Usmle 1 ????

[DO it right]

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just a question for you guys...

can you just take the COMLEX and match well into allo residencies? or do you have to take the USMLE 1. I heard KCOM encourages their students to take both, why is that. I heard from NOVA students that there's no need to take the USMLE 1 exam, since almost all residencies cannot and will not discriminate against you if you take the COMLEX (which you have to anyways.)

what's you guy's input?

Thanks a lot!!!

 

[Sense]

just a question for you guys...

can you just take the COMPLEX and match well into allo residencies? or do you have to take the USLME 1. I heard KCOM encourages their students to take both, why is that. I heard from NOVA students that there's no need to take the USLME 1 exam, since almost all residencies cannot and will not discriminate against you if you take the COMPLEX (which you have to anyways.)

what's you guy's input?

Thanks a lot!!!

To clarify the test is called the COMLEX and not COMPLEX. Also, it is not the USLME it's the USMLE. 😀

If you just want primary care meaning FP, IM, or Peds, the COMLEX should be fine in matching into an allopathic residency. Now if you want to be competitive against your allopathic counterparts or want to match at a specific program then it helps to get a good USMLE score. If you want to specialize, it is better that you take the USMLE especially if you want an allopathic residency.

The reason is specialty fields are more competitive and in order for residency directors to compare you to other applicants better, it is easier to compare USMLE scores than a COMLEX score to a USMLE score. The tests are different in some ways.

If you're talking about derm, ortho, and some of the harder specialties, it is almost a necessity to take the USMLE. If you're talking about Ob-gyn or even EM or general surgery, you may be fine in just taking the COMLEX. Of course you can just go into an osteopathic residency if you want to do a specialty and you wouldn't have to take the USMLE at all.

As for myself, I am looking to do primary care and probably FP in CA. The COMLEX is basically all that I would need to take to match into an allopathic FP residency here because FP especially is not that competitive.

My advice is if you want to keep your options open and don't know what specialty you want to go into, take both the COMLEX and USMLE.

 

[DO it right]

hey...sorry about my ignorance....

that helps a lot, thanks i was starting to get really confused. 😀

 

[azcomdiddy]

just a question for you guys...

can you just take the COMLEX and match well into allo residencies? or do you have to take the USMLE 1. I heard KCOM encourages their students to take both, why is that. I heard from NOVA students that there's no need to take the USMLE 1 exam, since almost all residencies cannot and will not discriminate against you if you take the COMLEX (which you have to anyways.)

what's you guy's input?

Thanks a lot!!!

Let's be honest, yeah technically they can't discriminate but they do. Remember in life there are general rules and exceptions. The general rule is you need to take the USMLE if you want to match into any allo program. For a competitive allo program, the USMLE is a requrement. Okay, now remember the exception rule. Sure, there are exceptions. The Cleveland Clinic takes the COMLEX in most of their programs. And most programs take both but will respect a high USMLE score more than a hgh COMLEX score.

You should take the USMLE if you want to match into a competitive primary care program (Hopkins pediatrics) or a specialized field (radiology, anesthesiology).

It makes me laugh when DO students get mad when allo programs don't accept or respect the COMLEX. It's their exam. You want to go to their program then you need to comply with their rules and take the exam.

For me, it's not even a question. If I'm applying to ANY alopathic programs, I'm going to take the USMLE even if they accept COMLEX because I know they respect USMLE scores more than COMLEX scores and it allows you to be a more competitive candidate in general.

 

[EUROdocMOM]

I am doing some research right now on osteopathic students taking the USMLE, and one thing I am finding that is important...IF you decide to take the USMLE, please prepare specifically for it!
Most who have taken both will attest that the test STYLE is different. The content is similar, but HOW you are tested on the same info is quite different.
Everyone I know who took USMLE and prepared for it did VERY well! Also, USMLE prep seemed to enhance COMLEX performance, not take away from it.

For examle, my USMLE had lots of path pictures, COMLEX had more path related clinical scenarios & descriptions. USMLE asked biostats/epidemiology and ethics questions, and COMLEX didn't really ask any. COMLEX had MRI's, CT's, and endoscopy pictures to actually diagnose things, and my USMLE only had those for anatomy recognition.

My point is, it's expensive and time consuming to take both tests, so give it some real thought. I wouldn't take both unless you are willing to put forth the time and expense of taking them.

Good luck!

 

[DO it right]

you guys are wonderful...thanx for all the good advice!! 😀

 

[BamaAlum]

I am doing some research right now on osteopathic students taking the USMLE, and one thing I am finding that is important...IF you decide to take the USMLE, please prepare specifically for it!
Most who have taken both will attest that the test STYLE is different. The content is similar, but HOW you are tested on the same info is quite different.
Everyone I know who took USMLE and prepared for it did VERY well! Also, USMLE prep seemed to enhance COMLEX performance, not take away from it.

For examle, my USMLE had lots of path pictures, COMLEX had more path related clinical scenarios & descriptions. USMLE asked biostats/epidemiology and ethics questions, and COMLEX didn't really ask any. COMLEX had MRI's, CT's, and endoscopy pictures to actually diagnose things, and my USMLE only had those for anatomy recognition.

My point is, it's expensive and time consuming to take both tests, so give it some real thought. I wouldn't take both unless you are willing to put forth the time and expense of taking them.

Good luck!

Ah yes, the L & L research project on USMLE vs. COMLEX performance. I don't believe that I ever gave consent for my performance to be included in your study so would you kindly remove my score from your data set? 🙂 Just joshin' you. I totally agree with what EuroDocMom (aka Big Steve) said. I specifically studied for the USMLE and I was quite pleased with my score. Others just prepared for the COMLEX and took the USMLE as an afterthought. Most of these people weren't happy with their results. So, like she said if you want take the USMLE make sure your spend some time preparing specifically for its format. I think it is much easier to do well on both by preparing specifically for USMLE than it is to do well on both by preparing specifically for COMLEX.

 

[bigdreamer#1]

Ah yes, the L & L research project on USMLE vs. COMLEX performance. I don't believe that I ever gave consent for my performance to be included in your study so would you kindly remove my score from your data set? 🙂 Just joshin' you. I totally agree with what EuroDocMom (aka Big Steve) said. I specifically studied for the USMLE and I was quite pleased with my score. Others just prepared for the COMLEX and took the USMLE as an afterthought. Most of these people weren't happy with their results. So, like she said if you want take the USMLE make sure your spend some time preparing specifically for its format. I think it is much easier to do well on both by preparing specifically for USMLE than it is to do well on both by preparing specifically for COMLEX.

Hey BamaAlum, how'd you do that? I mean how do you arrange your time and study time to specifically study for USMLE, which sounds like a great idea, but how to balance that with the study for comlex? Or, did you take one first then study seperately for the other? How'd you schedule that? Thanks!