Only taken COMLEX, how will the merger affect me?

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Cyp4503A4

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I've been hearing so many different opinion on this and I've become so confused on what I should do. What I'm most concerned about is the rumor that once much of the AOA programs have been accredited by the ACGME, they would stop accepting the COMLEX without a USMLE, how true is this?

I'm concerned because I just started 3rd year and won't be applying to residencies until next year and by that time, I'm afraid that much of the current AOA programs would have transitioned to ACGME and would no longer be accepting COMLEX without USMLE.

Thanks!

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Hadn't heard that rumor yet, doubtful that it's true. If it was, over half my class wouldn't be able to match - a lot chose to take comlex only.

However, each residency could set up their own rules. For example, my #1 acgme FM residency* that I found has made it mandatory for a DO to take comlex and usmle whereas last year, comlex only was fine. So, rules could change.

I'd recommend putting it out of your mind. If you are happy with comlex only, stay with comlex only.

*it's close super close to home
 
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I'd love to put it in the back of my mind, I just hope the landscape doesn't change too drastically. I'd love to get @Goro 's input! Thanks!

Hadn't heard that rumor yet, doubtful that it's true. If it was, over half my class wouldn't be able to match - a lot chose to take comlex only.

However, each residency could set up their own rules. For example, my #1 acgme FM residency* that I found has made it mandatory for a DO to take comlex and usmle whereas last year, comlex only was fine. So, rules could change.

I'd recommend putting it out of your mind. If you are happy with comlex only, stay with comlex only.

*it's close super close to home
 
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I've been hearing so many different opinion on this and I've become so confused on what I should do. What I'm most concerned about is the rumor that once much of the AOA programs have been accredited by the ACGME, they would stop accepting the COMLEX without a USMLE, how true is this?

I'm concerned because I just started 3rd year and won't be applying to residencies until next year and by that time, I'm afraid that much of the current AOA programs would have transitioned to ACGME and would no longer be accepting COMLEX without USMLE.

Thanks!
So untrue
 
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I've been hearing so many different opinion on this and I've become so confused on what I should do. What I'm most concerned about is the rumor that once much of the AOA programs have been accredited by the ACGME, they would stop accepting the COMLEX without a USMLE, how true is this?

I'm concerned because I just started 3rd year and won't be applying to residencies until next year and by that time, I'm afraid that much of the current AOA programs would have transitioned to ACGME and would no longer be accepting COMLEX without USMLE.

Thanks!
FREIDA probably has your answers. But looking at residency's where grads from your school are getting placed is probably a good way. There are still places that take only Comlex. Just have to do legwork and figure it out: FREIDA Online®, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database® | AMA
As always, if your interested call. Even in places which don't take comlex, you might be able to convince them to give you an audition rotation. Sure its far fetched, but DO's would never be in many residency's if someone hadn't tried to go where they supposedly 'weren't wanted.'

If you can swing an NBME and its still decent (minimal rotation induced board brain atrophy) you could just take USMLE, although I think most would advise against. Either way, you will be alright, just do the legwork and make the best of your situation.
 
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I was finally able to look at FREIDA. Much of the primary care positions seem to be accepting of the COMLEX. I'm just a little confused because isn't it that because of the merger, even the original ACGME programs should be more accepting of people with just a COMLEX instead of the other way around?

FREIDA probably has your answers. But looking at residency's where grads from your school are getting placed is probably a good way. There are still places that take only Comlex. Just have to do legwork and figure it out: FREIDA Online®, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database® | AMA
As always, if your interested call. Even in places which don't take comlex, you might be able to convince them to give you an audition rotation. Sure its far fetched, but DO's would never be in many residency's if someone hadn't tried to go where they supposedly 'weren't wanted.'

If you can swing an NBME and its still decent (minimal rotation induced board brain atrophy) you could just take USMLE, although I think most would advise against. Either way, you will be alright, just do the legwork and make the best of your situation.
 
I was finally able to look at FREIDA. Much of the primary care positions seem to be accepting of the COMLEX. I'm just a little confused because isn't it that because of the merger, even the original ACGME programs should be more accepting of people with just a COMLEX instead of the other way around?

Just out of curiosity, why do you think prior ACGME programs should (or will) be more accepting of COMLEX only students?
 
I was finally able to look at FREIDA. Much of the primary care positions seem to be accepting of the COMLEX. I'm just a little confused because isn't it that because of the merger, even the original ACGME programs should be more accepting of people with just a COMLEX instead of the other way around?

For most of primary care, you should have no problem matching with only COMLEX. You won't be matching mid/top tier IM, but community/low tier academic IM should all be fair game. Same approach with the other primary care residencies.

However, when it comes to the more competitive specialties, having a decent USMLE score is highly beneficial. I've seen a lot of ACGME residencies with "USMLE only" on FREIDA in terms of the more competitive specialties.
 
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Just out of curiosity, why do you think prior ACGME programs should (or will) be more accepting of COMLEX only students?

They're not. Regardless of the merger.
 
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They're not. Regardless of the merger.

This sentiment is heavy on SDN, but I don't see how this is possible. It varies by school, I don't want to look up the exact numbers, but a large number of students (bottom 30% of class?) take COMLEX only and or applied AOA only for a reason.

It's easy to forget with all of SDN's 250+ 750+ posters that many students that self select to take both struggle, I doubt the lower portion of the class (especially bottom 15%) is magically going to give into the (partly student driven) pressure just to end up with a 199 and a 475. When all of these students are dumped into the unified match, how will they not continue to match non-competitive residencies with COMLEX only as they have previously? I may be biased being in the midwest, but my school matches ACGME (while obviously not ivory tower) OB, Peds, FM, IM, Neuro, PMR, Psych, even EM with COMLEX only every year. Will these PDs change their minds now?
 
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This sentiment is heavy on SDN, but I don't see how this is possible. It varies by school, I don't want to look up the exact numbers, but a large number of students (bottom 30% of class?) take COMLEX only and or applied AOA only for a reason.

It's easy to forget with all of SDN's 250+ 750+ posters that many students that self select to take both struggle, I doubt the lower portion of the class (especially bottom 15%) is magically going to give into the (partly student driven) pressure just to end up with a 199 and a 475. When all of these students are dumped into the unified match, how will they not continue to match non-competitive residencies with COMLEX only as they have previously? I may be biased being in the midwest, but my school matches ACGME (while obviously not ivory tower) OB, Peds, FM, IM, Neuro, PMR, Psych, even EM with COMLEX only every year. Will these PDs change their minds now?

I was under the impression that people are thinking that programs that do not take the Comlex already/right now will suddenly start taking it after the merger, which I don't see why they would suddenly change their mind is what I was getting at. The ACGME programs that already are fine with comlex I don't think would stop suddenly accepting it and of course legacy AOA-transitioned programs will take comlex still as well.
 
I foresee the programs that currently accept COMLEX will continue to do so, and the less competitive specialties as a whole will become MORE accepting of COMLEX. On the flip side, the current USMLE required programs will continue, and the more competitive specialties once AOA will slowly want a USMLE more and more. This is until some resolution is made, which is probably not in the near future.
 
More programs than ever accept the COMLEX, but competitive programs often still do not. How much of a limiting factor it is will really depend on your field of choice. I know of zero AOA programs that have stopped accepting COMLEX after the transition though, that's just ridiculous.
 
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I think it is actually true that all programs will take COMLEX after the merger.

Whether or not all programs will understand it, appreciate a good score, or actually care about it at all is another question entirely.
 
I think it is actually true that all programs will take COMLEX after the merger.

Whether or not all programs will understand it, appreciate a good score, or actually care about it at all is another question entirely.
This is true but meaningless. Just because your application gets processed doesn't mean they will consider it, just as now. Like, right now, you're free to send your COMLEX scores to MGH and apply there, and you've been able to for a while, but your app goes directly in the trash.
 
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This is true but meaningless. Just because your application gets processed doesn't mean they will consider it, just as now. Like, right now, you're free to send your COMLEX scores to MGH and apply there, and you've been able to for a while, but your app goes directly in the trash.

Guess my caffeine level is low-- we were trying to say the same thing, I think.

There's some programs now that still explicitly require the USMLE, and I think that will stop. But allowing you to apply and not throwing your application out immediately aren't the same thing, so really it doesn't make much difference.
 
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