COMLEX PE- pre-exam freak out post

[missDO2018]

I hope you all are having an awesome summer!
I am very scared of failing this exam! I am preparing for it for about 10 days by the time I take it. My friend and I are going through First aid cases and hoping to do 22 each by the end. we both have problem finishing our notes since we are very slow at typing. we sometimes don't get to complete PMH, PSH, SH, FH or VS. I am so worried that the note will fail both of us. We also get flustered a bit during history taking specially when our DDX is different from first aid.
How was your experience? anyone who had difficulty with the notes and passed? any other tips is welcomed as well!

Thank you all in advance!!

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[grapefruit17]

I used Fa more for the obscure cases and mainly did Kauffman and the videos. Those are your best bet, following his system imo. I honestly thought I failed after because I practiced so hard for it that I knew my mistakes. It's a scary test but as long as you take it seriously chances are you'll pass. I wouldn't read too much on sdn about it, it will just freak you out more.

Practice timing on soap notes. Prob half my soap notes has one missing section like vitals

 

[SurgeDO]

I didn't study at all for it. I watched the video about the format of it the night before the exam. Many of my classmates did the same. Everyone did fine.

Just relax. Be kind to the patient. Make eye contact. Ask them if they have any questions. You'll be fine.

 

[hallowmann]

10 days and 22 cases should make you more than prepared. You need to work on your SOAP note documentation. They aren't looking for novels, just the basics and the pertinents. Your HPI should be like 3 sentences where you describe chief complaint/duration/progression/intensity, exacerbating/remitting, pertinent positives and negatives.

It's more important for you to hit everything clearly as opposed to doing so in perfectly constructed sentences and detail. Even if you miss some of those on a couple SOAPs its not a big deal. Plus, you'll probably get a couple cases where you finish early and have extra time on the SOAP.

As for the ddx, as long as what you're writing makes sense and fits with your plan, it doesn't matter that its different. Obviously you should be hitting 1 or 2 of the obvious ones and sgould have at least 3. Just go through MOTHRR if you're really not sure for the plan.

Don't worry. Most people do fine. Just make sure your timing is good and you review enough of the social stuff for the humanistic domain (smoking cessation counseling, reassuring patients, etc.).

 

[DocWinter]

I did not find the books helpful for this. Look up some videos on youtube and watch the pros do it, and try and imitate them. Do NOT get too hung up on the little things such as trying to know every single diagnosis with plan and treatment to the letter. Odds are that after a year of being on the wards you'll have the knowledge bank to pass this.

To your concern of slow typing, try to get the Assessment and Plan done 1st, . Then hit S/O in whatever order. I suppose only practice with a keyboard and systematic note taking can help you with speed. Get your acronyms down (OPPQRST, FED TACOS, MOTHERR or whatever you like) to help you be organized and therefore confident when you walk in the room.


Beat the humanistic crap out of this exam with good gowning/draping, smiles, handshakes, sense of confidence, being attentive to patient concerns and anything that makes this a solid human interaction, and you will have success.

 

[grapefruit17]

theres def a thousand ways to approach this test, but chances are no matter what your approach is, you'll pass. As long as you have the right personality when dealing with sps I think you'll be ok.

Still no matter how you approach it, I reccomend taking it seriously and putting in effort to make sure you have a game plan going in. With 1500 on the line I had zero intent of having to do it again

 

[W19]

I have seen people mention the name Kauffman in multiple threads for CS/PE, where can I get it?

I am having issue with the notes also because of typing speed (~30 wpm)...

 

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I have seen people mention the name Kauffman in multiple threads for CS/PE, where can I get it?

I am having issue with the notes also because of typing speed (~30 wpm)...

COMBANK.

I only used the PE videos (didn't watch all of them, just the important ones on format, helpful organizational mnemonics, and videos on topics I hadn't been exposed to in a while) and did fine. I didn't even study OMM very much but reviewed enough to feel comfortable with basic stuff since I haven't used it since M2 year. Sure, there were a few cases where I didn't have enough time to finish the note. I do recommend focusing on A/P as soon as you get to the computer. More than likely you've just spent a good amount of the remaining time in the encounter discussing the A/P, so this will be fresh in your mind. The rest is just glancing at your notes and typing quickly. The O is easy and quick if you familiarize yourself with approved abbreviations. S contains a lot of information so be organized and thorough but don't make a narrative of it. Once you're done with a case, no matter how poorly you thought it went, take a deep breath and do your best to forget about it, then focus on the next case. Smile, show concern when indicated, be kind and maintain professionalism. Same stuff you've been doing, just in a more time-sensitive format. Very important- do NOT, under any circumstance, lie on your note. If you didn't ask it, don't write it. That should go without saying, but it's worth the reminder.

Most importantly: Get a good night's sleep before the exam. Relax! You'll do fine.

 

[ortnakas]

I have seen people mention the name Kauffman in multiple threads for CS/PE, where can I get it?

I am having issue with the notes also because of typing speed (~30 wpm)...

It's more specific to the PE. As a MD student I wouldn't bother with it. But if you're really interested, it pops up first if you search "Kauffman COMLEX" on Amazon.

 

[starri]

I thought the ComBank videos were overkill. I guess it might help to get the format down, but I got more out of the JBReview red book and just practicing with my friends.

And FM and EM rotations, for that matter.

 

[grapefruit17]

I recommend both the videos and review book. Because the pain cases are easy and you don't have to waste too much time on them. Better to look at the counseling cases/random cases to get an idea what they want

I know people don't study hard for this test, but its a incredibly expensive test that is high stakes. No matter how easy it appears I wouldn't blow it off.

But don't stress over it, most pass.

 

[missDO2018]

Thank you all for great tips. so I practiced 22 cases with a partner and went over few cases in Kauffman. I took the exam and felt like bombing it so bad !! I felt relaxed but rushed if that makes sense.
A friend of mine is freaking out over accidentally recording a physical finding that I didn't do for two cases. He realized it when he was writing it for the third case!! what do you guys think about that.
I really don't wish fail on this exam on my enemy!! it was brutal and useless ! if I fail 3 years of medical school will go down the drain. it is vert frustrating to wait for so long too.

 

[starri]

A friend of mine is freaking out over accidentally recording a physical finding that I didn't do for two cases. He realized it when he was writing it for the third case!! what do you guys think about that.

I think doing it once or twice is okay. It may flag them to look more closely at all the cases, but as long as you didn't do it on every patient, you'll probably be fine.

 

[floridaorbust]

Thank you all for great tips. so I practiced 22 cases with a partner and went over few cases in Kauffman. I took the exam and felt like bombing it so bad !! I felt relaxed but rushed if that makes sense.
A friend of mine is freaking out over accidentally recording a physical finding that I didn't do for two cases. He realized it when he was writing it for the third case!! what do you guys think about that.
I really don't wish fail on this exam on my enemy!! it was brutal and useless ! if I fail 3 years of medical school will go down the drain. it is vert frustrating to wait for so long too.

Try not to worry too much. I thought I bombed mine as well. My 2nd case I was supposed to give the patient test results but didn't see the results because I was rushing to go in the room. I kept telling them "IF you're test is positive..." And I ran out of time on notes twice.. still passed! You'll be fine.