match without it.

 

[Kevin Baker]

I wouldnt overly worry about USMLE if your pre clinical grades were sub par. Im sure there is a correlation but classes and board test entirely different things, at least at my school. Definitely take practice tests to gauge your baseline but as someone in the bottom quartile who struggled during OMS 1 and 2 and who did much better on boards, 3-4 weeks of UFAP can do wonders. Add two days of Savarese and some OMM and ethics questions from a comlex q bank with some ID studying and youll be fine

 

[costales]

I thought the COMLEX was a terrible exam. The questions were vague, didn't seem to test important concepts, and riddled with typos.

They need to pull those questions from the DOS machine and run them through a spellchecker. Yep, the USMLE is much easier to study for and work through.