TCOM average COMLEX approaches 600 (594)

Started by deleted875777
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Rekt said:
I really doubt it could affect it that much. How many are still waiting to take it across the nation? 100? 200 at most? Thousands of students have already taken it. There's likely single digit numbers waiting to take it from my school.
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I agree it will still be high, I don't know the picture at other schools, just going off mine where 30 (roughly 10% of the class) have not taken it yet, which would possibly bring our average down 10-20 points.
 
Drrrrrr. Celty said:
I still find it incredibly weird for a test to have a major shift in average without a change in pass rate. I'm going to go ahead and call it and say that the standard deviation on the test if it truly is in the 560s is over 100.
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There is a major shift in pass rate. Last year the first time pass rate was 92.68% (the second highest on record on the NBOME site) -- this year, so far (another batch of scores was released yesterday) the first time pass rate is 96.54%. This means last year 7.32% failed while so far this year 3.46% failed. In other words, about twice as many failed last year -- this is a huge change. With the latest batch of scores, the average is now at 560.44 and it is likely that the pass rate and average scores will creep down a little bit as the handful of presumably weaker students left take their exam. However, there is no doubt this year will be substantially above any previous year.
 
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ProfAnon said:
There is a major shift in pass rate. Last year the first time pass rate was 92.68% (the second highest on record on the NBOME site) -- this year, so far (another batch of scores was released yesterday) the first time pass rate is 96.54%. This means last year 7.32% failed while so far this year 3.46% failed. In other words, about twice as many failed last year -- this is a huge change. With the latest batch of scores, the average is now at 560.44 and it is likely that the pass rate and average scores will creep down a little bit as the handful of presumably weaker students left take their exam. However, there is no doubt this year will be substantially above any previous year.
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More reasonable, but still surprising. This correlates more with what I've heard as well now that it's a little later than the original posting. I feel bad for next years test takers, I imagine they'll get absolutely destroyed, or we will on level two.
 
Roxas said:
Does the NBOME disclose that already? I thought they had to wait for the cycle to end in like April before they'll announce that
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There's a moving average as students take it. That was what the thread really developed into. Someone reported that it was 572, which Goro reported was similar to their school numbers, my school commented a similar number a month later, then someone above reported 563. I very much doubt the above post is referencing this years average as that's likely last years. I can see the average being around 540s-560s this year, but not suddenly dropping all the way to 519 after multiple people here reported similar numbers from their school.
 
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My school reported a large jump in the average score this year for my class. As this score didn't correlate with the change in my school's USMLE Step 1 average, faculty at my school believe the national average for COMLEX Level 1 must have increased by 20-30 points this year.

It's MY own PERSONAL opinion that the NBOME purposefully shifted the bell curve this year to beef up scores before the merger.
Also, COMLEX Level 1 has been redesigned and Class of 2021/22 will likely be the first class to take the new exam with the new content outline.
 
JamesPotterMS-3 said:
Also, COMLEX Level 1 has been redesigned and Class of 2021/22 will likely be the first class to take the new exam with the new content outline.
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Of course we will.... 🙄 Instead of changing it the test really just needs to go away. Just add an OMM portion to the USMLE for DO students that take it then give those students their normal USMLE score and have a side score of the OMM portion, like what the MCAT did with their old writing section.
 
JamesPotterMS-3 said:
Also, COMLEX Level 1 has been redesigned and Class of 2021/22 will likely be the first class to take the new exam with the new content outline.
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tumblr_lygwogzquq1r4mekxo1_250.gif
 
Rekt said:
There's a moving average as students take it. That was what the thread really developed into. Someone reported that it was 572, which Goro reported was similar to their school numbers, my school commented a similar number a month later, then someone above reported 563. I very much doubt the above post is referencing this years average as that's likely last years. I can see the average being around 540s-560s this year, but not suddenly dropping all the way to 519 after multiple people here reported similar numbers from their school.
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The 519 national avg was for 2016-2017 - it wasn't a previous years average.
 
tunicaexterna said:
The 519 national avg was for 2016-2017 - it wasn't a previous years average.
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2016-2017 (ie, the previous year) average is 519.52
2017-2018 (ie current year) average currently sits at 560.44. The number won't be final until after 4/30/18, but since most people for the current year have already taken it, it's not likely to move too much further down. Also pass rates and average scores are reported to be much higher this year.

I think the big question is WHY did the average go up so much this year?
 
ProfAnon said:
I think the big question is WHY did the average go up so much this year?
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See my post above. I believe it may be due to the merger and the NBOME's attempt to beef up scores along with the new content outline being implemented in the next year. Just my guess though.
 
I'm not sure if it was the 2016-2017 or the 2017-2018 where this was supposed to be implemented, but didn't they vastly improve the pictures/multimedia on the test, as well as change the break schedule? Could that have had anything to do with the score increases?
 
JamesPotterMS-3 said:
See my post above. I believe it may be due to the merger and the NBOME's attempt to beef up scores along with the new content outline being implemented in the next year. Just my guess though.
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I also believe this has something to do with it, but it still doesn't answer the question of why -- how does an increase in average and pass rate help the NBOME? I am certain they are getting tired of all the speculation, during the transition to the merger, of what relevance the COMLEX has now. I believe they needed to create a niche, in order to maintain a demand for their "product". I think they may have created this by making the COMLEX "easier" and increasing pass rates (and average scores). I guarantee you all the schools that were fearing the requirement to publish their Level 1 pass rates are delighted at this years results. I think this will create a lot of support from COM administrators. I guess the future will tell....
 
ProfAnon said:
I also believe this has something to do with it, but it still doesn't answer the question of why -- how does an increase in average and pass rate help the NBOME? I am certain they are getting tired of all the speculation, during the transition to the merger, of what relevance the COMLEX has now. I believe they needed to create a niche, in order to maintain a demand for their "product". I think they may have created this by making the COMLEX "easier" and increasing pass rates (and average scores). I guarantee you all the schools that were fearing the requirement to publish their Level 1 pass rates are delighted at this years results. I think this will create a lot of support from COM administrators. I guess the future will tell....
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If the NBOME intentionally increased the COMLEX average this year (which I believe they did), this just ends up hurting D.O. Applicants more. PDs at ACGME programs will just be even more confused on how to evaluate COMLEX scores with this increase.

The main reason the NBOME did this score increase is to try and save their beloved COMLEX by trying to make students look "better" by a higher mean average. They make so much money off of the test that they will do everything possible to maintain the test instead of going to a possible "mandatory USMLE + osteopathic OMT exam" solution. The NBOME doesn't care about making osteopathic students more "competitive" with the upcoming merger, they do care about making money.
 
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ProfAnon said:
I also believe this has something to do with it, but it still doesn't answer the question of why -- how does an increase in average and pass rate help the NBOME? I am certain they are getting tired of all the speculation, during the transition to the merger, of what relevance the COMLEX has now. I believe they needed to create a niche, in order to maintain a demand for their "product". I think they may have created this by making the COMLEX "easier" and increasing pass rates (and average scores). I guarantee you all the schools that were fearing the requirement to publish their Level 1 pass rates are delighted at this years results. I think this will create a lot of support from COM administrators. I guess the future will tell....
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I absolutely agree

Eagles6389 said:
If the NBOME intentionally increased the COMLEX average this year (which I believe they did), this just ends up hurting D.O. Applicants more. PDs at ACGME programs will just be even more confused on how to evaluate COMLEX scores with this increase.
Click to expand...

As someone who is in this process now, I can tell you that ACGME PDs don't give a crap about COMLEX scores as long as you passed. However, failing Step 1 is a death sentence and it is MUCH better to have a COMLEX score (high or low) alone than with a COMLEX score (high or low) with a "failed on first attempt" Step 1.
 
Eagles6389 said:
If the NBOME intentionally increased the COMLEX average this year (which I believe they did), this just ends up hurting D.O. Applicants more. PDs at ACGME programs will just be even more confused on how to evaluate COMLEX scores with this increase.

The main reason the NBOME did this score increase is to try and save their beloved COMLEX by trying to make students look "better" by a higher mean average. They make so much money off of the test that they will do everything possible to maintain the test instead of going to a possible "mandatory USMLE + osteopathic OMT exam" solution. The NBOME doesn't care about making osteopathic students more "competitive" with the upcoming merger, they do care about making money.
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PDs don't care about the COMLEX, whether these scores increase or decrease they don't give a damn.

And even if they did care, why would a score increase mess up their understanding of their exam. If that is the case, then they would be just as confused about how to score the USMLE because the average had been going up for years until recently.
 
JamesPotterMS-3 said:
As someone who is in this process now, I can tell you that ACGME PDs don't give a crap about COMLEX scores as long as you passed. However, failing Step 1 is a death sentence and it is MUCH better to have a COMLEX score (high or low) alone than with a COMLEX score (high or low) with a "failed on first attempt" Step 1.
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This is somewhat relieving to hear, as someone who didn't sit for Step 1 because I was scurred. I know people who did and failed (some with great comlex scores).
 
Roxas said:
This is somewhat relieving to hear, as someone who didn't sit for Step 1 because I was scurred. I know people who did and failed (some with great comlex scores).
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Yes. And that is fine. We go to DO schools which are run (mostly) by DOs who have a very limited and narrow understanding of Step 1.
There is a narrative on SDN that Level 1 and Step 1 are similar exams but I don't agree with that. I also do not agree that every DO student should take Step 1. I think it should be encouraged and highly recommended but every OMS-II (around Thanksgiving) should be realistic and introspective, asses their goals, strengths, and weaknesses, and make that decision. It kills me to see dozens and dozens of students (mostly on Reddit, less on SDN), spends thousands of dollars to sign up for the exam, choose a test date, spend hundreds on question banks, only to cancel 3 weeks before the test because they haven't passed an NBME yet.
 
JamesPotterMS-3 said:
Yes. And that is fine. We go to DO schools which are run (mostly) by DOs who have a very limited and narrow understanding of Step 1.
There is a narrative on SDN that Level 1 and Step 1 are similar exams but I don't agree with that. I also do not agree that every DO student should take Step 1. I think it should be encouraged and highly recommended but every OMS-II (around Thanksgiving) should be realistic and introspective, asses their goals, strengths, and weaknesses, and make that decision. It kills me to see dozens and dozens of students (mostly on Reddit, less on SDN), spends thousands of dollars to sign up for the exam, choose a test date, spend hundreds on question banks, only to cancel 3 weeks before the test because they haven't passed an NBME yet.
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Truth be told, most DO students even 3-5 years ago have a narrower understanding of step 1. I know people who graduated a few years ago who didn't even know that Uworld existed.

I think everyone if they take their first two years seriously can pass the usmle. But in the end, too many people don't take it seriously enough and make too many short cuts.
 
FourniersGreenGang said:
I'm not sure if it was the 2016-2017 or the 2017-2018 where this was supposed to be implemented, but didn't they vastly improve the pictures/multimedia on the test, as well as change the break schedule? Could that have had anything to do with the score increases?
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The combank guy said its a schedule change, and updated pictures, new content is for next year (18-19; i.e. 2021 people).
 
Eagles6389 said:
If the NBOME intentionally increased the COMLEX average this year (which I believe they did), this just ends up hurting D.O. Applicants more. PDs at ACGME programs will just be even more confused on how to evaluate COMLEX scores with this increase.

The main reason the NBOME did this score increase is to try and save their beloved COMLEX by trying to make students look "better" by a higher mean average. They make so much money off of the test that they will do everything possible to maintain the test instead of going to a possible "mandatory USMLE + osteopathic OMT exam" solution. The NBOME doesn't care about making osteopathic students more "competitive" with the upcoming merger, they do care about making money.
Click to expand...
I can see why they did it tho. How many programs in Freida have a 'cut off' of 500 for the comlex but 200 for the USMLE? Lots do. Program directors don't think of 500 as being over 40 percentile generally vs. the 10th or less percentile that a 200 is. If everyone just assumes 'its easier' then they did need to adjust.
 
BorntobeDO? said:
The combank guy said its a schedule change, and updated pictures, new content is for next year (18-19; i.e. 2021 people).
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Weird because the head of the nbome told me for sure the class of 2020 would have the improvements. I just wasn't sure if it was also for 2019. Seems most likely that it wasn't implemented for them.
 
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So it looks like the national mean for COMLEX 1 jumped from 520 to 559 in one year.
Is the class of 2019 that much better overall than the class of 2018?
 
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2021Doctor said:
Looking at this jump from 520 to 559 on COMLEX 1 is interesting.
According to last year's results a 559 was the 69th percentile. So it looks like 559 now ~ 50th percentile?
CBT Score Conversion

A similar change in the USMLE 1 would require a jump in the average score from ~230 to more than 240.
http://www.usmle.org/pdfs/transcripts/USMLE_Step_Examination_Score_Interpretation_Guidelines.pdf

I am skeptical that the average score will jump to more than 240 this year on the USMLE.
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Agreed. It just doesn’t make sense. Ah well.
 
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JamesPotterMS-3 said:
I absolutely agree



As someone who is in this process now, I can tell you that ACGME PDs don't give a crap about COMLEX scores as long as you passed. However, failing Step 1 is a death sentence and it is MUCH better to have a COMLEX score (high or low) alone than with a COMLEX score (high or low) with a "failed on first attempt" Step 1.
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I don't know about that. My brother failed Step 1 and took 3 months off to pass it and then he ended up in a really desirable residency (Long Island) and eventually became an attending in a hospital that many of those who passed Step 1 in the first try can't get into. He told me it's all relative and highly depends on location, school and personal characteristics (he got offered a residency position that several other applicants with higher stats were denied). Go figure
 
NecFasc92 said:
Is he a DO, though? Also, what field?
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He's a DO, a pulmonologist. I think Long Island DO schools have it easy compared to some other schools - it's a small area and everyone knows everyone - his classmates all got positions they wanted, no DO inferiority complex present or at least very minimal. In fact in his hospital majority of IM is taken by DOs. Surprisingly, both docs (there are 2 of them) rad.oncologists are DOs
 
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