How do I know when I am ready for COMLEX / USMLE?
One of the most common questions our team of physician-professors is asked from students is “How do I know when I am ready to take my board exams?” Like most questions, the answer is dependent on many factors and varies from person to person, however there are two things you can use to gauge your readiness to sit for these exams.
Practice exam scores.
Practice exams come in many different shapes and sizes such as U-World sample exams, NBMEs, COMSAEs, etc but regardless of which form you choose to use you must take at least 1-2 practice exams before your actual testing day. These exams, when taken in an exam-like setting, are the closest simulation to taking the real test you can find and therefore they are a very valuable resource. The exams can also be used to evaluate your readiness for taking the actual COMLEX/USMLE. If you have passed (for level 1), or scored near your target score (for level 2 & 3) on 2-3 practice exams close to your actual test day then you are ready to sit for your real exam. It is also important to note that while some practice exams are better than others, there is no way to actually predict your score. Because of this your focus should be on achieving the highest percent correct on each exam possible rather than an arbitrary numerical score the exam may try and provide you to gauge your score for the real exam.
Your mentality and sense of readiness.
The COMLEX & USMLE are very important exams and therefore students tend to put a lot of effort and weight into how well they score, and rightfully so! However it is also important to realize that while these exams are very important landmarks in your career, you should be well rested before you sit for an exam of this importance. Being sleep deprived, eating poorly, and being locked in your room for several weeks studying is likely not going to have a positive result. It is important to include exercise, and time away from studying during your dedicated study period to ensure you are not burnt out and exhausted when you sit for your real exam. Finally, you will never feel 100% ready. At least half of my students have come to me the week before their exam and ask if they should push their exam date back because they do not “feel” ready or they got an easy question wrong too close to test day. If you have consistently passed/scored well on your practice exams as mentioned above, and you feel at least 70% ready, then that is enough to sit for the exam. Medicine is a very detailed and difficult topic to learn, so even if you had 20 years to memorize every little fact in first aid you would still never feel 100% ready. Trust your preparation and as always, best of luck and happy studying!
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As always, we are a community of physicians, residents and medical students who have sat where you are now. Should you have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out at the contact us page on our website. We strive to be more than just a learning resource; rather we would like to form a community of physicians who can all benefit from each other’s strengths.