Official 2015 COMLEX Level 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

[FutureDO2016]

I realized no one made a thread for 2015 so decided to make one. Anyone take the January 6 or 22 test? There's a Feb date coming up soon too. How was it? What did you use to study and would recommend to future test-takers? Anything particularly high-yield? Good luck everyone!

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[Lys Ile Glu Leu]

Why does this exam feel more like a lotto than an assessment? 7/14/15

 

[2cool4stool]

All that crazy OMM you cannot prepare for will most likely get thrown out.

They definitely kept the OMM for mine on 6/26 because that was my lowest section

 

[ChiSox]

To be honest I'm not sure I can answer this for you. That exam felt more like a crapshoot than anything. I would probably not have studied any differently because I don't think you could have adequately prepared for it. No source I ran into (Savarese, M1/M2, COMBANK) seems to have prepared me for some of the OMM they tested on. I haven't gotten my score back yet so we will see how I did in the next week, but right now I am insanely anxious to receive my score

Exactly...the OMM question stems were the longest I had on the exam, no way to prepare for the style of question asked aside from the usual prep. I called a 4th year friend of mine who just took step 2 and he said his test (which he took last week) had questions very similar to it..I'm assuming (hoping) they're trying something new out... and giving anyone who had this version of the exam 800s

 

[Ruskin Ricky]

I'm doing my third MD at a university outside the U.S.
I need some guidance can somebody pm me


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dfib slim]

.

 

[medicalbrah2017]

Blow up the NBOME's email and tell them... The amount of vulgar words I used in my post-COMLEX survey lol...

 

[LUPUS!]

Was doing a few step 2 OMM the other day as well looked pretty good, like the questions on the actual step one exam. Retaking mine next month btw

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

Well tomorrow is the first day for next round of scores. Took on July 2nd. Not sure if I sat for the comlex or the obgyn boards though

 

[xrealityx]

Well tomorrow is the first day for next round of scores. Took on July 2nd. Not sure if I sat for the comlex or the obgyn boards though

Assuming we will get them back tomorrow ... In the meantime trying not to go into ventricular tachycardia and die

 

[Pisiform]

I have been repressing my comlex memories.

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

Assuming we will get them back tomorrow ... In the meantime trying not to go into ventricular tachycardia and die

O ya that's right, it's listed as the 6th - 10th for this batch. Why can't they just release on a Wednesday like the USMLE.

 

[Lys Ile Glu Leu]

Getting my ass handed to me on surg rotation. Hard to worry about COMLEX, so I guess I got that goin' for me.

 

[Whatwereagainst]

I just heard back from the NBOME... They said scores are only released Mon- Thur before 4pm central time. They also said it is unlikely that scores would be received until Monday for those of us waiting in the August 6-10 release window.

 

[xrealityx]

I just heard back from the NBOME... They said scores are only released Mon- Thur before 4pm central time. They also said it is unlikely that scores would be received until Monday for those of us waiting in the August 6-10 release window.

Gonna pray that they are taking so long cause they had to curve us extra

 

[DJ2207]

isnt this round 6th -14th ? Not 10th ? I took mine the 14th which is why I was splitting hairs

 

[DidsomeonecallaDOc]

I just heard back from the NBOME... They said scores are only released Mon- Thur before 4pm central time. They also said it is unlikely that scores would be received until Monday for those of us waiting in the August 6-10 release window.

Rant: Why is it taking over 5 weeks for me to get my score back?! NBOME works at the speed of slow as f***

 

[xrealityx]

isnt this round 6th -14th ? Not 10th ? I took mine the 14th which is why I was splitting hairs

OP is referring to the release date, not the date we sat for it

 

[DJ2207]

I'm an idiot ..... I should have know that. Thanks.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

hey guys, rising 2nd yr here. I was wondering if COMBANK offers a 1 month free subscription or a promo code for it at all? My school offers us COMBANK for free but I dont think we get access to it until few week into the school year. I would like to start doing questions along with school. Any recommendation as to what to do in this situation?

I have a firecracker subscription which has qbank now as well so I was just gonna do that until I get access to combank from school?

 

[Lys Ile Glu Leu]

hey guys, rising 2nd yr here. I was wondering if COMBANK offers a 1 month free subscription or a promo code for it at all? My school offers us COMBANK for free but I dont think we get access to it until few week into the school year. I would like to start doing questions along with school. Any recommendation as to what to do in this situation?

I have a firecracker subscription which has qbank now as well so I was just gonna do that until I get access to combank from school?

Just use FC for now. You might be surprised how fast you burn through UW and CQ. I'd save Combank for later (i.e. dedicated board study time).

 

[dfib slim]

hey guys, rising 2nd yr here. I was wondering if COMBANK offers a 1 month free subscription or a promo code for it at all? My school offers us COMBANK for free but I dont think we get access to it until few week into the school year. I would like to start doing questions along with school. Any recommendation as to what to do in this situation?

I have a firecracker subscription which has qbank now as well so I was just gonna do that until I get access to combank from school?

Don't do COMBANK, it's a waste of time IMO. Get something like Rx to go along classes with. There are $150 until you pass coupon codes floating around.

 

[DidsomeonecallaDOc]

Don't do COMBANK, it's a waste of time IMO. Get something like Rx to go along classes with. There are $150 until you pass coupon codes floating around.

I 100% agree w/ this. I bought COMBANK at the beginning of second year and used it w/ classes, which I thought was a really good idea. HOWEVER, when you get into dedicated there is no way to reset the bank, so I was doing tests and selecting "used' questions and about half of my questions would be exactly the same as I was doing back to back blocks. It was so frustrating! USMLERx was really good for the start of my prep (started it casually in January) and I wish I would've bought it before COMBANK and burned through it during my second year instead.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

I 100% agree w/ this. I bought COMBANK at the beginning of second year and used it w/ classes, which I thought was a really good idea. HOWEVER, when you get into dedicated there is no way to reset the bank, so I was doing tests and selecting "used' questions and about half of my questions would be exactly the same as I was doing back to back blocks. It was so frustrating! USMLERx was really good for the start of my prep (started it casually in January) and I wish I would've bought it before COMBANK and burned through it during my second year instead.

Yeah, I'm between Rx and Kaplan. I cant afford to buy both so I think I will go with Rx first term, Combank 2nd term, and uworld 1st pass 3rd term.

 

[Heyhey123]

I just heard back from the NBOME... They said scores are only released Mon- Thur before 4pm central time. They also said it is unlikely that scores would be received until Monday for those of us waiting in the August 6-10 release window.

Hey thanks for the information. Just wondering did they e-mail you or you called because yesterday I spoke to someone and they said it can come anytime before 5pm Mon to Friday. Thanks!

 

[Heyhey123]

I have been following this thread for the last couple of days, so thought I had join. Good luck to everyone who is waiting for their scores.

 

[Whatwereagainst]

Hey thanks for the information. Just wondering did they e-mail you or you called because yesterday I spoke to someone and they said it can come anytime before 5pm Mon to Friday. Thanks!

Here is the exact text of the email:

"Score usually release before 4PM Central time. As we have not yet received word that the scores for COMLEX-USA Level 1 have released and as we do not release scores on Fridays or over the weekend, it is most likely the scores will release on Monday, August 10. When your score has been released, you will receive email notification to your school account."

 

[Heyhey123]

Here is the exact text of the email:

"Score usually release before 4PM Central time. As we have not yet received word that the scores for COMLEX-USA Level 1 have released and as we do not release scores on Fridays or over the weekend, it is most likely the scores will release on Monday, August 10. When your score has been released, you will receive email notification to your school account."

Thank you so much! Just wanted to know so I am not checking it every 5 mins. Good luck!

 

[Pisiform]

Idk why it takes awfully long for NBOME to get scores. I took mine in July 24th and scores will be up anytime b/w August 27 to sept something wtf.

 

[pathologyDO]

Idk why it takes awfully long for NBOME to get scores. I took mine in July 24th and scores will be up anytime b/w August 27 to sept something wtf.

We had a new path professor come from Rocky vista as part of our new Deans crew, and this path professor told us a little bit of info about the differences between the NBOME and NBME. Apparently the NBME has a literal multistory building filled with full-time employees, including lots of PhDs, constantly working on USMLE questions and grading. The NBOME has like a 1 story building with a smaller amount of part-time employees, lots of which are physicians. So that is probably the big difference and why things are a bit slower for the COMLEX to get graded, but even still, it has been way too long and I'm def jonesing for my step 1 score!!

 

[John Zoidberg]

COMSAE form C- 460 (2 weeks out)
COMSAE form E- 478 (1 week out)

COMLEX form OMGWTF- 387


Still scratching my head/ losing sleep on this one... It was definitely a hard test, much more difficult than any of the COMSAEs or COMBANK but a drop of 90 points just doesn't seem right. Obviously I wasn't going in there expecting a 600+ but I at least felt confident I would pass.

Went ahead and paid the $50 sucker fee for "confirmation". I'm not expecting it to change, but the drop is so drastic I still haven't fully accepted it.

Guess I'll just have to somehow get over this and try again.

PS- I've been lurking here for weeks and I joined SDN specifically to contribute to this thread. Ya'll seem like good folks (yes even the gunners)

I've had a similar experience...I took COMSAE C 4 days before my exam and scored 474 (advisor said to score above 450 to have that 50 point buffer just in case)...Then bam, COMLEX score 395. Some questions were extremely random on the exam. I walked out of it thinking I probably didn't do great but I passed within the 400s. Was very disappointed when I got the score. Fell for the $50 trick regrade and they said "nope"....How does one frop 80 points from a practice test that is meant to reflect how you're doing? They cost $50 and they don't work...My school doesn't allow us to start rotations without a passing grade so I have to miss the first two (unless I need more time and then I can graduate a year late)...screwed up the whooooole schedule

 

[2cool4stool]

I've had a similar experience...I took COMSAE C 4 days before my exam and scored 474 (advisor said to score above 450 to have that 50 point buffer just in case)...Then bam, COMLEX score 395. Some questions were extremely random on the exam. I walked out of it thinking I probably didn't do great but I passed within the 400s. Was very disappointed when I got the score. Fell for the $50 trick regrade and they said "nope"....How does one frop 80 points from a practice test that is meant to reflect how you're doing? They cost $50 and they don't work...My school doesn't allow us to start rotations without a passing grade so I have to miss the first two (unless I need more time and then I can graduate a year late)...screwed up the whooooole schedule

It's a setback but not a deal breaker. I definitely hit the panic button during the exam and got away from the way I had been answering and approaching questions. Plus there were a lot of really difficult questions I wasn't expecting. All you can do is re-load and shoot to kill on the next one.

 

[Decremaster]

We had a new path professor come from Rocky vista as part of our new Deans crew, and this path professor told us a little bit of info about the differences between the NBOME and NBME. Apparently the NBME has a literal multistory building filled with full-time employees, including lots of PhDs, constantly working on USMLE questions and grading. The NBOME has like a 1 story building with a smaller amount of part-time employees, lots of which are physicians. So that is probably the big difference and why things are a bit slower for the COMLEX to get graded, but even still, it has been way too long and I'm def jonesing for my step 1 score!!

Ah... Dr Putthoff...

 

[John Zoidberg]

So is it theoretically possible that one got the experimental questions correct and they were thrown out while getting non-experimental wrong which counted? Cause that is soooo messed up

 

[John Zoidberg]

It's a setback but not a deal breaker. I definitely hit the panic button during the exam and got away from the way I had been answering and approaching questions. Plus there were a lot of really difficult questions I wasn't expecting. All you can do is re-load and shoot to kill on the next one.

Yeah I know it's not the end of the world...although my next one is scheduled for September 2nd and I forgot a bunch of stuff. I'll take a comsae next week see how I do. I started doing COMQUEST now because I heard explanations are better. I was debating whether to take the 180 day leave of absence the school provided and just graduate a year late as opposed to foreiting all my breaks and getting burnt out by residency. One extra year isn't really a tragedy in this whole 10 year process.
Failing it does close some doors (esp since I didn't take USMLE) but for what I wanna do (PM&R or something similar) it shouldn't be a deal-breaker (hopefully)...

 

[xrealityx]

I've had a similar experience...I took COMSAE C 4 days before my exam and scored 474 (advisor said to score above 450 to have that 50 point buffer just in case)...Then bam, COMLEX score 395. Some questions were extremely random on the exam. I walked out of it thinking I probably didn't do great but I passed within the 400s. Was very disappointed when I got the score. Fell for the $50 trick regrade and they said "nope"....How does one frop 80 points from a practice test that is meant to reflect how you're doing? They cost $50 and they don't work...My school doesn't allow us to start rotations without a passing grade so I have to miss the first two (unless I need more time and then I can graduate a year late)...screwed up the whooooole schedule

If I drop the same amount that would leave me with a 399... ****

 

[Lys Ile Glu Leu]

You guys are officially scaring the poopoos outta me.

 

[John Zoidberg]

If I drop the same amount that would leave me with a 399... ****

I actually have a good friend and classmate who unfortunately failed with a 399...I would have flipped every table out there. But on the other hand, what's worse, getting a 399 and doing hopefully well the second time? Or getting a 405 let's say and getting stuck with that grade since you cannot retake the exam? I ask because I dont know...

 

[xrealityx]

I actually have a good friend and classmate who unfortunately failed with a 399...I would have flipped every table out there. But on the other hand, what's worse, getting a 399 and doing hopefully well the second time? Or getting a 405 let's say and getting stuck with that grade since you cannot retake the exam? I ask because I dont know...

Ugh, please don't tell me they're another person who had an ~80 point drop from their last comsae..

 

[Pisiform]

I actually have a good friend and classmate who unfortunately failed with a 399...I would have flipped every table out there. But on the other hand, what's worse, getting a 399 and doing hopefully well the second time? Or getting a 405 let's say and getting stuck with that grade since you cannot retake the exam? I ask because I dont know...

399 is worst. I don't want to gamble again if I have lost before. That's what comlex is, a gamble

 

[DJ2207]

whats interesting is most of the scores released so far came early, yet ours is the last day ..... I'm sure it's just a coincidence but the waiting really sucks

 

[medicalbrah2017]

Scores came to me via an email announcement for all of those still biting their teeth. Just a generic, "your scores are up on our website" email.
In other news, any more schools around the country have a greater than usual fail rate/is your school planning to contact NBOME?

 

[John Zoidberg]

I didn't write it here but I took mine June 26 since that was the last day my school allowed. I waited got that email while I was at school and I was too nervous to check (had to give a presentation that day) and I waited, got no other email so I was confident I passed. Then I refresh my email and disaster, email from school advisor saying "we're sorry to hear you failed bla bla bla"...killed the mood.

Scores came to me via an email announcement for all of those still biting their teeth. Just a generic, "your scores are up on our website" email.
In other news, any more schools around the country have a greater than usual fail rate/is your school planning to contact NBOME?

In regards to your question: My school had a pretty significant increase in fail rate compared to last year. But I don't think they're contacting anyone. However, the good news (I guess) for those who are in panic mode, my advisor said that the national average stayed pretty much the same despite the restandardization of the comlex (or whatever they did to it). So nationally the grades stayed the same. On the other hand, this means NBOME probably won't change anything in the grades so don't get your hopes up. Also that $50 regrading fee should only be paid if something happened to your computer during the exam (it turned off or they moved you to another computer, etc). I paid it and lost the money for no reason.

 

[xrealityx]

I didn't write it here but I took mine June 26 since that was the last day my school allowed. I waited got that email while I was at school and I was too nervous to check (had to give a presentation that day) and I waited, got no other email so I was confident I passed. Then I refresh my email and disaster, email from school advisor saying "we're sorry to hear you failed bla bla bla"...killed the mood.



In regards to your question: My school had a pretty significant increase in fail rate compared to last year. But I don't think they're contacting anyone. However, the good news (I guess) for those who are in panic mode, my advisor said that the national average stayed pretty much the same despite the restandardization of the comlex (or whatever they did to it). So nationally the grades stayed the same. On the other hand, this means NBOME probably won't change anything in the grades so don't get your hopes up. Also that $50 regrading fee should only be paid if something happened to your computer during the exam (it turned off or they moved you to another computer, etc). I paid it and lost the money for no reason.

How does your advisor know the mean stayed the same? Nbome won't release that info until spring

 

[The Victors]

Based on my understanding (which may be flawed), isn't the exam scored on a moving percentile? If so, how can there be a significant increase or decrease in the overall passing rate when averaged out among all DO schools? They have to create a cutoff for the 400 value right?

 

[John Zoidberg]

How does your advisor know the mean stayed the same? Nbome won't release that info until spring

Idk dude, maybe they have inside info...or maybe she just that so I stop hoping that NBOME would add points lol

 

[medicalbrah2017]

I didn't write it here but I took mine June 26 since that was the last day my school allowed. I waited got that email while I was at school and I was too nervous to check (had to give a presentation that day) and I waited, got no other email so I was confident I passed. Then I refresh my email and disaster, email from school advisor saying "we're sorry to hear you failed bla bla bla"...killed the mood.



In regards to your question: My school had a pretty significant increase in fail rate compared to last year. But I don't think they're contacting anyone. However, the good news (I guess) for those who are in panic mode, my advisor said that the national average stayed pretty much the same despite the restandardization of the comlex (or whatever they did to it). So nationally the grades stayed the same. On the other hand, this means NBOME probably won't change anything in the grades so don't get your hopes up. Also that $50 regrading fee should only be paid if something happened to your computer during the exam (it turned off or they moved you to another computer, etc). I paid it and lost the money for no reason.

Ya I donated $50 to them too. Thought for sure a section of my test had not been graded when I saw my score

 

[Heyhey123]

Hope they come out today... so tired of checking my email every 5 mins

 

[xrealityx]

Hope they come out today... so tired of checking my email every 5 mins

I don't think they can release them after today without sending an email explaining they're having issues scoring it because we all did so terrible or something

 

[Solais]

Called NBOME and the person I spoke to said they are still finalizing everything. What could there be left to finalize on the last day, man....

 

[DJ2207]

Ha ..... Sounds like they must have taken a long lunch ....... New meaning to procrastination