Princeton Review's Comlex Info

[Dr Dil]

http://www.review.com/Medical/templates/temp2.cfm?topic=Test&body=USMLE/index36.cfm&Link=USMLE.cfm&special=Medical.cfm


Do I Need to Take the USMLE?

Although you are required to sit for COMLEX if you are at an osteopathic medical school or graduate program, you may also want to take the USMLE. If you think that you will apply to graduate allopathic residencies in addition to osteopathic residencies, you will very likely need to sit for one or more Steps of USMLE.

But as an osteopathic medical student or graduate, if you do not plan to transfer to an allopathic medical school or apply to allopathic residencies you do not necessarily need to sit for any Step of the USMLE. To be certain, you should contact the state medical board where you feel you may want to practice after you have completed your graduate training.

No allopathic medical school or allopathic graduate training program requires its students or residents to sit for and pass any Level of COMLEX. In fact, allopathic programs will generally not accept COMLEX scores in place of USMLE scores for those purposes.

The good news if you plan to sit for both COMLEX and USMLE is that each Level of COMLEX is offered within 1 week to 2 months of the associated Step of the USMLE. This makes preparing for either exam more useful obviously.

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[Dr Dil]

Anyone care to discuss the erroneous info in the above post?

 

[Deb]

They're obviously clueless!!!!

 

[Buckeyes]

What the heck is Priceton Review talking about? I was under the impression that you could take COMPLEX and still apply to allopathic residencies. In fact, I just recently taked to a family medicine doctor at The Ohio State University Medical Center and she said that they accept either test, even though the USMLE is preferred. I plan on taking the USMLE and was never told from any of the faculty at OUCOM, my future school in the fall, that I would be required to take the COMPLEX in addition to the USMLE. That is crazy. Having to take one of the them is enough. What is the real deal behind all of this.

 

[jdaasbo]

I believe that all DO schools require you to at least pass level 1 and take level two of comlex.

they don't care if you take usmle. but the aoa requires that all do students take comlex (pass level one and at least take level 2.)

 

[Deb]

All DO students are required to pass all three levels of the
COMLEX in order to become licensed as Osteopathic Physicians. Part I -
end of the second yr, part II - end of the third yr, part III - end of
internship. You are NOT allowed to use the USMLE as a substitute. Some
schools have more specific requirements. For example, at UHS, students
must pass levels I and II before being allowed to graduate.

As to whether or not you should also take the USMLE, it depends on your
plans. If you plan to go the ACGME route and are interested in one of the
more competitive specialties you should definately take it. Otherwise, it
depends on the programs to which you apply. Most don't care and are fine
with the COMLEX. But to be sure, you should contact them and verify their
requirements.

[This message has been edited by Deb (edited June 23, 1999).]

 

[jdaasbo]

sorry to pick a minor point, but taking step three of comlex is not a requirement of becoming an osteopathic physician. Most DOs have taken COMELX (or NBOME) steps 1-3 as a route of licensure. But an equally valid route is to take COMLEX 1+2 (to satisfy graduation requirements) and USMLE 1-3 for licensure. Currently all DOs practicing in Louisiana are licensed via USMLE (because LA does not recognize COMLEX).

Let us remember that these exams are for Licensure only-it is an unfortunate reality however that steps one of COMLEX and USMLE are used as yard sticks by residency programs by which to measure applicants. This was not their intended purpose. No one cares which you use for licensure, b/c they get you the same result.

 

[OsteoDOC]

As I have stated before, whether or not one should take the USMLE in addition to COMLEX is entirely up to that individual and his/her interests.

Obviously, if you do an AOA internship and residency, you don't need the USMLE. I will say that there are MANY very good AOA residencies in the United Stated. However, most of them are in the midwest or east coast. For example, Ohio University & Michigan State University Osteopathic Medical Schools have very strong consortiums.

If you are planning to do an ACGME program, you need to contact the program directors and ask what they recommend. Please be advised that not every ACGME program is strong. Many of the AOA programs are stronger than many on the ACGME programs. You have to look at the individual programs.

Personally, I didn't like sitting for 1 set of board exams and I wasn't about to sit for another. Having taken only the NBOME part 1 (COMLEX part 1 came after I took it) and only getting about 2.85 GPA in my didactic years, I got interviews at all of the AOA programs I applied to and the majority of the ACGME programs I applied to most being U.C. Davis and U.C. San Francisco programs. As it turned out, I matched into UCSF and am pretty happy about it. So, in my case, I didn't need the USMLE but I would recommend contacting the individual program directors ask the directly. Generally speaking, I would NOT trust any post on here unless you are SURE that person has gone through the process of obtaining a residency. So, be smart and do your own homework.

Just my opinion.

Brandon Atkinson, D.O.

 

[drusso]

Yep, Brandon (aka Dr.Aktinson) is correct. Who would like to contact the Princeton people and tell them their info is incorrect? Any volunteers?

 

[Deb]

Sorry for the incorrect information (provided to me by someone from a state
licensing board). In actuality, there are only 5 states (FL, OK, MI, WV, and
Penn) that require all three parts of the COMLEX for licensure. For all the
other states jdaasbo is correct.

 

[OsteoDOC]

The states that Deb has down require that all D.O.'s have to do the AOA-rotating internship or at least have their ACGME residency approved by the AOA to be licensed.

As for the states requiring either COMLEX 1-3 or USMLE 1-3, I think depends on the individual state medical boards. Some states have 1 board for both D.O.'s and M.D. comprised of both professions. Some states have 2 boards..one for each. In California, there are 2 boards and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California requires all D.O.'s to take COMLEX (or NBOME).

If you are not sure which is required for graduation or the state you are planning to practice in, I suggest you contact the state medical board.

Brandon Atkinson, D.O.

 

[Deb]

Well, I give up. The AOA assured me that those were the only states that require
all three parts of the COMLEX (in addition to the internship/residency requirements
mentioned by Brandon). I was told that if you had not taken COMLEX 1-3 you would
be denied a license in those states. They didn't say anything about CA. This is
crazy! There really should be some kind of comprehensive list of individual state
requirements.

 

[Gregory Gulick]

Deb, check pages 669-679 of the 1999 AOA yearbook for a comprehensive state-by-state listing of licensing requirements.

Good luck.