Would taking USMLE as a DO make it easier to match an MD residency

[jorge921995]

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[deleted407021]

Yeah, because many (most?) ACGME residencies require that applicants take the USMLE. By 2020, however, there'll be a unified system merging AOA and ACGME programs.

 

[jhg1232]

Yeah, because many (most?) ACGME residencies require that applicants take the USMLE. By 2020, however, there'll be a unified system merging AOA and ACGME programs.

does that mean theres going to be one test? or would there still be the comlex and usmle?

 

[Goro]

Yes, and for some residencies, it's mandatory (mostly more competitive ones) because their directors won't accept COMLEX as a licensing exam.

We advise our weaker students to stick with COMLEX and shoot for AOA residencies.

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Residency system, not step exams.

does that mean theres going to be one test? or would there still be the comlex and usmle?

 

[njtrimed]

Yes, and for some residencies, it's mandatory (mostly more competitive ones) because their directors won't accept COMLEX as a licensing exam.

We advise our weaker students to stick with COMLEX and shoot for AOA residencies.

How does it work, exactly? An anesthesiologist I work with only took Step 3, but not Steps 1 & 2. Can you really pick and choose like that?

A few friends of mine who are currently in residency or fourth year of med school took both USMLE and COMLEX. One is an anesthesiology resident and said his school discouraged ALL students from taking the USMLE, but he encouraged me to take all three steps to be competitive for residency if I go the DO route. That seems the most logical to me...

 

[Mad Jack]

Yeah, because many (most?) ACGME residencies require that applicants take the USMLE. By 2020, however, there'll be a unified system merging AOA and ACGME programs.

Roughly 70% of ACGME programs take the COMLEX. Goro is right on the money though- a DO shouldn't take the USMLE if they are a weak candidate, as a person who barely passes the COMLEX but falls the USMLE has far worse odds of matching than someone who merely barely passed the COMLEX. The other big question is "should I take both Step 1 and Step 2, our only Step 1," which is, again, very nuanced and depends on the field someone wants to practice in, how well they are predicted to do, and the type of program they are shooting for (university vs community).

 

[Goro]

You can pick and choose and most of my students who seek ACGME residencies will do Step II. By the end of OMSIV, most students anywhere have learned the same things (the doing of Medicine, rather than the knowing of Medicine) and so handle Step II very well. At least mine do.

Step II and III are more outside my expertise, so trust residents and senior medical students, plus your Clinical Dean's' advice on what to take and when for the higher level Step exams.

One more thing, it also seems that PDs of the more competitive ACGME residency programs are OK with COMLEX II than with COMLEX I! There's a chart out there somewhere showing this.

How does it work, exactly? An anesthesiologist I work with only took Step 3, but not Steps 1 & 2. Can you really pick and choose like that?

A few friends of mine who are currently in residency or fourth year of med school took both USMLE and COMLEX. One is an anesthesiology resident and said his school discouraged ALL students from taking the USMLE, but he encouraged me to take all three steps to be competitive for residency if I go the DO route. That seems the most logical to me...

 

[njtrimed]

You can pick and choose and most of my students who seek ACGME residencies will do Step II. By the end of OMSIV, most students anywhere have learned the same things (the doing of Medicine, rather than the knowing of Medicine) and so handle Step II very well. At least mine do.

Step II and III are more outside my expertise, so trust residents and senior medical students, plus your Clinical Dean's' advice on what to take and when for the higher level Step exams.

One more thing, it also seems that PDs of the more competitive ACGME residency programs are OK with COMLEX II than with COMLEX I! There's a chart out there somewhere showing this.

Interesting! Good to know. My friend just finished both COMLEX II and Step 2 and said that COMLEX PE was hands-down the most challenging thing he's faced!