Official 2013 COMLEX 1

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I guess it's never too early to start this thread. Anyone who took it feel free to share your experience!
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Are you just taking the COMLEX? I have friends who have signed up to take both the USMLE and the COMLEX this summer now saying they are not taking the USMLE although they have already paid for it b/c of the combined match for 2015? Will COMLEX scores suffice for both ACGME match and AOA match in that case? Does this sound risky if you want to apply for residencies in both? What are the pros and cons for doing this?
 
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thats a good question. Im assuming if the merger does happen, then technically all programs will have to accept the COMLEX. That dosn't mean the programs directors will not have a bias towards the COMLEX. I guess were gambling on this one.
 
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Sunny Side Up said:
Are you just taking the COMLEX? I have friends who have signed up to take both the USMLE and the COMLEX this summer now saying they are not taking the USMLE although they have already paid for it b/c of the combined match for 2015? Will COMLEX scores suffice for both ACGME match and AOA match in that case? Does this sound risky if you want to apply for residencies in both? What are the pros and cons for doing this?
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Take the USMLE,the 2015 combined match is not set in stone, even remotely. There is talk about delaying it maybe as far out as 2018. Even IF the combined match happens in 2015, MD programs do not generally know how to interpret the COMLEX. They were asking me if a >700 was good for crying out loud.

If you can do well, it will only help to take the USMLE.
 
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Sunny Side Up said:
Are you just taking the COMLEX? I have friends who have signed up to take both the USMLE and the COMLEX this summer now saying they are not taking the USMLE although they have already paid for it b/c of the combined match for 2015? Will COMLEX scores suffice for both ACGME match and AOA match in that case? Does this sound risky if you want to apply for residencies in both? What are the pros and cons for doing this?
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Unless your friends weren't scoring well on NBMEs they should really take the USMLE if they are planning on an MD residency that is at all competitive. Just my opinion, but I feel chance of the combined match actually happen in 2015 is pretty small.
 
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Yes I have heard from my DO friends that the 2015 combined match is definitely very much up in the air right now. Could be pushed back a few years due to various reasons.
 
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NYITCOM here! I took an NBME about 4 weeks ago and hit a 530/228 on it.. Took world assessment last week and hit 620/247. COMSAE next week..Crossing my fingers to break 600 on it with like 30 days left but I suck at OMM so Im not sure. World average over all is 65 but I only did about 50 percent of it. It was getting very redundant for me and I wasnt improving my weaknesses at ALL from just the explanations so Ive decided to take an unconventional route and work on my weaknesses. Last 8 blocks or so on world ranged from low to mid 70's to low 80s with one 54 that crept in out of now where.

Ive pretty much just been doing kaplan videos/kaplan qbank about half done/uworld about half done up until this point. I still have to get through first aid and OMM so Im banking on a further improvement. My goal is to break 700 on the real thing. Ive been studying since January 7th, and March was my best month.

I cant believe we have the damn OSCE next week. How many schools still have school now? Are we the last ones left? INSANE!! Definitely going to throw me off my grind.

I was a pretty average student but started before most of the class with boards so Im hoping I can make up for it all on the exam. Comlex banks Im in the 80s with 8 blocks done but mainly getting the OMM stuff wrong. Definitely have to read that green book..Ugh..
 
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A lot of people are confused by the "deadlines" set for the ACGME/AOA match. I can assure you that the combined match will not happen in 2015. The 2015 deadline was set by the ACGME/AOA to come up with a general proposal . This proposal will be drafted several times between now and then. You also have to remember that it must be accepted by both sides, thus it will likely be several years after 2015 before the two can agree and subsequently vote on the proposed bill. The 2015 deadline was meant to be a "deadline" with regards to coming up with a proposal to accommodate both sides. If both sides can agree then the combined match will follow probably several years after.
 
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umm..Im not really sure about your assurance. I have a mentor on the inside and the combined match for March 2015 and grandfathering in of programs to ACGME "provisional" status for 3 years are pretty set in stone. The only things still up for discussion are the osteopathic equivalencies for MDs to be able to enter DO residencies. There is supposed to be a pretty big announcement in August but Im pretty sure all of this has been going on behind closed doors for YEARS and based on info. Ive received (which may be wrong), Im confident that this will go through. 2015 is far enough away that they can iron out these details.

Now here is cause for concern. The most recent proposal of an online OMT course to be taken by MDs from what I understand has been shot down and this was causing quite the uproar considering how many extra hours DO students put in for OMT. I agree with this. I actually also agree that MD students shouldnt be able to just take a qualifying exam with no formal hands on training because theory means nothing when it comes to OMT.

Im all for the integration to tell you the truth. In my eyes, may the best candidate win. I wouldnt be so hopeful that all this is NOT going to go down though. I will not be surprised at all if the OMT equivalency is announced this summer. I know MANY MD students that are waiting to JUMP on the opportunity to take it to apply to competitive former DO only hospitals/programs in specialties like Ortho and Uro.

As far as the combined match goes, Im pretty sure that is a go. As far as MDs being able to apply to DO residencies, I think that is whats in the air.
 
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Help...I'm feeling ok about COMLEX with a COMSAE C of 583 few days ago and both COMBANK & COMQUEST in the low 70s with 1500+ questions remaining and 10 days before my exam.
I am shooting for a 650+ on the real thing.
I'm more anxious about my USMLE on May 29...I've only just gotten into the first 150 q's or so on UWORLD but my scores are much worse...I think about 60. I do learn from the mistakes but they are so much more difficult and now I have a bit of a complex worrying that I won't do well. Justified fear or...???
Thanks :)
 
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Hey, I think you are doing pretty similarly to how Im doing and you have nothing to worry about. From the tons of high performers Ive talked to on the test, comlex is CERTAINLY tougher than COMBANK because while combank usually tests 1st or 2nd order, more of the comlex questions are 3rd order, the usmle is probably more so. Id say its somewhere in between combank and usmleworld. Ive been told to add the number zero to your usmle world average of timed/random blocks and you should approximately hit your comlex grade.

I havent started comquest yet. Can you give me some input on how it compares to combank? Ive been told the questions are a bit easier than combank.

If you are consistently hitting 60s in world, you are in pretty good shape but nothing, not even the world assessments are as good and accurate as the NBME assessment exams. They REALLY help you get a feel for what the real thing will be and its different than USMLE World. It definitely helped me study.
 
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josephmedman said:
Hey, I think you are doing pretty similarly to how Im doing and you have nothing to worry about. From the tons of high performers Ive talked to on the test, comlex is CERTAINLY tougher than COMBANK because while combank usually tests 1st or 2nd order, more of the comlex questions are 3rd order, the usmle is probably more so. Id say its somewhere in between combank and usmleworld. Ive been told to add the number zero to your usmle world average of timed/random blocks and you should approximately hit your comlex grade.

I havent started comquest yet. Can you give me some input on how it compares to combank? Ive been told the questions are a bit easier than combank.

If you are consistently hitting 60s in world, you are in pretty good shape but nothing, not even the world assessments are as good and accurate as the NBME assessment exams. They REALLY help you get a feel for what the real thing will be and its different than USMLE World. It definitely helped me study.
Click to expand...

I have never heard the "add a 0 to your Uworld score" and would be really surprised if that held true, it seems overly optimistic. That's basically saying the average DO student would be scoring a 50% on UWorld.
 
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MLT2MT2DO said:
I have never heard the "add a 0 to your Uworld score" and would be really surprised if that held true, it seems overly optimistic. That's basically saying the average DO student would be scoring a 50% on UWorld.
Click to expand...

These kind of things are totally unreliable. People use UWorld differently at various points in their prep, so the percent correct doesn't necessarily mean the same thing for everyone. Someone who uses UWorld random, timed will probably have a different percent correct than a student of equal intelligence who uses UWorld in tutor mode after reading the corresponding section in FA.

As far as being overly optimistic, I would think (hope) most DO students would at least be able to pull a 50% on UWorld. I don't think that sounds too unreasonable, but then again maybe I'm one of those overly optimistic people.
 
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josephmedman said:
NYITCOM here! I took an NBME about 4 weeks ago and hit a 530/228 on it.. Took world assessment last week and hit 620/247. COMSAE next week..Crossing my fingers to break 600 on it with like 30 days left but I suck at OMM so Im not sure. World average over all is 65 but I only did about 50 percent of it. It was getting very redundant for me and I wasnt improving my weaknesses at ALL from just the explanations so Ive decided to take an unconventional route and work on my weaknesses. Last 8 blocks or so on world ranged from low to mid 70's to low 80s with one 54 that crept in out of now where.

Ive pretty much just been doing kaplan videos/kaplan qbank about half done/uworld about half done up until this point. I still have to get through first aid and OMM so Im banking on a further improvement. My goal is to break 700 on the real thing. Ive been studying since January 7th, and March was my best month.

I cant believe we have the damn OSCE next week. How many schools still have school now? Are we the last ones left? INSANE!! Definitely going to throw me off my grind.

I was a pretty average student but started before most of the class with boards so Im hoping I can make up for it all on the exam. Comlex banks Im in the 80s with 8 blocks done but mainly getting the OMM stuff wrong. Definitely have to read that green book..Ugh..
Click to expand...

Dude I know... OSCE is such a pain in the ass, they really couldn't have fit that in during the last month? Just get rid of the GU patient encounter and make it the OSCE.

My stats are somewhat similar to yours, I'm at a 68% in Uworld.... UWSA1 got a 221 (months ago), UWSA2 got a 236 (2 weeks ago), and just took NBME 15 and got a 226. I'm going to try the COMSAE next week. I would like to break 600 on the real deal for COMLEX and would be happy w a 230 on the USMLE... we will see what happens, but I THINK 600ish would correlate with a 230 USMLE. I want to do EM so I'm hoping a 230 would make an allo program within reach,
 
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Charlie Hustle said:
These kind of things are totally unreliable. People use UWorld differently at various points in their prep, so the percent correct doesn't necessarily mean the same thing for everyone. Someone who uses UWorld random, timed will probably have a different percent correct than a student of equal intelligence who uses UWorld in tutor mode after reading the corresponding section in FA.

As far as being overly optimistic, I would think (hope) most DO students would at least be able to pull a 50% on UWorld. I don't think that sounds too unreasonable, but then again maybe I'm one of those overly optimistic people.
Click to expand...

I would hope so too, which is why I'm saying I doubt a 50%=500 (the average on COMLEX).
 
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MLT2MT2DO said:
I would hope so too, which is why I'm saying I doubt a 50%=500 (the average on COMLEX).
Click to expand...

My bad. I misunderstood your original post. I thought you were saying it was optimistic to think that the average DO student could score a 50% on UWorld. I agree with you.
 
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I dont know. I think there may be some type of threshold. The average comlex score is actually 515(not 500). You can check this out to see the conversion tool.

https://www.nbome-pe.org/cbtscoreconv/tool.aspx

I think if someone started off consistently in the 60's and ended consistently in the 70's(RANDOM/TIMED throughout of course) and ended world with a 65% overall average, I don't think its too far fetched to say they will be far from a 650. Or if someone started off consistently in the 60's and then finished off consistently in the 80's and ended with close to a 700. It seems reasonable to me.

Maybe the threshold is 55%. If someone was to start in the 50's consistently, and then end in the 70's consistently random/timed blocks that would put them at an overall of 60%. To say that the person could hit a 600(83% rank) with last 20 or so blocks of world in the 70's isnt too far fetched.
 
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josephmedman said:
I dont know. I think there may be some type of threshold. The average comlex score is actually 515(not 500). You can check this out to see the conversion tool.

https://www.nbome-pe.org/cbtscoreconv/tool.aspx

I think if someone started off consistently in the 60's and ended consistently in the 70's(RANDOM/TIMED throughout of course) and ended world with a 65% overall average, I don't think its too far fetched to say they will be far from a 650. Or if someone started off consistently in the 60's and then finished off consistently in the 80's and ended with close to a 700. It seems reasonable to me.

Maybe the threshold is 55%. If someone was to start in the 50's consistently, and then end in the 70's consistently random/timed blocks that would put them at an overall of 60%. To say that the person could hit a 600(83% rank) with last 20 or so blocks of world in the 70's isnt too far fetched.
Click to expand...

I started in the low 50s, I am now a mid 70s my average is 68%. I feel I'm ~600. Don't get me wrong I'd be happy as heck if I was anywhere near 700, but from what I've seen most of those people are 250+ USMLErs and I know for a fact I'm not there.
 
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Has anyone taken the free 150 questions? I took it and it only has a percentage of q's right. I was wondering if other people know what percentage range went for and if they actually hold true on test day. Also, is it just me or is NEITCOM takin over?
 
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Anyone do the practice COMLEX omm junk out of the back of the green book? These are way harder than what I'm seeing on COMBANK, some of this junk I've never even heard of.
 
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Anyone take Comsae-A yet?

Totally bombed disease and health prevention...have no idea where to even study that stuff. Scored a 580 overall, I'm alright with it
 
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I would like to know what they consider disease prevention and health promotion...I've been a PA for 13
yr, half of that in primary care, and have practiced A LOT of prevention. My PANRE scores in prevention last fall were outstanding (PA natl recert exam) and I scored off the charts for my FM shelf exam last summer before we had covered most of M2 systems (thanks again, PA career). But my COMSAE C and NBME basic science shelf both said I'm borderline in those topics. Go figure :)
 
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primadonna22274 said:
I would like to know what they consider disease prevention and health promotion. My COMSAE C and NBME basic science shelf both said I'm borderline in those topics.
Click to expand...

There's probably a lot of discrepancy to how they categorize the questions. I wouldn't be surprised to find 'disease prevention and health promotion' questions that you could argue being something else (related to cardiovascular or basic sciences as opposed to HTN screening). Also the NBOME's content outline is very vague with broad subjects and reported percentages.
 
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primadonna22274 said:
I would like to know what they consider disease prevention and health promotion...I've been a PA for 13
yr, half of that in primary care, and have practiced A LOT of prevention. My PANRE scores in prevention last fall were outstanding (PA natl recert exam) and I scored off the charts for my FM shelf exam last summer before we had covered most of M2 systems (thanks again, PA career). But my COMSAE C and NBME basic science shelf both said I'm borderline in those topics. Go figure :)
Click to expand...

Without trying to be a spoiler, there's a question about motor vehicle accidents and the best way to prevent them.

I'm sure I probably got this wrong and I don't even know how you tie this into medicine nor do I have a clue what the right answer is or how to go about finding it now that I'm done with the test.
 
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Anyone take the free "practice test" yet? There's a question that I'm pretty positive is incorrect, NBOME should be embarrassed.
 
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Ary Lall said:
Where do you get these practice tests from?
Click to expand...

They have a quick 50 question one for free on the link they send you where you're supposed to look over the testing rules. Additionally you can buy Comsae practice tests just google comsae
 
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I found Comsae B substantial harder than A but my Comsae B score was much higher than my A.
 
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MLT2MT2DO said:
Anyone take the free "practice test" yet? There's a question that I'm pretty positive is incorrect, NBOME should be embarrassed.
Click to expand...

I didn't come across anything strange. There was one q that was pretty damn vague. I hope my COMLEX is that easy tho! :D
 
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I have been using Comquest and it seems that the avg of all of the practice blocks I take is 64% lol. I always get around 74% right but have no clue if that is good or not. Comlex is in a week.
 
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OneTripAcross said:
I didn't come across anything strange. There was one q that was pretty damn vague. I hope my COMLEX is that easy tho! :D
Click to expand...

A baby making IgG in utero is not correct.

DocSpaceman said:
I have been using Comquest and it seems that the avg of all of the practice blocks I take is 64% lol. I always get around 74% right but have no clue if that is good or not. Comlex is in a week.
Click to expand...

The average they put is for overall, it doesn't break it down into blocks
 
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My friend averaged 91 last year and got a 616 if thats of any help. Im around in the high 80s and I was in the low 70s on Uworld if that gives you any type of help. Im pretty confused about it as well. Im actually VERY surprised that the average is that low with the number of gimmes they give you in a block.
 
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Hi everyone,
Scheduled to take COMSAE C this upcoming week, already took COMSAE B today, managed to get a 460. I know I still have a lot of work to do but I'm glad that at least I passed. How did COMSAE C compare in your opinion?
 
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Also, on a side note, I noticed a lot of questions, regarding patient management, that I just could not narrow down, is there any resource for those?
 
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josephmedman said:
My friend averaged 91 last year and got a 616 if thats of any help. Im around in the high 80s and I was in the low 70s on Uworld if that gives you any type of help. Im pretty confused about it as well. Im actually VERY surprised that the average is that low with the number of gimmes they give you in a block.
Click to expand...

According to last years comquest/scores your friend should've been able to easily break a 700 with those comquest scores.

It all comes down to how you use the question banks, I guess
 
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Ary Lall said:
Do you recommend watching Pathoma a second time or just reading the book? I watched it once with course work
Click to expand...

If you have time, watch it again at 1.4x with your annotated notes in the book. Highlight anything you don't remember.
Might be insane but I am now going through FA and Pathoma one last time and rewriting notes for things I always forget in a separate notebook. Pen and paper works for me. I'm doing this for my last USMLE review--took COMLEX last week. Might be overkill for COMLEX :)
 
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yeah it was quite weird..He hit 255 on his USMLE and read savarese 3 times. Kinda sucks too because he wants an AOA uber competitive residency. I guess noone can really predict within that great of a range what your performance will be. I think World/NBME give you a really good range. So confused with comlex.
 
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josephmedman said:
yeah it was quite weird..He hit 255 on his USMLE and read savarese 3 times. Kinda sucks too because he wants an AOA uber competitive residency. I guess noone can really predict within that great of a range what your performance will be. I think World/NBME give you a really good range. So confused with comlex.
Click to expand...

Yeah, just took the COMLEX today and it is a total crapshoot. I had so much neuro I wanted to puke and a couple question I have no f'n idea if the questions were even med school level, felt like Neuro boards.

What a piss poor test, before this week I was second guessing my decision to take the USMLE but after today I'm actually looking forward to a test that will actually gauge my medical knowledge.

Comsae A score -583
Comsae B score -634

Predicted Comlex score: somewhere between 500-625
 
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MLT2MT2DO said:
Yeah, just took the COMLEX today and it is a total crapshoot. I had so much neuro I wanted to puke and a couple question I have no f'n idea if the questions were even med school level, felt like Neuro boards.

What a piss poor test, before this week I was second guessing my decision to take the USMLE but after today I'm actually looking forward to a test that will actually gauge my medical knowledge.

Comsae A score -583
Comsae B score -634

Predicted Comlex score: somewhere between 500-625
Click to expand...

Wow, I am truly sorry to hear that. I hope you end up getting something higher than that. Your COMSAE's are pretty good. Neuro is such a dense subject and I would anticipated something more reasonable until I saw your post. Was the OMT pretty standard? viscero and chapman stuff? Honestly, everyone at my school has been saying that the COMLEX is going to be more like the USMLE these days, I wish they would make questions that are well worded. Good luck on the USMLE.

For any of you that took COMSAE C, which I will be taking soon, did you feel that it was heavy on one particular area? Or was it equal amongst subjects? I'm focusing my time on my Biochemistry and Physiology (lowest scores according UW). Our school offered a Pharmacology cumulative final which I did well on and Pathology has always been my fave.

Good luck to everyone! :thumbup:
 
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MLT2MT2DO said:
Yeah, just took the COMLEX today and it is a total crapshoot. I had so much neuro I wanted to puke and a couple question I have no f'n idea if the questions were even med school level, felt like Neuro boards.

What a piss poor test, before this week I was second guessing my decision to take the USMLE but after today I'm actually looking forward to a test that will actually gauge my medical knowledge.

Comsae A score -583
Comsae B score -634

Predicted Comlex score: somewhere between 500-625
Click to expand...

Is it graded on how you perform with the people who took the same test as you throughout the country or based on how you actually did without a curve?
 
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MLT2MT2DO said:
Yeah, just took the COMLEX today and it is a total crapshoot. I had so much neuro I wanted to puke and a couple question I have no f'n idea if the questions were even med school level, felt like Neuro boards.

What a piss poor test, before this week I was second guessing my decision to take the USMLE but after today I'm actually looking forward to a test that will actually gauge my medical knowledge.

Comsae A score -583
Comsae B score -634

Predicted Comlex score: somewhere between 500-625
Click to expand...

How would you suggest preparing for the neuro and obscure micro you saw (I read your post in the other thread)?

I'm getting the impression from you that First Aid is not enough for these topics? I have been using High Yield Neuroanatomy and the Lippincott Micro Cards in addition to first aid.
 
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