Take USMLE Step I now?

[DaveinDallas]

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Unusual question that I hope belongs here......

I was advised to not take the USMLE Step I. I'm an osteopathic student and therefore required to only take the COMLEX. The people at the school doing the advising indicated I should take Step 2 when I took COMLEX Level 2 and that would be sufficient.

Now that I'm applying to various clerkships and getting ready to apply to several EM residencies, I'm realizing I probably should have taken Step 1. Would it be worth my time to study up for it on a vacation month and go take it? I do plan on taking Step 2 along with Level 2 in July.

The reason for the advice of not taking it: unless you're sure you absolutely will knock it out of park, you shouldn't take it. If you fail, you'll have to report it and it could be a major hurdle to overcome.

 

[thethom]

How did you do on the COMLEX I? I'm not that familiar with osteopathic testing but my guess is if you did well on it, then you have a good chance to do well on the USMLE Step 1... Also this question may be best asked on the USMLE or COMLEX forums...

-Dr. T.

 

[Doctor Bob]

While COMLEX and USMLE become fairly similar at step 2 and step 3, the first level does have some fairly large differences. So being prepared for COMLEX level 1 does not equate to being prepared for USMLE step 1.

More than likely, in order to do well enough on the USMLE step 1 to make it worth your while (and to make sure that it doesn't end up shooting you in the foot), you'd need to go back and put in the same amount of time now that you put in when you first studied for COMLEX level 1.

If you end up taking both you'll have programs asking you why you decided to take both when you didn't have to. If you only take one, you'll have programs asking why you didn't take both.

 

[DaveinDallas]

While COMLEX and USMLE become fairly similar at step 2 and step 3, the first level does have some fairly large differences. So being prepared for COMLEX level 1 does not equate to being prepared for USMLE step 1.

More than likely, in order to do well enough on the USMLE step 1 to make it worth your while (and to make sure that it doesn't end up shooting you in the foot), you'd need to go back and put in the same amount of time now that you put in when you first studied for COMLEX level 1.

If you end up taking both you'll have programs asking you why you decided to take both when you didn't have to. If you only take one, you'll have programs asking why you didn't take both.

Understand. I'm noticing a lot of programs want Step 1. Chatted with a resident of a major program in the southwest and was told my best chances were AOA programs.

Will Step 2 be sufficient? How can I find out which programs place value on that, other than calling the ones I'm intereted in?

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Typical DO school advising, or lack thereof.

I thought that the USMLE Step I was incredibly hard. I busted by butt (or so I thought) and managed a paltry 200. I busted my hump for Step II and I was able to atone for Step I w/a significantly higher score.

I felt that the exams were similar in a lot of ways but obviously the USMLE was much harder that COMLEX Level 1 for me, which I managed to score fairly well on. My somewhat hazy recollection is that the USMLE had a lot of biochem and cell biology typew stuff that the COMLEX seemed to be pretty light on.

Studying again for the USMLE Step I would be an absolute nightmare for me. I had a massive info. dump the second I walked out of that exam and am not sure I could recover much of it. I am guessing that you are maybe a year out from Level I so maybe it won't be that bad for you.

I can't really speak much for the EM aspect of things but I think that you will be shut out of a number of programs. Calling them is the best way to find out. On the other hand I'll bet there are a bunch of people who match every year without the USMLE, you may just be limited geographically or otherwise.

 

[Doctor Bob]

Understand. I'm noticing a lot of programs want Step 1. Chatted with a resident of a major program in the southwest and was told my best chances were AOA programs.

Well yes, your chances will be best in an AOA program primarily because the applicant pool is smaller. But that doesn't mean you should only apply to AOA programs just because the odds are better.

Will Step 2 be sufficient? How can I find out which programs place value on that, other than calling the ones I'm interested in?

The best way to find out is to call the program. Why look for a less reliable source?

Typical DO school advising, or lack thereof.

Sorry your school wasn't helpful. The more I read, the more I'm glad I went to the DO school that I did. Our advisors and admin did a lot of work trying to educate the class.

I can't really speak much for the EM aspect of things but I think that you will be shut out of a number of programs.

OP- no matter how many doors you think will be closed to you because you're a DO, you'll have a lot more actually closed if you take the USMLE 1 and don't do extremely well on it... An average passing score won't help you.

 

[Phledge]

I was in the EXACT SAME SITUATION as the OP, except I went ahead and took the Step I. Most programs I've contacted thus far said they have a hard time correlating the COMLEX scores of their DO applicants to the USMLE scores of their MD applicants and so prefer to have a USMLE score on their hands.

I just got my score today, almost exactly a year after I took the COMLEX, and I'm not mortified but I'm not sure if I did the right thing. Should I be sad about a 217/90?

 

[thethom]

That was the exact average when I took the Step 1, so as an AMG you should be pretty dern good, prolly equally competitive to an IMG(me) with my score (260/99)...

 

[jbp100]

That was the exact average when I took the Step 1, so as an AMG you should be pretty dern good, prolly equally competitive to an IMG(me) with my score (260/99)...

Except the poster is not an AMG, they are an OMG.... 😀 I like that term I think I will use it from now on.

 

[Phledge]

Except the poster is not an AMG, they are an OMG.... 😀 I like that term I think I will use it from now on.

Ok, yeah, that's excellent. OMGWTF?

I hope I didn't come across as begging for someone to tell me if I can get into a residency of my first three choices. I'm just anxious, as an...OMG...that the Step I score in combination with a pretty good COMLEX I might not say "hey, these DOs actually do learn something." I know there's a prejudice and I was hoping to kick it in the teeth, but evidently I just bruised it a little. Ah well, at least it's a first-time pass.