to take or not to take the USMLE

[medmom]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am a first year (almost second 🙂) D.O student and as of now I am thinking OB/GYN. AS I enter second year and have been thinking of boards I was wondering if I really NEED/SHOULD take the USMLE. I am defiantely doing for an allopathic residency and would love to be back home in Colorado or Utah. In your opinion, should I take the USMLE to go allopathic or are most allopathic programs COMLEX savy?

 

[Dre1207]

Great question...

I would definitely take the USMLE because you'll never want to wonder if you COULD have got into ob residency if you didn't match...god forbid....

Another thought is that OB residency seems to get more and more competitive over the years...there were only 8-10 categorical spots after this year's allopathic match...yikes!

I am a DO, I took both the COMLEX and USMLE and matched in allopathic OB residency in Chicago. If you think you can take the USMLE and do WELL...i.e. over 200, then do it...there are practice tests on the USMLE website that are like 40 bucks each...if not, then take only the COMLEX and kick butt!!!

Good luck,
A.👍

 

[MeowMix]

If you want to be in Colorado, take the USMLE. Competition for OB spots in Colorado is intense, and you want everything to be in your favor. It will give you a lot more options in other places too. Whether it's fair or not, programs like to have an easy way to judge applicants against each other.

 

[LadyGrey]

Take it. Unless you're a really bad test-taker and convinced that you'll botch it, there's no good reason to skip it. You'll hear a lot of classmates say oh, if they're so DO-unfriendly that they want a USMLE, then I don't want to go there. IMHO, that's just stupid. Even places that "accept" the COMLEX are far more familiar with the USMLE, so why not make life easier for them and give them a number they understand? Especially if you're definitely applying allo, you're only limiting your options by only taking COMLEX.

Deciding on a residency is stressful enough; I'm glad that I don't have to worry about whether someone accepts and understands my COMLEX scores.

 

[minime]

I didn't take the USMLE and am a third year in a fairly competitive MD program. If you don't take it then make sure that you do a rotation at a few of the places that you might want to go.

 

[medmom]

Thanks for the replies. I had planned on taking it until I talked to other people in my class that thought it was unnecessary. I agree with mewmix, in order to end up even close to Colorado I think I need to take it.

 

[Spittz03]

minime, if you are in MD school, you have to take USMLE Step I and II to graduate. For DO schools it is optional, but you will open up a lot more options for yourself if you take it.

 

[hilseb]

I just finished my first year (woo hoo!) and am in the same situation you are. I will probably take Step II, not Step I, of the USMLE. I thought I was going to take both, and I have heard nothing but mixed advice. I would see if there are any DOs at the programs you want to match at the most, and ask their advice. It helps to make friends, anyway!