Strategy to avoid ERAS filters

[DOstudent12342]

I recently found out I passed USMLE STEP 1 but failed COMLEX level 1. Is there a way I can submit my STEP scores ONLY on ERAS first and then wait until I get interviews to send in all my COMLEX scores? Ive seen this strategy be done on people that failed COMLEX Level 2CE a few years ago and it worked out well for them in getting academic IM interviews. Any thoughts on this? I understand we need COMLEX to graduate which is obviously why I would submit them but I was hoping I can do it after I get my interviews so that I can explain what happened rather than being filtered out because of my poor osteopathic competency. Thanks!

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[DOVinciRobot]

Is there a way I can submit my STEP scores ONLY on ERAS first and then wait until I get interviews to send in all my COMLEX scores?

No.

 

[DOstudent12342]

No.

People in the past have submitted USMLE only and waited until interviews to send in COMLEX. Are you saying that this is no longer possible lol?

 

[mbdriver]

People in the past have submitted USMLE only and waited until interviews to send in COMLEX. Are you saying that this is no longer possible lol?

I think it's possible to do that in the sense that it's something the ERAS application system can allow you to do, but I think it's not an advisable thing to do. Programs may have a filter that just excludes people who are missing a COMLEX /USMLE score. If they don't have that and actually review an application from a DO that's missing a COMLEX score, then it almost inevitably leads to the question of why it's missing. I think if that question is framed in the mind of someone reviewing an application, then the applicant is already in dangerous territory because I think a program will be naturally suspicious of something so obvious being missing and will likely assume it's because the applicant is trying to hide something, which, in this scenario, would only be confirmed once the transcript was submitted. Even in a kinder interpretation where they assume the applicant forgot to attach the score or that the system did not properly attach them and they reach out to the applicant and ask for the score, it would be obvious to them what was happening once they receive the score upon request. So, I think withholding the COMLEX score until later will not achieve the desired effect and would likely alienate programs.

 

[DO2015CA]

You also don’t want to get interviews to places that will then DNR you because you have to have scores all in prior to final ranking meeting.

 

[yougotquestions]

I recently found out I passed USMLE STEP 1 but failed COMLEX level 1. Is there a way I can submit my STEP scores ONLY on ERAS first and then wait until I get interviews to send in all my COMLEX scores? Ive seen this strategy be done on people that failed COMLEX Level 2CE a few years ago and it worked out well for them in getting academic IM interviews. Any thoughts on this? I understand we need COMLEX to graduate which is obviously why I would submit them but I was hoping I can do it after I get my interviews so that I can explain what happened rather than being filtered out because of my poor osteopathic competency. Thanks!

If you take level 2 and step 2 and get a good score, I don’t think some programs will care too much about a level 1 failure. You can try signaling the programs you really want and emailing them to get them to look at your app. I would also do aways at the places you want to go to.

I don’t recommend trying only submitting step and then submitting comlex failure late, but it sounds like it could work. If you have the balls to hide a board failure and then report it after the interview, let us know how it goes.

 

[DO2015CA]

If you take level 2 and step 2 and get a good score, I don’t think some programs will care too much about a level 1 failure. You can try signaling the programs you really want and emailing them to get them to look at your app. I would also do aways at the places you want to go to.

I don’t recommend trying only submitting step and then submitting comlex failure late, but it sounds like it could work. If you have the balls to hide a board failure and then report it after the interview, let us know how it goes.

Depends on the specialty. Competitive specialties (also many other programs regardless of specialty) will use it to narrow down applications they have to review. Although they might not care if you ask them directly but it’s so easy just to check the box for the filter so you are never aware the applicant got a 270 on steps.

 

[DOstudent12342]

The other option is to to transfer to the carribean and then I would never have to report my comlex or even say I took it.

 

[yougotquestions]

The other option is to to transfer to the carribean and then I would never have to report my comlex or even say I took it.

This isn’t a serious post right

 

[yougotquestions]

Depends on the specialty. Competitive specialties (also many other programs regardless of specialty) will use it to narrow down applications they have to review. Although they might not care if you ask them directly but it’s so easy just to check the box for the filter so you are never aware the applicant got a 270 on steps.

That’s why I recommend emailing them or talking with someone directly. I agree it is easy to get filtered.

 

[DOstudent12342]

This isn’t a serious post right

I mean Ive def thought about it. If people are saying I will get filtered out of IM programs with a passed step but a failed comlex, then why not transfer to carribean where I wont ever have to report my boards failure and have a better shot an decent academic program. It comes down to apply DO with failure on app or a clean app from the carribean. I have 10-15 pubs so far and finished in top 10 percent of my class in preclinical so I know I can do well on STEP 2 and match at a decent IM from the carribean.

 

[Dr_Jan_I_Tor]

I mean Ive def thought about it. If people are saying I will get filtered out of IM programs with a passed step but a failed comlex, then why not transfer to carribean where I wont ever have to report my boards failure and have a better shot an decent academic program. It comes down to apply DO with failure on app or a clean app from the carribean. I have 10-15 pubs so far and finished in top 10 percent of my class in preclinical so I know I can do well on STEP 2 and match at a decent IM from the carribean.

That's completely idiotic, I'm sorry. Being from a Carib school is way more likely to get you filtered out before they even get to your board scores.

Hate to be an dingus, but there is no way to game the system with this. You have to report the COMLEX failure. Just do it and be humble and explain what the issue might have been.

 

[DO2015CA]

That’s why I recommend emailing them or talking with someone directly. I agree it is easy to get filtered.

Ya that would be better than nothing. Idk how common reaching out to IM programs is. You usually are just emailing their program coordinator. They may or may not pass it onto the PD. If reaching out is uncommon then they probably will but if a million applicants do then you’ll likely get a canned response of “thank you for your interest” email.

 

[DOstudent12342]

What I don't get is why do people focus so much on Step and some end up failing COMLEX? Yes, I have heard COMLEX is a poorly written test, which Seems like a good reason for people to focus more on COMLEX to make sure they pass. They can still match to a lower tier U-IM program with just COMLEX only. Maybe this is the reason DO schools advise their students to take COMLEX only. I know most of you can manage Step and COMLEX, but some cannot, especially those that barely got in to med school because of low stats.

I mean this doesnt happen that frequently tbh. I dont think my schools ever had an incidence of a step pass with comlex failure in the past few years. Theres good data from my school to suggest that passing USMLE pretty much guarantees a COMLEX pass. Also, USMLE is a fair exam that actually tests medical competency and the pre-clinical material. COMLEX tests a lot of BS pseudoscience, non-evidence based garbage (chapman, cranial, etc). TBH, its quite scary that it is a medical licensing exam considering how much non-medicine it actually entails and ultimately hurts the DO profession, as a whole. Obviously, my opinion is bias after failing comlex but thats how I feel after taking both exams.

 

[yougotquestions]

I mean this doesnt happen that frequently tbh. I dont think my schools ever had an incidence of a step pass with comlex failure in the past few years. Theres good data from my school to suggest that passing USMLE pretty much guarantees a COMLEX pass. Also, USMLE is a fair exam that actually tests medical competency and the pre-clinical material. COMLEX tests a lot of BS pseudoscience, non-evidence based garbage (chapman, cranial, etc). TBH, its quite scary that it is a medical licensing exam considering how much non-medicine it actually entails and ultimately hurts the DO profession, as a whole. Obviously, my opinion is bias after failing comlex but thats how I feel after taking both exams.

Nothing is worse than a self-hating DO. I won’t argue that there are some aspects of OMM that are iffy, but that’s what you signed up for. I also won’t argue that USMLE step 1 is probably a better pre-clinical exam.

I understand that you are upset with COMLEX right now. I recommend reading the green book (savarese) and doing/re-doing the questions in the back of the book prior to each comlex exam.

I hope the animosity towards your own profession fades away as you power through. At the end of all this, as long as you match to a program, you will be a doctor. Keep that focus in mind. If you truly hate the DO profession and the OMM that comes pre-requisite with choosing it, drop out and pursue what you really want.

 

[DOstudent12342]

Nothing is worse than a self-hating DO. I won’t argue that there are some aspects of OMM that are iffy, but that’s what you signed up for. I also won’t argue that USMLE step 1 is probably a better pre-clinical exam.

I understand that you are upset with COMLEX right now. I recommend reading the green book (savarese) and doing/re-doing the questions in the back of the book prior to each comlex exam.

I hope the animosity towards your own profession fades away as you power through. At the end of all this, as long as you match to a program, you will be a doctor. Keep that focus in mind. If you truly hate the DO profession and the OMM that comes pre-requisite with choosing it, drop out and pursue what you really want.

I agree, the school and degree gives me a chance to fulfill my dream, which I otherwise might not have gotten. No one to blame this failure on other than myself.

 

[yougotquestions]

I agree, the school and degree gives me a chance to fulfill my dream, which I otherwise might not have gotten. No one to blame this failure on other than myself.

You got this.

 

[Bulliedinschool2doc]

Can i ask why you think you failed comlex and passed step?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Pass COMLEX. Once you have a passing score, the "filters" only look at the most recent score, so you will not be filtered out. Programs will need to actually look at the COMLEX report to see it, and by then they have looked at the rest of your app. Some programs may see this as a no-go, and there's nothing you can do about that. But I think withholding your COMLEX score could easily get your app filtered by a "is this application complete" filter looking for a COMLEX transcript.

Trying to explain this is complicated. If there's a "good explanation" of what happened to cause the fail, and you can describe it briefly, it might be worth including somewhere. It's possible your school will let you put it on your MSPE. If your "education was interrupted" because of it, there will be an explanation box on ERAS (but that's probably not the case). You could put it in your PS. Regardless, you need to take responsibility for your part, whatever that was.

 

[Espressso]

I mean this doesnt happen that frequently tbh. I dont think my schools ever had an incidence of a step pass with comlex failure in the past few years. Theres good data from my school to suggest that passing USMLE pretty much guarantees a COMLEX pass. Also, USMLE is a fair exam that actually tests medical competency and the pre-clinical material. COMLEX tests a lot of BS pseudoscience, non-evidence based garbage (chapman, cranial, etc). TBH, its quite scary that it is a medical licensing exam considering how much non-medicine it actually entails and ultimately hurts the DO profession, as a whole. Obviously, my opinion is bias after failing comlex but thats how I feel after taking both exams.

As a DO, I don't necessarily disagree with your point about the COMLEX exam being a terribly written exam when compared to USMLE. But sadly, if you think that after Level 1, just wait for level 2... and 3. Unsure about the status of the PE exam since it's now been a few years for me but that was brutal too. As you mention in other comments, you clearly understand the fact that you signed up for DO route knowing this. All DOs do, myself included. But as @NotAProgDirector mentions, you have to just retake it and pass. Ideally before your apps are submitted if possible.

You obviously can pass the exam too. USMLE is a more challenging exam than COMLEX. But COMLEX is trickier especially if you're weak on the theory of OMT and by theory I just mean the testing of it. You should 1) take a deep look into why you think you failed the exam, and 2) hit OMT qbanks hard, and 3) retake the exam.

I'm sort of assuming you struggled with the OMT? If I recall correctly, with COMLEX series, you have to score a certain % on OMT questions specifically, to pass. So you could hit every single question but miss all the OMT ones and fail the exam. If that's the case, that's brutal and you have to protect yourself from that reality, and retake the exam.