Comlex Vs. Mcat...?

[ZashJMJ]

CONGRATS ON COMPLETING THE COMLEX.

IM STARTING MEDICAL SCHOOL THIS FALL.

I'VE HEARD THAT THE WAY ONE PERFORMS ON THE MCAT CAN DETERMINE HOW ONE WILL DO ON THE COMLEX.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE COMLEX, WHAT DO YOU THINK BOUT THIS?

THANKS

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[cookypuss3]

We'll let you know once we get our COMLEX scores back...

 

[oceandocDO]

I think that may be some urban legend. It may dictate your history of study habits, which, in turn, may predict how you MAY do on the COMLEX. I say "may" because, having just took it, I dont really feel like I was rewarded much for studying hard for 6 weeks. It was a strange test. The MCAT is alot about your ability to concentrate in a pressured environment and think. You can learn all the science you need to know for the mcat in 3 months. It's pretty basic stuff, 80% of it you never need in medical school anyway. The COMLEX on the other hand is basically a test of rote memorization of facts acquired over the course of 2 years. Very little theory involved. FWIW, the people I've talked to over the past week that have taken both the USMLE and the COMLEX this spring said the USMLE was the easier test. It was more straightforward and involved less detailed clinical knowledge for second year medical students, who havent had much clinical experience yet. Plus, the USMLE is less a test of stamina and more a test of knowledge. The last 50 questions on the COMLEX were a blur to me. 15+ hours and 750 questions later, I was shot. Luckily, I was told the NBOME, the folks that make the COMLEX, are developing a 1-day computerized test that will be half as long, similar in length to the USMLE. It's supposedly due out in 2005 or so.

 

[apgar7]

The focus of MCAT is more towards how fast and how well can you read. The focus of COMLEX/USMLE is how many facts can you memorize or retain. From that perspective, those are two very different kinds of tests. Also, I think MCAT is more of a test of short term memory while COMLEX/USMLE tests long term (or maybe more like medium-term) memory. Like, the MCAT requires you to remember that small little fact from a paragraph you just read, because if you forgot exactly what the fact is, then you have to eat up time trying to re-find it and re-read it, and consequently your score suffers. The COMLEX/USMLE requires you to remember small little facts you may have studies days or weeks ago, and if you forgot them, then you gotta eenie-meenie-minnie-moe.