Advice for COMLEX III

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DO_Surgeon

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I just registered for COMLEX III next month. I am a general surgery intern, and have had the majority of my non-surgical rotations. I just bought crush step 3 and the NMS q book. Anyone have any advice for studying (length of time, books, important topics, etc) What about the new computer format and how many questions do you need to pass?
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swlabr1980 said:
I used COMQUEST. Very few of the concepts from that bank were on the real exam. However, a few of my co-residents who used COMBANK said the same thing. I think Master the Boards was a better study source for COMLEX III.
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MTB step 2 or Step 3

I have step 2, wondering if I should get step 3 as well but i've heard that it doesn't add much if your just taking comlex since it has extra ccs stuff in it for usmle but otherwise is a very similar book compared to MTB step 2?
 
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OR4life said:
MTB step 2 or Step 3

I have step 2, wondering if I should get step 3 as well but i've heard that it doesn't add much if your just taking comlex since it has extra ccs stuff in it for usmle but otherwise is a very similar book compared to MTB step 2?
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I used MTB Step 3.
 
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Did you guys do a COMSAE before taking it? I find it so hard to believe that the concepts in COMBANK OR COMQUEST would not be on the exam. It's still med, peds, ob/gyn, like level 2. I didn't read a book much for level 2 only did DIT, and UWORLD, COMBANK AND COMQUEST, was happy with my score
Do we get a CCS Similar section?
 
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Done! The hardest part was definitely the clinical cases. Just kidding, that section hasn't made its way onto the COMLEX yet. The test is definitely heavy in peds/OB/GI/nephro. I walked out feeling pretty much the same as everyone above....not so great. They ask some questions in the strangest ways, which makes answering them pretty difficult. I studied 1.5-3 hours per day depending on when my days were over, and did this for 4 weeks. MTB 3 once, Savarese once, and COMQUEST twice. Not too sure how much any of that helped which is the harder part to accept. Many of the questions I felt relied on my gut instinct, and some things I hadn't visited since level 1. Overall, more difficult than I had hoped. Here's to passing!
 
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serimeri said:
Did you guys do a COMSAE before taking it? I find it so hard to believe that the concepts in COMBANK OR COMQUEST would not be on the exam. It's still med, peds, ob/gyn, like level 2. I didn't read a book much for level 2 only did DIT, and UWORLD, COMBANK AND COMQUEST, was happy with my score
Do we get a CCS Similar section?
Click to expand...

I didn't take a COMSAE. It just seemed that the learning points and questions overall from COMQUEST weren't as high yield as they were on COMLEX II.
 
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swlabr1980 said:
I didn't take a COMSAE. It just seemed that the learning points and questions overall from COMQUEST weren't as high yield as they were on COMLEX II.
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Oh i see. it seem slike they have copied a good portion of Level 2 stuff on their bank...such a pity.

I was thinking about doing the COMBANK Assessment cuz unlike COMSAE it gives you your explanations for wrong answers. i just wanna get this test out of the way
 
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I seriously don't understand why we have to wait until after graduation to take this exam when everyone says its like comlex 2. i mean even the comquest questions are repeated from what i hear from level 2. i have to move and start residency orientation crap. im goin into psych and i don't want to deal with this nonsense and revive ob/gyn and peds when i'm going to be on psych call! ahh
 
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I'm an OMS 4 graduating in a couple of weeks.. going into Psychiatry this July at an ACGME program. I'm the only one in the batch of 10 who has not taken Step 3 since most of the people in the program are FMG's who have taken it before.

So I am obviously not a great test taker which can be evidenced by my low COMLEX 1 and 2 (470ish and 410ish)..I knew that I was going to have to take longer to study for this, so after interviews were over, I grabbed a subscription to COMBANK for Step 3 and did some questions randomly on my phone during rotations. After I finished my rotation 2 weeks ago (had done 20% randomly whenever in the car or whatever waiting), I did some more COMBANK stuff along with DIT for Step 3 (I used it for the first 2 and i found it was more effective than reading for me). I did about 40% of COMBANk in the past 2 weeks and have gotten 60% as a final score. I decided i'd take advantage of a quiet house today and just do a practice test (wasn't expecting to do great, but at least pass)...I got a 301! I have never failed any COMSAE before and I expected that with almost half of DIT done I would be doing a little better. I always used to get about 400 on the COMSAE's!

I was unacceptable in Peds, EM, and Osteopathic principles. I honestly know I need to brush up on those areas, but I don't know if I can read the entire MTB 3 book. Doing DIT is easier for me since I think have some type of ADHD that makes it hard for me to read a book from cover to cover...seriously, I like to google little things and details and never a damn book. the only think I ever finished was First Aid and Pathoma for step 1...I didn't even finish Step Up To Step 2 or the Saverese book.

I even bought COMQUEST for this test too because I thought it would be better but it turns out they just repeat things from Level 2.

The weird thing is that I always do decent on shelf exams, though I study really hard for them & like 80% on all NBME's except Surgery. I didn't fail any of them and I also took the ER shelf our school makes us do and I did good on it a couple months ago.

Maybe my clinical knowledge is not so good. Idk. I know it'll be really hard during intern year to study since I don't get educational leave, I have rotations where vacation is not granted, I'll be expected to read more in depth on patients, really my program is not used to having people who are just recent graduates, so they have a culture of throwing people in there without any formal training (my first month is inpatient psych so I will be working during the weeks with weekend call). In my contract it states, that I am expected to take Step 3 by the end of year 1 and if I do not pass my end of year 2, I will be terminated.

For the first 2, I feel like I had ample time to study but not so much for this one. I honestly think the easiest think I wasted time by getting DIT. I'm not sure if I should get the master the boards and do kaplan videos? I honestly won't have much time during intern year.
 
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Are you saying comquest isn't represenative because it covers mostly level 2 stuff? Is combank better for comlex 3?

ari202 said:
I'm an OMS 4 graduating in a couple of weeks.. going into Psychiatry this July at an ACGME program. I'm the only one in the batch of 10 who has not taken Step 3 since most of the people in the program are FMG's who have taken it before.

So I am obviously not a great test taker which can be evidenced by my low COMLEX 1 and 2 (470ish and 410ish)..I knew that I was going to have to take longer to study for this, so after interviews were over, I grabbed a subscription to COMBANK for Step 3 and did some questions randomly on my phone during rotations. After I finished my rotation 2 weeks ago (had done 20% randomly whenever in the car or whatever waiting), I did some more COMBANK stuff along with DIT for Step 3 (I used it for the first 2 and i found it was more effective than reading for me). I did about 40% of COMBANk in the past 2 weeks and have gotten 60% as a final score. I decided i'd take advantage of a quiet house today and just do a practice test (wasn't expecting to do great, but at least pass)...I got a 301! I have never failed any COMSAE before and I expected that with almost half of DIT done I would be doing a little better. I always used to get about 400 on the COMSAE's!

I was unacceptable in Peds, EM, and Osteopathic principles. I honestly know I need to brush up on those areas, but I don't know if I can read the entire MTB 3 book. Doing DIT is easier for me since I think have some type of ADHD that makes it hard for me to read a book from cover to cover...seriously, I like to google little things and details and never a damn book. the only think I ever finished was First Aid and Pathoma for step 1...I didn't even finish Step Up To Step 2 or the Saverese book.

I even bought COMQUEST for this test too because I thought it would be better but it turns out they just repeat things from Level 2.

The weird thing is that I always do decent on shelf exams, though I study really hard for them & like 80% on all NBME's except Surgery. I didn't fail any of them and I also took the ER shelf our school makes us do and I did good on it a couple months ago.

Maybe my clinical knowledge is not so good. Idk. I know it'll be really hard during intern year to study since I don't get educational leave, I have rotations where vacation is not granted, I'll be expected to read more in depth on patients, really my program is not used to having people who are just recent graduates, so they have a culture of throwing people in there without any formal training (my first month is inpatient psych so I will be working during the weeks with weekend call). In my contract it states, that I am expected to take Step 3 by the end of year 1 and if I do not pass my end of year 2, I will be terminated.

For the first 2, I feel like I had ample time to study but not so much for this one. I honestly think the easiest think I wasted time by getting DIT. I'm not sure if I should get the master the boards and do kaplan videos? I honestly won't have much time during intern year.
Click to expand...
 
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ari202 said:
I'm an OMS 4 graduating in a couple of weeks.. going into Psychiatry this July at an ACGME program. I'm the only one in the batch of 10 who has not taken Step 3 since most of the people in the program are FMG's who have taken it before.

So I am obviously not a great test taker which can be evidenced by my low COMLEX 1 and 2 (470ish and 410ish)..I knew that I was going to have to take longer to study for this, so after interviews were over, I grabbed a subscription to COMBANK for Step 3 and did some questions randomly on my phone during rotations. After I finished my rotation 2 weeks ago (had done 20% randomly whenever in the car or whatever waiting), I did some more COMBANK stuff along with DIT for Step 3 (I used it for the first 2 and i found it was more effective than reading for me). I did about 40% of COMBANk in the past 2 weeks and have gotten 60% as a final score. I decided i'd take advantage of a quiet house today and just do a practice test (wasn't expecting to do great, but at least pass)...I got a 301! I have never failed any COMSAE before and I expected that with almost half of DIT done I would be doing a little better. I always used to get about 400 on the COMSAE's!

I was unacceptable in Peds, EM, and Osteopathic principles. I honestly know I need to brush up on those areas, but I don't know if I can read the entire MTB 3 book. Doing DIT is easier for me since I think have some type of ADHD that makes it hard for me to read a book from cover to cover...seriously, I like to google little things and details and never a damn book. the only think I ever finished was First Aid and Pathoma for step 1...I didn't even finish Step Up To Step 2 or the Saverese book.

I even bought COMQUEST for this test too because I thought it would be better but it turns out they just repeat things from Level 2.

The weird thing is that I always do decent on shelf exams, though I study really hard for them & like 80% on all NBME's except Surgery. I didn't fail any of them and I also took the ER shelf our school makes us do and I did good on it a couple months ago.

Maybe my clinical knowledge is not so good. Idk. I know it'll be really hard during intern year to study since I don't get educational leave, I have rotations where vacation is not granted, I'll be expected to read more in depth on patients, really my program is not used to having people who are just recent graduates, so they have a culture of throwing people in there without any formal training (my first month is inpatient psych so I will be working during the weeks with weekend call). In my contract it states, that I am expected to take Step 3 by the end of year 1 and if I do not pass my end of year 2, I will be terminated.

For the first 2, I feel like I had ample time to study but not so much for this one. I honestly think the easiest think I wasted time by getting DIT. I'm not sure if I should get the master the boards and do kaplan videos? I honestly won't have much time during intern year.
Click to expand...

I'm not a good taker either, although I do decent on all of my pre-test evaluations e.g. COMSAE. I would say focus on reviewing some of your weak areas but focus on GI, Peds, Ob/Gyn, EM and review OMM. Try not to just google facts because that predisposes you to have holes in your knowledge base. Really know management for level 3 (level 2 was more diagnostic; I think this difference is why COMQUEST may seem a little eh; however, I think either banks are fine to see where you might be weak). There's also audio e.g. cardiac sounds, and some visual examples like the previous levels. Take the time to review but give yourself enough time to retake if necessary. I know most people probably pass (>350) their first time around, but some don't; so you kind of have to know yourself to determine where you'd be better off, rushing vs. taking the time. If you have time focusing, then study in small portions/blocks; just make sure to hit the topics; and do questions in between in a manner to understand the disease and management rather than memorizing their little facts. Wishing you all the best. Good luck.
 
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Does anyone have any idea if we can see answers to the COMSAE?

Kind of blow, that we have so few resources to actually assess our knowledge and ability to pass test. Just one COMSAE this time. ugh
 
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I took Level 3 at the end of March- typical 8 section stuff, no new sections. The score release window is now open for those tests, but still no score..... seriously, 1.5 months later.... some of us need to get our medical license/DEA stuff and this is a serious holdup- would have taken it sooner had I known it would take THIS long :(
 
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Hoping maybe today will be the day for score release. Wish I would have looked at the dates and score release windows a bit more closely so I didn't choose the longest test block and wait time for scores.
 
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danaling12 said:
Hoping maybe today will be the day for score release. Wish I would have looked at the dates and score release windows a bit more closely so I didn't choose the longest test block and wait time for scores.
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Yup, me too.

Although this super-long test block apparently exists because they are 'recentering' the level 3 pass threshold, which they do every 3 years iirc. Knowing the NBOME, I'm hoping this means a whole bunch of us don't get screwed.
 
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Passed, what a relief. So glad that test is done. Glad the merger is happening now. One day there can be an exam that actually tests medical knowledge. That test was such a **** show and not indicative of what an intern and even a second year (when I took it) should know. NBOME is pathetic. Glad that I never have to deal with these tests again
 
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Passed! Highest score I have received on the COMLEX. Very happy, and slightly in disbelief. Good luck to everyone else.
 
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Holy crap...I not only passed but RIPPED it with a score of 896.

I guess the less OMM I study, the better I do.

Buh-bye NBOME!

Buh-bye 'sidebent left, rotated right'
Buh-bye sacral (despite the above score, that stuff NEVER made sense to me, and I'm convinced it's because it doesn't make sense period)
Buh-bye cranial. What nonsense.
Buh-bye Savarese.

Feels good!
 
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dozitgetchahi said:
Holy crap...I not only passed but RIPPED it with a score of 896.

I guess the less OMM I study, the better I do.

Buh-bye NBOME!

Buh-bye 'sidebent left, rotated right'
Buh-bye sacral (despite the above score, that stuff NEVER made sense to me, and I'm convinced it's because it doesn't make sense period)
Buh-bye cranial. What nonsense.
Buh-bye Savarese.

Feels good!
Click to expand...
Congrats to everybody passing or blowing the test out of the water! To that 896 and those high scorers, what resources did you guys use? I saw comquest only for one post.
 
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Hey you guys, what percentage on COMQUEST do you guys think equates to a passing score on this one?
 
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dozitgetchahi said:
Holy crap...I not only passed but RIPPED it with a score of 896.

I guess the less OMM I study, the better I do.

Buh-bye NBOME!

Buh-bye 'sidebent left, rotated right'
Buh-bye sacral (despite the above score, that stuff NEVER made sense to me, and I'm convinced it's because it doesn't make sense period)
Buh-bye cranial. What nonsense.
Buh-bye Savarese.

Feels good!
Click to expand...

Did COMBANK with final avg of 74.6% (big upward trend...by the end I was averaging 80%+ per block). Read most of Boards and Wards and supplemented with some Step II Secrets.

Didn't expect this score and agree that the COMLEX scoring feels like a random number generator. Didn't have a lot of time to study, and there was a lot of cramming. Happy with the result but I don't feel like the effort correlated.
 
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Passed 769 very happy to have this exam be over.

Studied on and off about a month. Did UWorld slowly avg 67% then did about 50% comquest averaging a little over 80%. Read Master the boards step3 once and savarese once. Good luck to all future test takers and good bye COMLEX
 
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MSUSpartan642 said:
I was somewhere around a 65% and just got a 580. Only used comquest and the green book.
Click to expand...

Ok, that makes me feel good. I struggle with COMLEX exams, but I have been doing ok so far. The COMQUEST banks is so small. The thing is I did about 20% kind of randomly throughout 4th year, and 70% of it I did in the past month or so. I'm thinking about resetting it and doing it all over again.
 
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Would you guys say for OMM, do I need to review techniques on treatment like sacral/cranial lumbar on side HVLA stuff? I hate the hand posiitoning type questions. Do you recommend the questions at the back of the green book?
 
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serimeri said:
Would you guys say for OMM, do I need to review techniques on treatment like sacral/cranial lumbar on side HVLA stuff? I hate the hand posiitoning type questions. Do you recommend the questions at the back of the green book?
Click to expand...

From talking to my colleagues, it's pretty variable. My test had a lot of sympathetic levels and counterstrain. Another person had sacral and cranial. I heard HVLA set-up and thrust direction usually is pretty high yield though (sorry). However, I was told that overall OMM isn't worth as much as other items on the test. So...study till your comfortable? If anything, to relieve some anxiety.
 
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HopingFM said:
From talking to my colleagues, it's pretty variable. My test had a lot of sympathetic levels and counterstrain. Another person had sacral and cranial. I heard HVLA set-up and thrust direction usually is pretty high yield though (sorry). However, I was told that overall OMM isn't worth as much as other items on the test. So...study till your comfortable? If anything, to relieve some anxiety.
Click to expand...

Ok that's good. Thanks for the heads up. I think my comfort level with OMM will never be great but its a sure relief to hear that its not the majority of the test.
 
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serimeri said:
Would you guys say for OMM, do I need to review techniques on treatment like sacral/cranial lumbar on side HVLA stuff? I hate the hand posiitoning type questions. Do you recommend the questions at the back of the green book?
Click to expand...
My exam was heavy on viscerosomatic levels and sympathetic levels like the above post. Less Chapman's points than on the previous steps. Surprisingly little cranial. There were a few questions on setting up a treatment, like how to do lumbar or sacral HVLA, etc. But viscerosomatics seemed like the majority of the OMM questions for me.
 
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Hey everyone- I'm going to be an intern next month and wanted to get this dumb exam out of the way- took a comsae today(got asked typical Bs questions..like what walker to give Parkinson's patients) for it and got rocked..got a 250..don't know if I should study my tail off and take it end of June or take it later on intern year- personally I'm really bad at studying for stuff while on wards and I just want to pass this damn exam and get it over with. I did fine on comlex 1 and 2(519, 517) but this exam is scaring me with my comsae score..any advice is appreciated
 
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dietcoke91 said:
Hey everyone- I'm going to be an intern next month and wanted to get this dumb exam out of the way- took a comsae today(got asked typical Bs questions..like what walker to give Parkinson's patients) for it and got rocked..got a 250..don't know if I should study my tail off and take it end of June or take it later on intern year- personally I'm really bad at studying for stuff while on wards and I just want to pass this damn exam and get it over with. I did fine on comlex 1 and 2(519, 517) but this exam is scaring me with my comsae score..any advice is appreciated
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Did you study for 1 and 2? Personal advice, don't underestimate 3 just because the cut-off is 350 (and changing from what I've heard); people have failed before (check the threads). Look at your intern schedule and see when would be a good time to take the test and take the time to review, and hit it hard on a lighter rotation; keep in mind just rushing the test while trying to adjust to demands of an intern isn't the easiest. That being said, most people do pass it the first time around, but usually some prep is put into it. Good luck.
 
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Usually my studying for step 1 and 2 consisted of the following: 1. Take comsae 2. Do horrible on comsae 3. Panic and start studying like crazy..I've never done well on a comsae for 1, 2 or 3...
 
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Taking it on Saturday. does anyone have any last minute advice. Didn't do soo hot on the 50 questions that were for free. But got 80% on COMQUEST 2nd time...75% first time.
 
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thecardiodoc said:
Just complete COMQUEST and you should be ok
Click to expand...

I did COMQUEST 2X and I did not feel that I could have been prepared for some of those questions. They aren't even in the review books, literaly felt like I would have been better served reading some type of FP book for wound management for some questions.
 
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celtic7 said:
Done! The hardest part was definitely the clinical cases. Just kidding, that section hasn't made its way onto the COMLEX yet. The test is definitely heavy in peds/OB/GI/nephro. I walked out feeling pretty much the same as everyone above....not so great. They ask some questions in the strangest ways, which makes answering them pretty difficult. I studied 1.5-3 hours per day depending on when my days were over, and did this for 4 weeks. MTB 3 once, Savarese once, and COMQUEST twice. Not too sure how much any of that helped which is the harder part to accept. Many of the questions I felt relied on my gut instinct, and some things I hadn't visited since level 1. Overall, more difficult than I had hoped. Here's to passing!
Click to expand...

Felt like crap walking out but got a 697. Go figure. So happy to be done with COMLEX! My first go of Comquest was 67% by the way. Good luck for everyone still to take it. Hope my advice can help.
 
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Felt worse walking of out comlex 3 compared to first two exams. Read MTB3 skipping oncology and second half of GI. Also read all of green book once. Did 300 questions in comquest averaging 70%. Got 720s.
 
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Gither said:
Felt worse walking of out comlex 3 compared to first two exams. Read MTB3 skipping oncology and second half of GI. Also read all of green book once. Did 300 questions in comquest averaging 70%. Got 720s.
Click to expand...

I'm confused. you got 720's on your previous exams or on COMLEX 3?
 
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