Days and Activities Between USMLE and COMLEX

[TheSeanieB]

How many days do I need and what do you recommend I do after taking the USMLE to prepare for the COMLEX? I am not planning to touch anything osteopathic until after the USMLE. I am studying out of FA, Pathoma, a little Kaplan, USMLERx, and UWorld for the USMLE.

Would 9 days, Savarese's OMT review, and Comquest be an good/optimal combination?

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[sylvanthus]

How many days do I need and what do you recommend I do after taking the USMLE to prepare for the COMLEX? I am not planning to touch anything osteopathic until after the USMLE. I am studying out of FA, Pathoma, a little Kaplan, USMLERx, and UWorld for the USMLE.

Would 9 days, Savarese's OMT review, and Comquest be an good/optimal combination?

Too long 2-3 days is plenty.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Haven't taken my test yet so take what I say with a grain of salt...

I originally was going to take my USMLE on the 23rd and COMLEX on 28th of this month. Due to rotation issues I'm now taking my USMLE on June 10th. After I changed my USMLE I picked up Saverese and in a little over 1 day of studying I went through the book and did the first set of questions and honestly as far as OMM is concerned I feel ready for that portion of the test

 

[Charlie Hustle]

I haven't taken my exams yet either, but I'll have 3 days in between my USMLE and my COMLEX. I'll probably spend a day going through Savarese, a day brushing up on micro/repro, and then a day to just chill before the exam. If you have any additional questions about this, I'd recommend PMing MrBeauregard. IIRC, he pulled a 250+ on USMLE and a 700+ on COMLEX, and he's always been very helpful and insightful with any questions I've directed towards him about taking both exams.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Sylvanthus did the same. Also kept me from going to his school

 

[SLC]

Am I the only one that's taking COMLEX first?

I want that pile of crap out of the way so I can shine up my skills for the USMLE after I've had a taste of what it's like to take a real board exam.

 

[primadonna22274]

Nope, I'm doing the same. COMLEX on May 21, a nice girls getaway with my best friend for a few days, then a little brush-up and USMLE on May 29.
I HAD TO get COMLEX done before June and was on the fence about the USMLE until about 6 wk ago. The only slots available to me were after the COMLEX and honestly I think it will be better for me this way.

 

[SLC]

Nope, I'm doing the same. COMLEX on May 21, a nice girls getaway with my best friend for a few days, then a little brush-up and USMLE on May 29.
I HAD TO get COMLEX done before June and was on the fence about the USMLE until about 6 wk ago. The only slots available to me were after the COMLEX and honestly I think it will be better for me this way.

Yeah, I was similar. I originally set up COMLEX for the 28th of May, and slacked off getting all the paperwork for the USMLE submitted (was going to take it the whole time though).

When I finally got my act together and got clearance to sign up for the USMLE I decided to move the COMLEX a little closer to when I'd be able to take that. So I'm now taking the COMLEX on the 4th of June, and USMLE on the 11th.

 

[primadonna22274]

Good luck to all of us!!

 

[SLC]

Good luck to all of us!!

Indeed, I know I'll need it

 

[Charlie Hustle]

Sylvanthus did the same. Also kept me from going to his school

He's a boss. Been very helpful to me as well.

 

[painmd87]

I've got a week between. Well, sort of. I took USMLE today, I have our "mock board" tomorrow, and I'm not going to study anything the day before COMLEX. So that's 4 days to read Savarese and do COMQUEST/COMBANK questions to get into the mindset of COMLEX questions...

I was preparing exclusively for USMLE, and I thought the NBME shelf exam we took last week was wayyyy easier than COMSAE C (and I scored wayyyy higher on NBME). The biggest thing I've got to do before next Wednesday is just get into a different mindset for the questions. The material is mostly the same, but the question styles are very different.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

I've got a week between. Well, sort of. I took USMLE today, I have our "mock board" tomorrow, and I'm not going to study anything the day before COMLEX. So that's 4 days to read Savarese and do COMQUEST/COMBANK questions to get into the mindset of COMLEX questions...

I was preparing exclusively for USMLE, and I thought the NBME shelf exam we took last week was wayyyy easier than COMSAE C (and I scored wayyyy higher on NBME). The biggest thing I've got to do before next Wednesday is just get into a different mindset for the questions. The material is mostly the same, but the question styles are very different.

Could you elaborate on this?

One of the main reasons I'm taking both exams is because I've been told that the question style on COMLEX is so vague and convoluted that it's difficult to discern exactly what information they want from you. Would you agree with this, or is there something else that makes the COMLEX-style questions different?

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Could you elaborate on this?

One of the main reasons I'm taking both exams is because I've been told that the question style on COMLEX is so vague and convoluted that it's difficult to discern exactly what information they want from you. Would you agree with this, or is there something else that makes the COMLEX-style questions different?

Have you taken a COMSAE? They are supposed to be very similar to COMLEX style questions.
I personally found COMSAE A much easier than the NBME our school gave, but I'm pretty horribad at biochem.

 

[painmd87]

Could you elaborate on this?

One of the main reasons I'm taking both exams is because I've been told that the question style on COMLEX is so vague and convoluted that it's difficult to discern exactly what information they want from you. Would you agree with this, or is there something else that makes the COMLEX-style questions different?

Have you taken a COMSAE? They are supposed to be very similar to COMLEX style questions.
I personally found COMSAE A much easier than the NBME our school gave, but I'm pretty horribad at biochem.

The questions on the NBME shelf exams and CBSSAs were very similar to the USMLE in terms of style and wording. I've taken COMSAE A and C, and the language is just different. I took A before I started studying, and C later; C was harder for me at the time because I was preparing for USMLE at that time, since I took that first.

On the NBME exams, you read the stem and can probably figure out an answer (it never feels like they're being tricky). On the COMSAE, you read the stem, and can probably narrow it down to 2 choices because the wording is somewhat vague (or you feel like they're trying to trick you); once you get it down to two, you just hope that both aren't in the answer choices.

COMSAE A was absurdly easy. COMSAE C was quite a bit more difficult. I'll let you know about COMLEX next week, but if it's anything like the COMSAEs, there is a definite difference in question style. I highly recommend taking a COMSAE to experience it.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

Have you taken a COMSAE? They are supposed to be very similar to COMLEX style questions.
I personally found COMSAE A much easier than the NBME our school gave, but I'm pretty horribad at biochem.

No, not yet. My school is giving us one (no clue which form) in a couple of weeks, and that will be the first time I've really done any COMLEX-style questions. They gave us access to Kaplan Qbank and some crappy Kaplan COMLEX question bank, but I never touched the latter after my first question block (the questions were extremely elementary - I scored in the 80's on my first block before I even really began studying). I've essentially been studying 100% for the USMLE up to this point.

 

[SLC]

No, not yet. My school is giving us one (no clue which form) in a couple of weeks, and that will be the first time I've really done any COMLEX-style questions. They gave us access to Kaplan Qbank and some crappy Kaplan COMLEX question bank, but I never touched the latter after my first question block (the questions were extremely elementary - I scored in the 80's on my first block before I even really began studying). I've essentially been studying 100% for the USMLE up to this point.

I find COMLEX style questions to be a lot more difficult. I can get USMLE questions correct at a much higher rate than COMLEX questions (just FYI, you'll probably want to look into that soon)

My school makes us take the COMSAE-C and get a certain score in order to maintain elligibility for COMLEX. It was no walk in the park for me...

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I'm fairly neck and neck with my USMLE vs COMLEX questions. I do my best not to overthink the questions when I'm taking a comlex style test and usually I try to answer the question before I've looked at the answers.

It does feel like Comlex is more of a test of "buzz words" and "distractors". Usually when I get an NBME question wrong it is due to lack of knowledge, the former I get wrong because I either overthought it or it's some absurd omm/anatomy question that the majority aren't going to get right anyway.

 

[SLC]

I'm fairly neck and neck with my USMLE vs COMLEX questions. I do my best not to overthink the questions when I'm taking a comlex style test and usually I try to answer the question before I've looked at the answers.

It does feel like Comlex is more of a test of "buzz words" and "distractors". Usually when I get an NBME question wrong it is due to lack of knowledge, the former I get wrong because I either overthought it or it's some absurd omm/anatomy question that the majority aren't going to get right anyway.

That's a good point. I do catch myself overthinking the questions on COMBANK. I should try and approach them differently, thanks for pointing that out because I am having a tough time deciding why I'm not where I want to be with COMBANK yet.

 

[primadonna22274]

What to do with the last-minute USMLE jitters? Exam in 13 days and feeling underprepared. UWORLD avg hovering at 61 which makes me nervous but still ~1500 questions remaining. I do learn from each mistake and have been studying the wrongs. My COMQUEST/COMBANK avgs are about 71. Was tempted to cancel earlier (can't really postpone) but I won't get a refund and don't want to waste that much money...but don't want a barely passing score either.

 

[SLC]

What to do with the last-minute USMLE jitters? Exam in 13 days and feeling underprepared. UWORLD avg hovering at 61 which makes me nervous but still ~1500 questions remaining. I do learn from each mistake and have been studying the wrongs. My COMQUEST/COMBANK avgs are about 71. Was tempted to cancel earlier (can't really postpone) but I won't get a refund and don't want to waste that much money...but don't want a barely passing score either.

Have you taken a COMSAE?

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

What to do with the last-minute USMLE jitters? Exam in 13 days and feeling underprepared. UWORLD avg hovering at 61 which makes me nervous but still ~1500 questions remaining. I do learn from each mistake and have been studying the wrongs. My COMQUEST/COMBANK avgs are about 71. Was tempted to cancel earlier (can't really postpone) but I won't get a refund and don't want to waste that much money...but don't want a barely passing score either.

Yeah I'd take an NBME and go from there. What are your current avgs in UWorld? If you're now getting 70s but were getting 50s that's not so bad

 

[primadonna22274]

Have you taken a COMSAE?

Yes, COMSAE C, did pretty well (583)...of course would like better.

 

[primadonna22274]

Yeah I'd take an NBME and go from there. What are your current avgs in UWorld? If you're now getting 70s but were getting 50s that's not so bad

Started at 50s in UWORLD, now about 61...have plenty more questions to go.
Is there a comfortable score in UWORLD where you know you'll be ok on the real thing? I guess it has shaken my confidence a bit.
I will certainly do an NBME or 3 before the real thing.

 

[SLC]

Started at 50s in UWORLD, now about 61...have plenty more questions to go.
Is there a comfortable score in UWORLD where you know you'll be ok on the real thing? I guess it has shaken my confidence a bit.
I will certainly do an NBME or 3 before the real thing.

Clinical advisor's predictor has a 61% on UWorld Qbank as correlating with a score around 225. Not sure how predictive that is. But UWorld is money, keep at those questions IMO. You can learn a lot from just taking them.

I took UWSA-1 when my average on the QBank was 58%, got a 211 predicted score then. Make of that what you will.

COMSAE-C is the one my school requires us to take and pass before the actual test. I've got to think it's somewhat predictive. They require us to get a 425 so I'm guessing if you got a 583 then you're probably good to go there (at least you'll pass without much trouble).

 

[primadonna22274]

SLC, you've made me feel a lot better. Thanks. I think I'm gonna buck up and just keep at the questions. My NBME basic science shelf last week predicted a 199 and I was really NOT comfortable with that. I don't want to just barely pass. I'm not expecting a 250 either, I would be pretty happy with a 225-230.
Thanks!

 

[SLC]

SLC, you've made me feel a lot better. Thanks. I think I'm gonna buck up and just keep at the questions. My NBME basic science shelf last week predicted a 199 and I was really NOT comfortable with that. I don't want to just barely pass. I'm not expecting a 250 either, I would be pretty happy with a 225-230.
Thanks!

No prob! And best of luck.

Are you going to get a chance to come out to Western Oregon before rotations start? We've been having pretty good weather for a couple weeks now!

 

[primadonna22274]

No prob! And best of luck.

Are you going to get a chance to come out to Western Oregon before rotations start? We've been having pretty good weather for a couple weeks now!

I was just there first week of May! Got to visit my baby sister and her new baby boy in Washington. Drove down to Portland/McMinnville/Salem and back to Puyallup all in the same day. It was perfect weather...I hadn't been home to the NW in spring for 6 years...too bad I didn't have time to hit the coast, but we did spend a day on Puget Sound. So gorgeous.

 

[issey]

Does anyone know if

"health promotion & disease prevention", "management", and "OMM" are related subjects? because I got hammered in each of them. Someone told me that OMM and management might be related as per the NBOME website.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[primadonna22274]

Does anyone know if

"health promotion & disease prevention", "management", and "OMM" are related subjects? because I got hammered in each of them. Someone told me that OMM and management might be related as per the NBOME website.

Any help would be appreciated.

Very much doubt it cuz my OMM score was great...HPM not so much.

 

[issey]

What do you feel was the best preparation for the OMM section? Did you happen to do the questions in the back of the green book? I just did the questions at the end of the respective chapters and found they were too straight forward...really bummed about my OMM score

 

[primadonna22274]

What do you feel was the best preparation for the OMM section? Did you happen to do the questions in the back of the green book? I just did the questions at the end of the respective chapters and found they were too straight forward...really bummed about my OMM score

Caveat: haven't taken COMLEX yet--scheduled in 4 days (yikes!)
But I have gone through Savarese at least 3 times, have taken 1/3 of the exam questions in that book and done ALL of the OMM questions in COMQUEST and COMBANK twice. OPP is a tough subject for me and I didn't want to lose points unnecessarily. I actually do feel like the qbanks have helped quite a lot particularly when I saw my OMM score on COMSAE C was in the "excellent" group.
Good luck!

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

What do you feel was the best preparation for the OMM section? Did you happen to do the questions in the back of the green book? I just did the questions at the end of the respective chapters and found they were too straight forward...really bummed about my OMM score

I read through the whole thing and then did Exam A before taking comsae a (pretty much all the omm studying I did) and got below excellent but above borderline w/e that box is. I'm a little over a week out and plan to do green book again followed by exam b and OMM questions outta the banks.

Going to do my second pass of green book a day or two outside of my test window, for w/e reason OMM is pretty much a brain dump subject for me, so I need it to be fresh.

 

[primadonna22274]

for w/e reason OMM is pretty much a brain dump subject for me, so I need it to be fresh.

It's the scientist in you. You naturally rebel against OMM

 

[issey]

Caveat: haven't taken COMLEX yet--scheduled in 4 days (yikes!)
But I have gone through Savarese at least 3 times, have taken 1/3 of the exam questions in that book and done ALL of the OMM questions in COMQUEST and COMBANK twice. OPP is a tough subject for me and I didn't want to lose points unnecessarily. I actually do feel like the qbanks have helped quite a lot particularly when I saw my OMM score on COMSAE C was in the "excellent" group.
Good luck!

Thanks! Will follow your plan! The questions in the back of the OMM book are like the Uworld of OMM i keed i keed lol

 

[issey]

I read through the whole thing and then did Exam A before taking comsae a (pretty much all the omm studying I did) and got below excellent but above borderline w/e that box is. I'm a little over a week out and plan to do green book again followed by exam b and OMM questions outta the banks.

Going to do my second pass of green book a day or two outside of my test window, for w/e reason OMM is pretty much a brain dump subject for me, so I need it to be fresh.

Thank you Good Doctor

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

It's the scientist in you. You naturally rebel against OMM

Clearly not the case or I wouldn't have the same problem with Biochem

 

[primadonna22274]

Clearly not the case or I wouldn't have the same problem with Biochem

That's my bugaboo too. All those damn enzymes and reactions spin around in my head....

 

[SLC]

Clearly not the case or I wouldn't have the same problem with Biochem

That's my bugaboo too. All those damn enzymes and reactions spin around in my head....

The only thing that keeps me going is the hope that it's everyone's "bugaboo". And based on the feedback from my Qbanks that seems to be the case.

 

[issey]

theoretically how many days before your test day should one take their last comsae? ...so you can fix your weakness

 

[primadonna22274]

On my way to take COMLEX! Wish me luck!!

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

On my way to take COMLEX! Wish me luck!!

Good luck!

 

[studbud]

Does anyone know where I can get a solid question bank for just OMM questions? I have done the COMQUEST and Savarese Questions and I don't feel like purchasing all of COMBANK for just the OMM questions.

Thanks!

 

[studbud]

Oh and good luck primadonna!

 

[primadonna22274]

This is a bit harder than I thought!!

 

[SLC]

This is a bit harder than I thought!!

Don't let it get you off your game...

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

This is a bit harder than I thought!!

I'm sure that's what everyone is thinking

 

[primadonna22274]

I'm sure that's what everyone is thinking

All done...some blocks were harder than others. Either my last block was super-easy or I just didn't care anymore.
I feel like I did well...4-6 weeks for results!!
Now enjoying a well-deserved fancy draft and a swanky sandwich at Melt.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

All done...some blocks were harder than others. Either my last block was super-easy or I just didn't care anymore.
I feel like I did well...4-6 weeks for results!!
Now enjoying a well-deserved fancy draft and a swanky sandwich at Melt.

Good lord, 4-6weeks? Yet another thing that makes me want to punch anything related to the AOA in the face

 

[primadonna22274]

Good lord, 4-6weeks? Yet another thing that makes me want to punch anything related to the AOA in the face

Well technically NBOME but yeah.